414 



This sort of thing is very diiRcult. It is very expensive, but it is a 

 beffinniinff in the kind of research we have to do to follow animals 

 in the open ocean. 



This is a tough problem you are asking about. 



Mr. Anderson. I have a question on another subject. On page 8, you 

 talk about sanctuaries for the California sea otter and the thought 

 that perhaps a more complete and restrictive regulation than exists 

 today might assist in the management. 

 Would you develop that a little bit ? 



I am thinking now of the sanctuary of California where there exist 

 some of the finest recreational boating and fishing areas that there 

 are anywhere. Yet the concern we have is what is happening as a 

 result of boating accidents and pollution. 



Would you develop your idea of how you would limit sanctuaries 

 only to the otter ? 



Dr. NoRRis. Let me first say something about the otter sanctuaries. 

 That is a thing with which I have had some contact and then I will 

 turn the question of sanctuaries in general over to Dr. Ray who has 

 some broader thoughts. 



In my estimation the problem of the California sea otter and the 

 already' existing sanctuary along the Big Sur coast south of INIonterey 

 is a very difficult one simply because the animals refuse to stay in the 

 designated area that has been assigned by man for them to live in. 



They do not stay on the reservation. The reason they are not stay- 

 ing on"^ the reservation is that to the south of them the table is set for 

 them with abalone and sea urchins and other things which they like 

 to eat. 



These organisms are on the tops of the rocks whereas in the sanc- 

 tuary itself they have grazed these articles of food down to the point 

 that' they live in the crevices and only occasionally come up on the 

 tops of the rocks, so the size of abalone within the refuge has been 

 reduced and sea urchins have become quite small. 



The same thing has happened in the Aleutians. The movement out- 

 side of the sanctuary is what I would do if I were a sea otter; that is, 

 move into an area where there is more food. 



This brings them into a very sharp conflict with the abalone fisher- 

 men as you know. 



It is a conflict for which I cannot see a very quick and easy solution. 



INIoving the otters back into their refuge only faces them once again 

 with the food problem. 



I think what you are really faced with is there is a capacity of 

 habitat, which has perhaps reached its maximum within the sanctuary 

 and one cannot expect any more otters to exist there even if the num- 

 ber we have now can survive there. 



Mr. Anderson. Then you do not think the reason it is so small is 

 because of the boating and pollution in the sanctuary itself, but what 

 happens to the otters outside the sanctuary ? 



Dr. NoRRis. I think, to be honest about it, there is a confrontation 

 with the abalone fishermen and I am quite sure the abalone fishermen 

 take their toll on the otters who are in the area where their take is 

 carried out. 



Dr. Ray. The broader aspects of the sanctuary that Dr. Norris spoke 

 of are a couple of things. 



