152 



Our testimony today is limited to the issue of incidental 

 take of sea otters in commercial fishing operations in 

 California and Alaska. We will submit testimony on other MMPA 

 issues in the future. 



Any incidental take of Southern sea otters could 

 jeopardize species recovery. Even low levels of take could 

 lead into a period of population stasis or decline similar to 

 that of the mid-1970 's to the mid-1980 's. 



Before the current net bans were enacted by the 

 California legislature, sea otters were drowning in large 

 numbers (with take exceeding annual growth of the population 

 through reproduction) in large mesh entangling fishing nets 

 set primarily for halibut. While the gill net restrictions 

 have reduced the number of otter drownings, they have not 

 stopped them. In addition, there is one 20 mile area along 

 the Central California Coast with no gill net restrictions, 

 where commercial net fishing occurs and a small colony of sea 

 otters is now present on a year-round basis. The potential 

 for incidental take remains a threat in this area, as does 

 take in illegal nets in closed areas. 



Protecting Southern sea otters from incidental take also 

 is a key aspect of the ESA and MMPA recovery efforts. For 

 example, in establishing the legal basis for translocating sea 

 otters to San Nicolas Island, Public Law No. 99-625 also 



I10581-0002/DA931 180.01 11 -4- 



