The Sea Otter Stormwater Challenge: Great Success!

Sea Otter at Dawn, flickr user chuqui

Back when I was reading Stormwater Management Plans (SWMPs) for fun, we used to struggle with the section on Public Outreach and Education. Does it work? Can it work better? How, we wondered, do you tell if your message is resonating with people—if that ad you put on the side of a bus really causes a change in behavior? There were only imprecise ways to estimate how many people could be reached by an environmental message—and even less ways to follow the impact it might have.

Then along came Facebook—and all of a sudden, we could track the spread of the message and the way people share something important with their friends and social networks—and it turns out, lots of people think our message is important!

Stormwater is a HUGE issue for sea otters, which already face many challenges; disease, food limitation, and high contaminant loads to name a few. Many of these problems can be linked back to water quality, and stormwater is the number one source of non-point source pollution in the coastal ocean. Given that stormwater pollution is such an amalgamous mix of substances from activity all over the urban spectrum, it can be hard to know where to start addressing the problem. And even those of us who live by the sea don’t always make the connection between our activities on land and what goes into the water.

This is why it’s SO important for people to hear the message. Not just from the ad on the side of the bus, or in a public service announcement, but from their friends and colleagues and family members. If you posted any of our stormwater tips or invited any of your friends to join our cause or group, you helped spread an important message—and the fact that it’s important enough to you to post probably impacts their behavior more than a thousand bus ads.

So thank you for participating in the Sea Otter Stormwater Challenge. We’re still working on how to use Facebook and other social networks to spread our message, and we’d love to get your feedback.  So far though we’re pretty happy with the support you all have show for sea otters and the work we’re doing to save them.

Finally, congratulations to Angela, Kathryn and Cindy, our top recruiters! We’ve got your prizes ready to go, so just let us know where to send them.

Otter Safety is No Accident–a follow up

In our Fall 2009 newsletter we listed the FWS enforcement numbers to report otter harassment. We also noted that you can notify any agent authorized to enforce wildlife laws, such as Sanctuary enforcement officers or the CA Department of Fish and Game.

To follow up on this, I recently spoke with Bob Yerena, who is the enforcement officer for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. He noted that Fish and Wildlife Service is more likely to respond to severe incidents—otters hit by boats, killed, or pups separated from their mothers. Their offices are generally remote, so follow up is not immediate. The local enforcement is likely to come from wardens and rangers from local Sanctuary’s, parks or agencies.

So if you see otter harassment that does not pose an immediate threat to otters, it’s better to call the following numbers:

If you’re in the Monterey Bay area, you can call (831) 249-2810 to talk to the Department of Fish and Game and State Parks dispatcher –they will inform the nearest warden or ranger. If you’re out of the area, or its afterhours, NOAA’s 24 hotline, 1-800-853-1964, will get you a dispatcher that will contact the nearest enforcement officer in your area.

Bob also gave me a list of what kind of information is helpful for the enforcement officers. First of all, you will be asked to give a callback number. They will need to know what you saw, the location, the species it is impacting and the time and the date of the incident. These are the essentials. Other helpful things to include would be a description of the person at fault, details such as boat name or number, and license plate numbers—as long as you’re careful in getting them! “I don’t want anyone playing cop, or putting themselves in danger,” Bob told me, but these details can really help. If you can get images, such as digital camera shots or video, that’s ideal.

Follow up will depend on the infringement—officers may chose to use the incident as an educational moment if it appears people are unwittingly harassing wildlife. They may choose to give a written warning, or to fine the perpetrator. A $100 fine is typical.

If you’re not sure how to handle the situation, or you want help in following up on a report, you can always contact us at The Otter Project.

Thanks for looking out for the otters—they depend upon it!

There Otter Be A List

Not too long ago The Otter Project worked with a local teacher who had some students interested in doing a project on the no otter zone. The students were participating in a GATE project, and they wanted to learn about otters, but also about advocacy. What was really great about their project was the fact that they wanted to impact the issue, not just learn about it.

The 5th graders doing the project ended up teaching younger classes about sea otters and the no otter zone, and organizing a collection of letters and art to be sent to Fish and Wildlife Service and the Navy (who is obstructing the process of ending the no otter zone). They sent the art to us, and we compiled it in a book, and sent it on to the Navy and the Service. The end product was truly delightful–incredible artwork featuring otters of all colors, with a loud and clear message that children care about sea otters and are invested in their environmental future.

In addition to the pictures, one student, Isabella, wrote an incredible poem about sea otters. In compiling the art work, I got sidetracked and forgot to share it, but I’d like to post it here.

We get very caught up in science and policy here at The Otter Project–but we’re so happy to see sea otters inspiring art, poetry, and generating creativity. It’s a powerful way to keep people connected to the cause.

There Otter Be  A List, by Isabella Calcatera

I’m furry and brown,
I live in the kelp,
and all I can say is,
I need some help.
 
We otters are struggling
to live and to thrive
so I made a short list
to help us survive.
 
Please lean in close,
and I’ll whisper to you,
just a few of the things
that you can do.
 
1. We all know that it’s gross,
and that car litter’s smelly,
but if you flush it away,
it could end up in my belly.
Please think twice,
and your effort will pay.
Please scoop it and bag it
and throw it away.
 
2. Recycle your paper,
and plastics, and glass.
You’ll make less pollution
and let otters last.
 
3. If you go to the store
to buy a new coat,
find out what it’s made of
just so you don’t
buy anything that was made from my fur,
because if it’s not on me,
I’m all chilly…Brrrrr!
 
Well, I hope that you’ve listened
and maybe you’ve learned
just one thing or two
from the list that you’ve heard.
 
I may be one otter,
but there are many of you.
Add up your actions,
it’s not hard to do.
 
No, our story’s not over,
I’ll declare it quite gladly,
tomorrow you’ll see us,
playful and happy.

350.org’s climate day of action–sea otters called out

Global annual surface temperature in 2005, relative to 1951-1980 mean; Goddard Institute of Space Studies

This last week saw a flurry of activity around climate change, thanks to 350.org’s October 24th day of action! Some of our local activists in Santa Cruz organized some great activities, and people all over the world got together to call for action on climate change.

Climate change is a BIG issue–for people, societies, and probably for sea otters too. There isn’t too much research yet on what impact changes will have on otters in particular, but we know that the oceans are particularly susceptible to changes wrought by climate. Ocean acidification is a huge problem that could drastically impact ocean ecosystems.

In recognition of the threats that climate change poses to conservation goals, the Center for Biological Diversity launched a website called “350 Reasons we need to get to 350” in which they have selected 350 species that showcase what we risk losing if we don’t act soon. In addition to the usual polar bears and sensitive arctic species, sea otters in California made the list.

The Center links their decision to include sea otters in the list to the risk posed by ocean acidification, stating “off the West Coast, increasingly corrosive waters are making it harder for the invertebrates that are the otter’s main prey to form their shells.”

The CBD further notes that scientists have determined that 35% of species worldwide could be doomed to extinction if we continue on our current climate trajectory without reducing emissions. Although sea otters seem resilient to warming waters, they’re incredibly reliant on a network of species that might not be.

There’s a lot to do to save sea otters–considering our impact on the climate is a big step. For more information on what you can do, check out 350.org–one of many great resources for taking action! Remember, the sea otters are at stake.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act turns 37!

On this day in 1972, for the first time ever, our government made the conservation of healthy and stable ecosystems as important as the conservation of individual species.  A passionate group of scientists and citizens approached Congress with concerns about the decline in some species of marine mammals, fearing that human impact was part of the reason.  Congress listened and enacted the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) on October 21, 1972.  All marine mammals are protected under the MMPA.   The Act established a national policy to prevent marine mammal species and population stocks from declining beyond the point where they ceased to be significant functioning elements of their ecosystem.

A raft of sea otters. Sea otters help to maintain a balanced eco-system.

Today marks the 37th Anniversary of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  We can all be grateful for this in some way or another.  If you have ever appreciated whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, walrus, manatee, polar bears or sea otters you’ve been affected by the Act.

We hope that our government continues to uphold the spirit of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  As times change, so should legislation.  Using the most current science, we must continue to strengthen these measures to ensure our marine ecosystem remains sustainable not only for sea otters, but for all marine creatures- including us!

Happy Birthday Marine Mammal Protection Act- and thanks!!

The MMPA text- revised 2007

NOAA’s MMPA Fact sheet

Marine Mammal Commission

Happy 25th Anniversary Monterey Bay Aquarium!

Here in Monterey, California we are lucky to be surrounded by natural beauty on all sides. Historically this community has tried to balance its bountiful resources with human consumption. Well, you win some and you loose some. In the late 1940s when the sardines left Monterey the canneries began to leave as well. Monterey became a ghost town and fire threatened the decaying canneries. Through the 1960s many cannery buildings burnt to the ground, bringing the once vibrant and bustling Ocean View Avenue to a somber state. It was the end of an era on Cannery Row and the beginning of a new one.

Enter The Monterey Bay Aquarium. Since opening its doors in 1984, the aqaurium has made huge strides by making Cannery Row and the Monterey Peninsula a destination town for tourists, and a powerful vehicle to educate and inspire the entire world about ocean conservation. Over the last 25 years the aquarium has welcomed more than 46 million visitors, and distributed over 32 million Seafood Watch guides on sustainable seafood.

Kelp exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

As an ocean conservation leader, the aquarium is deeply involved in cutting-edge research – and advocacy – to protect sea otters, tunas, white sharks and other threatened ocean animals. As far as our beloved sea otters are concerned, the Monterey Bay Aqaurium has raised interest, passion, and intrigue for the species with its wonderful and very popular sea otter exhibit and otter cam.  Their top-notch sea otter research team (SORAC) has provided us with volumes of information abouth this important keystone species.

Aquarium exhibits have also helped to inspire creation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary – the largest national marine sanctuary in the continental United States – and the aquarium actively supports creation of the largest network of marine protected areas in the U.S., along the California coast.

We are proud to have such a place in our community, in our world.   For sure we know sea otters are appreciative!

Here’s to at least 25 more!

Historical timeline of the MBAQ

MBAQ press release

The Sea Otter Stormwater Challenge–are you up to it?

October is one of my favorite months; the smell of fall in the air, beautiful weather here in Monterey, and the arrival of fall rain after a long, dry summer. I love that feeling of curling up in the warmth of my home when that first big rain hits—except this year that’s not where I’ll be. Instead, I’ll be pulling on my rain boots to go sit by a storm drain to see what washes out. Because whatever does is going straight from the storm drain, to the creek, to the bay—right into the home of our ailing otters.

I’ll be testing the water quality as a volunteer of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s First Flush program, which sends citizen volunteer monitors out to get data that would otherwise be pretty expensive to collect. Sure, I’d rather be home with my cats and a cup of hot tea when that rain hits. But I know what an impact stormwater has on our bay—polluted urban runoff pours more contaminants into our ocean than ANY other source. What’s more, stormwater is an unpredictable mix of all the chemicals we use in our daily urban lives—pesticides for our lawns, oil that drips from our cars, soaps and cleansers, trash, and sediment from construction. All of this gets brushed into storm drains or directly into watersheds where it flows out to sea.

It can be hard to quantify what exactly is going into our water, because it’s coming from so many disparate sources. This also makes it difficult to know what kind of impact it has. Chemicals are often tested for safety before manufacturing, but no one really considers how those chemicals react in synergy with all the OTHER chemicals we’re pouring down the drain. Collecting water samples of what’s coming out of the drain is one of the best ways to find out what’s going in, and how we can stop it. So when I’m clinging to my storm drain trying to get a bucket full of pretty gross water, I’m getting a firsthand idea of the challenges our otters face. Yuck.

People often ask us what they can do to help the sea otters. Tackling stormwater is something that requires community support, so this is a great place to start. And it’s something that people EVERYWHERE can participate in. Stormwater pollution from areas far inland still gets dumped into the ocean eventually—so what you put in storm drains inland matters too.

September brought us Sea Otter Awareness Week—which was great. But let’s not forget about otters just because it’s over. The Otter Project needs your help spreading the word— help us spread the word with the Sea Otter Stormwater Challenge!

Here’s what you can do to help:

1) If you’re not already a member, join our facebook cause—this will help us track how many people you help us reach

2) We’ll be using our facebook cause to post ways people can help mitigate stormwater pollution—easy things that EVERYONE can do to make a big difference—so ask your friends to join our cause too!

3) Donate your facebook status to the Sea Otter Stormwater Challenge—we’ll post some handy tips and cool sea otter facts that you can use to dazzle all your friends—and hopefully get them to take action too!

4) Visit the Sea Otter Stormwater Challenge website and learn more!

We’ll reward the top three recruiters on the facebook cause with a set of marine inspired photo cards–incentive to tell all your friends about sea otters (you can send them a card if you win…)!

Thanks and good luck!

MLPA is spreading–and we need your help!

The south coast portion of the Marine Life Protection Act process of creating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is up for consideration. If you’ve been following us for a while, you know what to do! Let the Blue Ribbon Task Force know that you support high levels of conservation–this time the preferred alternative is the Group 3 proposal. You can do so easily at the MPA hub caloceans.org.

If you haven’t followed the MLPA process, the law requires California to develop a network of MPAs throughout the coast. We’ve established these networks in the Central Coast, from Point Conception to Ano Nuevo, and the North Central Coast, which skips the SF Bay and goes up to Point Arena. The North and South coasts are being considered now.

Marine Protected Areas are important to us at The Otter Project because protecting habitat is an essential tenet of ecosystem based management. Creating wildlife refuges at sea is equivilent to creating underwater Yosemites–and it shows that as a society, we’ve finally started to value the protection of the oceans like we do the protection of land. The Otter Project was part of the group of environmentalists that spearheaded the movement to create MPAs in the Central Coast–and although it’s a bit beyond otter range, we continue to support the process as it occurs throughout the rest of the state.

After all, once all of it was otter habitat, and if we do our job right, it will be again someday. Take a minute to register your support for an MPA network with a strong conservation focus–especially if you live in or visit So Cal!

The Otter Zone Art Show–pictures!

The Otter Project staff: Heather, Steve and Allison

Check out a selection of phots from The Otter Zone opening reception! You can see the entire album on facebook (no login required)–while you’re there, become a fan of The Otter Project!

The Otter Project & EDC sue the USFWS

The jig is up...

This week The Otter Project and the Environmental Defense Center in Santa Barbara filed a lawsuit against the US Fish and Wildlife Service for their failure to protect sea otters. In spite of 16 years of saying that the no otter zone put sea otters at risk, the Service has failed to act to reverse the policy, leaving sea otters unprotected and vulnerable in a significant portion of their historic range.

You can read about the no otter zone on our website. The press release for the suit is replicated in full here:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2009

Contact:
Allison Ford, Executive Director, The Otter Project: (831) 646‐8837 x 115
Brian Segee, Staff Attorney, Environmental Defense Center: (805) 963‐1622

CONSERVATION GROUPS BRING LAWSUIT CHALLENGING
GOVERNMENT’S FAILURE TO PROTECT SOUTHERN SEA OTTERS

Santa Barbara/San Jose, CA‐The Otter Project and the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) filed a lawsuit in federal district court against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today, in response to the Service’s failure to issue a final decision repealing the no otter zone‐‐an outdated rule prohibiting southern sea otters from reestablishing historic populations in California waters south of Point Conception. The suit was filed during Sea Otter Awareness Week, which has been officially recognized by the California state legislature.

The southern sea otter, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, once ranged throughout the California coast. Southern sea otters are today largely restricted to the central coast, and expansion of this range into historic southern California habitats is recognized by the Service as the single most important action necessary to recover the species.

Despite this fact, the agency has failed to repeal its 22 year old rule designating the entire southern California bight as a “no otter zone.” Once otters swim into the “no otter zone” they are no longer fully protected by the ESA, which means they become more susceptible to harassment, illegal killings, and other harmful actions.

“Southern sea otters are a vital part of southern California’s natural heritage, and the Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes that the return of the otter to these historic habitats is essential to its recovery,” stated Allison Ford, Executive Director of the Otter Project. “We’ve been pushing this rock uphill for a while now, with no agency action to show for it. It is long past time for the agency to repeal its outdated rule declaring southern California as a ‘no otter zone’.”

The 1987 rule grew out of a Service proposal to artificially establish a new, “experimental”, population of sea otters at San Nicolas Island, 60 miles off of the southern California coast and controlled by the U.S. Navy. The proposal engendered significant opposition from the shellfish industry, and as a result the Service issued a “compromise” rule allowing the translocation but prohibiting otters from all other southern California waters. The translocation effort failed, however, and a sustainable population of otters has never been established at San Nicolas.

“The role of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to facilitate the recovery of the southern sea otter, yet for at least 16 years the agency has recognized the threat posed by the ‘no otter zone’ without taking definitive and final action to abolish its own harmful rule” stated Brian Segee, staff attorney with EDC. “It is our hope that the lawsuit will finally compel this long‐overdue action.”

From its beginning in August 1987, the translocation effort was plagued with difficulty, and after the fourth year of translocation only 10 percent of the 140 translocated otters remained at San Nicolas Island. The remaining 90 percent died during translocation, attempted to swim back north of Point Conception, or moved into the no otter zone and were removed. In 1991, FWS stopped translocating otters to the island, due to its concerns that the effort was resulting in unacceptable levels of mortality.

The decision to sue the Service comes after recent news that the sea otter population is once again in decline. Otters are dying of a variety of causes, many of which can be attributed to poor water quality from urban and agricultural runoff. The highest rates of mortality occur in areas near agricultural and urban centers. Scientists also speculate that food limitation in the middle of the otter range could be contributing to otter mortality.

“Otters are dying,” said Ford, “and that’s all the more reason to allow for natural range expansion. It’s unrealistic to expect all the members of a struggling population to stay in a small, increasingly polluted patch of the ocean. They’re going to spread out naturally, and it’s the Service’s job to make sure that they are fully protected when they get where they’re going.”

Santa Barbara has long been the next stop in the otters’ expanding range. A raft of about 100 otters moved south of Point Conception in 1998, causing FWS to readdress the no otter zone. Despite the fact that the Service has issued numerous draft proposals declaring the effort a failure since 1992, after a nearly two decade delay the agency has still yet to issue its required final decision.

The Otter Project and EDC have filed suit to bring about a final ruling, ending the no otter zone and restoring protections to otters in the no otter zone. While both organizations are fully committed to following through on the case legally, both hope that its filing will prompt the Service to take action without further delay.

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The Otter Project exists to promote the rapid recovery of the California sea otter, an indicator of near shore ocean health and a keystone species, through science based policy and advocacy. Founded in 1998, The Otter Project has worked to facilitate research and communicate research results to the general public and policy makers and to offer policy recommendations for action leading to sea otter recovery and improved ocean health.

The Environmental Defense Center protects and enhances the local environment through education, advocacy, and legal action and works primarily within Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties. Since 1977, EDC has empowered community based organizations to advance environmental protection. Program areas include protecting coast and ocean resources, open spaces and wildlife, and human and environmental health. For more information, please see www.EnvironmentalDefenseCenter.org.