KEYSTONE SPECIES

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KEYSTONE SPECIES

• The California Sea Otter

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California Sea management Issues
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Sea Otter Biodiversity

• Scientists believe that as many as 300,000 sea
  otters once lived along the coast of the Pacific
  Ocean
• Roughly 20,000 of these were California sea
  otters
• By the early 1900s, fewer than 50 animals
  remained in the waters off California
• Today, the sea otter population is still
  struggling to bounce back.
• Recently, Scientists found 3,026 otters off the
  California coast. That's 334 more than the last
  count. But the population is not in good shape
  yet.

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• The hunting of sea otters has been banned since
  1911
• There is no one answer as to why the population
  is not larger at this point

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• Scientists are also concerned because all of the
  otters now live in a small area along the coast.
  If there is a major oil spill in that area, it
  could wipe out the entire population.
• To help, scientists are trying to move some
  otters to San Nicolas Island, located off the
  California coast. That way, if an oil spill
  occurs, at least one of the groups of otters
  might be out of harm's way.

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The Kelp Forest
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• Many species take advantage of the relative
  safety provided by the kelp forest, protected
  from larger predators. A great variety of
  creatures live here, and its a favorite hunting
  ground for the California sea otter.

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• Without the otter, a kelp forest would be in
  danger of becoming a veritable wasteland. If the
  otters main prey, the sea urchin, is left to
  multiply unchecked, they begin devouring entire
  stands of kelp, chewing away at the stalks until
  whole plants detach from the sea floor and drift
  to the surface. This is the fate that typically
  befalls kelp forests that are without the otters
  protection.

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• Left to themselves, the urchins will quickly turn
  a flourishing eco system into what is known as an
  urchin barren. The urchins will cover every inch
  of the sea floor and choke out most other life
  forms until there is nothing else to eat. This
  can be bad for local fish populations because the
  kelp forest is a key location for spawning and
  feeding.

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Legislations
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Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972

• The MMPA is a federal law that was established in
  1972 to protect marine animals from human-caused
  deaths in the United States.
• Without the historic Marine Mammal Protection
  Act, millions of our most magnificent ocean
  creatures would have been killed or harmed,
  changing the ecology of the ocean forever

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Marine Mammal Commission

• The commission is dedicated to the protection and
  conservation of marine mammals.
• Established by the Marine Mammal Protection Act
  of 1972 in response to concerns that certain
  marine mammals were in danger of extinction, the
  MMC provides independent oversight of the marine
  mammal conservation policies and programs
  developed and implemented by other federal
  regulatory agencies.
• The commission consists of three members who are
  nominated by the US president and confirmed by
  the Senate they are assisted by a nine-member
  committee and a staff.

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California Marine Life Protection Act

• Legislation passed in 1999 to sustain, conserve
  and protect California's marine resources
• 29 protected areas from Pigeon Point to Point
  Conception take effect today under the state's
  Marine Life Protection Act.

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Fish and Wildlife Service

• Bureau in the Department of Interior
• The Mission of the U.S. Fish Wildlife
  Serviceworking with others to conserve, protect
  andenhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their
  habitats for the continuing benefit of the
  American people

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Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act

• Bill introduced in November 2003
• Dedicated to protecting the California sea otter
• If passed
• Establishes a program of research and other
  activities aiding in the recovery of the southern
  sea otter

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LINKS

• http//www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jul04/040715m.as
  p
• http//www.mbayaq.org/efc/living_species/default.a
  sp?hOri0hab5inhab214
• http//www4.ncsu.edu/dbeggles/education/synergy/s
  eaotter/sskelp.html
• All royalty free pictures found on Fotobucket.com