THIRD READING

Bill No: SCR 39

Author: Atkins (D)

Amended: 4/17/17

Vote: 21

SUBJECT: Marine Mammal Rescue Day

SOURCE: California Wildlife Center

Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute

Marine Animal Rescue

Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles

Northcoast Marine Mammal Center

Pacific Marine Mammal Center

SeaWorld San Diego

The Marine Mammal Center

DIGEST:

This resolution recognizes April 27, 2017, as Marine Mammal Rescue Day and commends the Marine Mammal Stranding Network for its continued commitment to the rescue, rehabilitation, and return of animals residing off the California coast.

ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings:

A record 6,000 stranded California sea lions, harbor seals, elephant seals, and other mammals were rescued off the California coast in 2015 and 2016.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries officially declared 2016 the continuation of an unusual mortality event due to record numbers of marine mammal strandings.
Since 2014, a mass of unusually warm water, which has come to be known as “the Blob,” has hovered and swelled in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of North America, and has played havoc with marine wildlife, water quality, and regional weather. Researchers believe that warm water anomalies, such as El Niño storms and the Blob, as well as warming coastal waters, likely brought on by climate change, are impacting the availability of food for marine mammals and resulting in mass strandings.
The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center, the Marine Mammal Center, the Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute, the California Wildlife Center, the Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur, Los Angeles, the Marine Animal Rescue, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, and SeaWorld San Diego all compose the California Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and work tirelessly with limited and donated resources to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine mammals and conduct important research.
The rescue and rehabilitation efforts of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network also contribute to research that helps the scientific community better understand ocean health and the cause of mass marine mammal strandings.

This resolution recognizes April 27, 2017, as Marine Mammal Rescue Day, and commends the Marine Mammal Stranding Network for its continued commitment to the rescue, rehabilitation, and return of animals residing off the California coast.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 4/18/17)

California Wildlife Center (co-source)

Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute (co-source)

Marine Animal Rescue (co-source)

Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles (co-source)

Northcoast Marine Mammal Center (co-source)

Pacific Marine Mammal Center (co-source)

SeaWorld San Diego (co-source)

The Marine Mammal Center (co-source)

OPPOSITION: (Verified 4/18/17)

None received

Prepared by: Karen Chow / SFA / (916) 651-1520

4/19/17 15:24:23

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SCR 39: Marine Mammal Rescue Day.

Senate Floor

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