potential translocation sites. Subsequently, the Commission 

 transferred funds to the Fish and Wildlife Service so that 

 the principal investigators could visit each of the four 

 areas tentatively identified as potential translocation 

 sites . 



The site visits were carried out late in October and 

 early in November 1982, The final project report is expected 

 to be completed early in 1983 and the Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, in consultation with the Commission, the California 

 Department of Fish and Game and other interested parties, 

 presently is planning a meeting in March 198 3 to review the 

 results of the .mapping project and to determine how best to 

 proceed. 



Regulating Distribution and Movements 



Zonal management would require designation of "otter" 

 and "otter-free" zones, and would be feasible only if there 

 are acceptable and effective methods for limiting the 

 movement of otters into and out of these predetermined 

 areas. To help assess the likely feasibility of zonal 

 management, the Commission, late in 1981, contracted for a 

 study to identify and evaluate possible methods for influencing 

 the distribution and movements of sea otters. 



The project report, published in September 1982, 

 identifies and discusses nine techniques that might be 

 useful for regulating sea otter movements and distribution. 

 The report concludes that no single technique likely will be 

 effective in all situations and that a combination of techniques 

 may be required to be effective. The report further concludes 

 that it may well be impossible to completely prevent otters 

 from leaving designated areas, but that undesired movement 

 might be limited by: selecting boundaries that coincide 

 with natural barriers; augmenting barriers with negative 

 conditioning; capturing and relocating otters that stray 

 into non-otter zones; or manipulating the demographic 

 parameters of established colonies. 



The report notes that additional research would be 

 necessary to: (1) identify and assess habitat breaks that 

 might be used as boundaries; (2) develop more efficient 

 methods and equipment for herding and capturing otters; (3) 

 determine how density, age, sex, reproductive condition, 

 time of year, availability of prey, and other variables 

 affect sea otter movements; and (4) assess the possible use 

 of acoustic or other stimuli to cause otters to leave or 

 avoid selected areas. 



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