University of New England

NOAA presents UNE's Keith Matassa with David St. Aubin Award

BIDDEFORD, Maine - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently honored University of New England’s Keith Matassa with its prestigious David St. Aubin Award of Excellence.

Matassa is the marine mammal rehabilitation coordinator for the Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center (MARC), a division of UNE’s Marine Science Education and Research Center.  The award was established by NOAA Northeast Fisheries in memory of Dr. David St. Aubin, a long-standing researcher whose work benefited the Marine Mammal Stranding Network through scientific excellence. 

NOAA Fisheries honored Matassa at the annual Northeast Region Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Network conference April 16-20, 2008 in Providence, R.I.  The award recognized Matassa’s contribution to the network during the 2006-2008 Pinniped/Morbillivirus unusual mortality event (UME), which affected hundreds of seals in the Northeast.  An unusual mortality event is defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act as “a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response.”

“NOAA Fisheries extends its appreciation for all the hard work put forth by Keith,” says Mendy Garron, NOAA Fisheries Northeast Region, marine mammal health and stranding response coordinator.   “Keith’s diligence, dedication, guidance and scientific excellence in developing Morbillivirus sampling protocols and developing training to provide to the network went beyond his call of duty as an on-site coordinator for the UME. Keith put in endless hours of research and work on his own time, which showed his passion for the cause.”

MARC is part of a network of centers authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine mammals and sea turtles.  MARC also researches the causes of marine mammal mortality and the state of the marine environment.

(Press release posted April 24, 2008)