The Marine Mammal Center is a member of the Southwest Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network. As a private, non-profit organization, we have a letter of authorization from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service authorizing us to rescue, rehabilitate, and release marine mammals. Additionally, since sea turtles are also managed by NMFS, we are permitted to respond to stranded sea turtles.

The Center has permits for each marine mammal or sea turtle specimen used in education or research. Our primary purpose is to release healthy animals back to the wild. We do not conduct invasive research, or hold live animals for education purposes. Since we hold animals in temporary captivity for the purpose of rehabilitation, we also follow Department of Commerce Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service regulations for display animals. We generally respond to live-stranded marine mammals and sea turtles, but occasionally respond to dead animals.