MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION — Annual Report for 1995 



Table 7. California sea otter population counts by 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service and the 

 California Department of Fish and Game, 

 1982-1995 



1980 recommendation by the Marine Mammal Com- 

 mission, adopted and implemented a management stra- 

 tegy recognizing the need for "zonal" management of 

 sea otters and the need to establish one or more sea 

 otter colonies at a site or sites not likely to be affected 

 by an oil spill in or near the population's present 

 range. The zonal management concept was incorpo- 

 rated into the Service's Southern Sea Otter Recovery 

 Plan adopted in February 1982. 



As discussed in previous annual reports, the Fish 

 and Wildlife Service initiated efforts in 1981 to 

 establish a sea otter "reserve" off California. In 1986 

 Congress passed Public Law 99-625, which included 

 provisions authorizing and encouraging the devel- 

 opment and implementation of a program to establish 

 at least one sea otter colony outside the then-existing 

 sea otter range in California. The Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, in consultation with the Marine Mammal 

 Commission, the California Coastal Commission, and 

 the California Department of Fish and Game, subse- 

 quently developed and adopted a plan to establish a 

 reserve sea otter colony at San Nicolas Island in the 

 California Channel Islands. 



Translocation Efforts — Capture of sea otters for 

 translocation to San Nicolas Island began on 24 

 August 1987. As of June 1990, 139 animals had 

 been transported to and released at San Nicolas Island. 

 No animals have been captured for translocation since 

 mid- 1990. 



Between August 1987, when the translocation 

 program was initiated, and December 1993, 28 pups 

 are known to have been born at the San Nicolas Island 

 translocation site and 9 of these are believed to have 

 survived to weaning. Of the 139 sea otters trans- 

 located to San Nicolas Island during that period, 14 

 are known to have died, 10 have been recaptured in 

 the sea otter management zone south of Point Concep- 

 tion, 36 have been resighted back in the mainland 

 range, and a few remain at San Nicolas Island. The 

 fate of the remaining animals is unknown. 



In 1993 funding and opportunities to observe the 

 San Nicolas population were reduced. At least six 

 pups were observed. However, the population did not 

 appear to be growing and was estimated at 12-14 

 animals, about the same as the previous year. Counts 

 conducted in 1994 and 1995 indicate that the San 

 Nicolas sea otter population is remaining stable at 

 about 15 animals. Six pups were known to have been 

 born at San Nicolas Island in 1995. 



Sea Otter Necropsy Program — The California 

 sea otter population has not grown as rapidly as 

 populations in Alaska. Through an agreement reached 

 in 1991 between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the 

 California Department of Fish and Game, veterinary 



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