Within the past two years, the National Marine Fisheries Service has made major progress toward reoganization of the California Marine Mammal Stranding Network.  The lengthy California coast has been partitioned into six geographic sections to facilitate administration.  Organizational meetings have been held in each section to introduce the framework, improve coordination between Network members, and to interpret the roles and responsibilities required of members by regulations.  Network members are classified as cooperators (those agencies reporting stranding events) or participants (those responding to an event). Cooperators include animal control units, police, lifeguards, state wildlife agents, and similar public officials specifically authorized to act by 50 CFR 216.22. Participants include university collections, public scientific museums, and rehabilitation centers; these receive authority to respond to a stranding event from the Regional Director (SWR) via a Letter of Authorization (LOA).  LOA's have been issued to six rehabilitation centers and 15 scientific institutions within California that have agreed to various terms and conditions consistent with federal regulations.  Over 120 cooperators have been identified to date.  A Directory of Network members, organized by geographic section, has been prepared, issued, and will be updated annually.  A stranding event report form, consistent with that formerly used by the Scientific Event Alert Network (SEAN), has been developed and is in use throughout the State.  Stranding reports are submitted to the SWR on a monthly basis.  Data from these reports is entered into a computer file using a program developed by the Southwest Fisheries Center.  Printout format is identical to the old SEAN bulletin.  Eventually periodic reports will be distributed throughout the Network. Future goals include: (1) data entry and analysis of the seven year backlog of stranding reports (2) improving communication within the Network through a public awareness campaign (3) improving communication with other networks to ensure national consistency in administration, (4) the encouragement of funding for a national tissue bank.