Administrative
Report
H.16., File # 24-1564 Meeting Date: 10/15/2024
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: GREG KAPOVICH, WATERFRONT & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DIRECTOR
TITLE
APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER LOS ANGELES FOR MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE AND RECOVERY SERVICES FOR AN ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $60,000 AND THE TERM OCTOBER 15, 2024 TO OCTOBER 14, 2027
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles (MMCC) is a non-profit rescue service and hospital for marine mammals that are stranded along the Southern California coastline due to illness, injury, or malnutrition. The organization’s mission is to inspire ocean conservation through marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, education, and research. MMCC created a Rescue and Response program to ensure continuity of marine mammal recovery services in Los Angeles County when Marine Animal Rescue, the organization that rescued marine mammals for 30 years in LA County, became financially insolvent at the end of 2022 and ceased operations.
MMCC is seeking funding from cities within its jurisdiction to offset a recent decline in available State grant funding and ensure financial stability for continued operations. Specifically, the organization is seeking a three-year agreement for an annual funding amount of $60,000 from Redondo Beach.
MMCC has requested comparable amounts from other South Bay cities, based on each agency’s population and mammal rescue history. Hermosa Beach recently approved their agreement.
Manhattan Beach is still processing the request.
Per the terms of the proposed agreement, the City is only committed to allocating funding in year one. If the City elects to discontinue funding in future years, the City can utilize the Agreement’s termination provision to opt-out of the year two and/or three contributions. It is recommended that the City Council approve the agreement with MMCC to ensure adequate public safety, timely response, and continued care for the variety of marine mammals that become stranded, or end up in distress, in Redondo Beach.
BACKGROUND
Marine Animal Rescue (MAR) was a non-profit organization that conducted a rescue and response program to retrieve mammals in need of care and rehabilitation. MAR transported rescued animals to MMCC to receive medical care. After 30 years of service, MAR became financially insolvent and ceased operations in 2022. MMCC has since established a rescue and response program to ensure rescue services continue throughout Los Angeles County. MMCC, which has historically relied on State grants to operate, is now seeking funding from all coastal cities and the County of Los Angeles
H.16., File # 24-1564 Meeting Date: 10/15/2024
State grants to operate, is now seeking funding from all coastal cities and the County of Los Angeles to allow for uninterrupted response and rescue services. MMCC was established in 1992 and is the only organization authorized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine mammals year-round throughout Los Angeles County, including Catalina Island.
The number of incidents the MMCC responds to, and the number of marine mammals rescued each year, varies. Recent data trends indicate that the number of marine mammals stranded will continue to increase, with cyclical spikes being seen more frequently. Marine mammals can become stranded for a variety of reasons including toxicity from harmful algal blooms, malnutrition, infectious diseases, and entanglements, among other threats. On average, MMCC responds to 500 to 750 reports of marine mammals in distress, and the organization rescues and rehabilitates between 250 to 500 animals each year. The MMCC divides its repose area into zones, and Zone 2, which includes Redondo Beach, accounts for 45% of MMCC’s total rescues each year.
If the Agreement is approved, MMCC would provide marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation services, which includes conducting regular patrols of the harbor area, maintaining veterinary hospital and rehabilitation facilities, and operating a marine mammal reporting hotline, among other duties.
MMCC would also provide educational outreach to City residents and visitors about best practices to protect marine mammals and preserve the ocean environment.
MMCC has already coordinated similar agreements with Hermosa Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes, and is preparing contracts with Long Beach, Torrance, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, and the County of Los Angeles. The amount requested from each agency was determined by multiple factors, including the City’s population and budget, level of stranding activity on beaches, marine mammal presence, and historical response data. The organization is requesting an annual contribution of $60,000 from Redondo Beach.
COORDINATION
The Agreement was reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total compensation for the 3-year Agreement will not exceed $180,000. $60,000 for the first year of the Agreement is available in the Waterfront and Economic Development Department’s FY 2024- 2025 Tidelands Fund Budget.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
· Agmt - Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles