Tag Archives: sea otters
Government Releases Spring 2013 Sea Otter Survey – Good News for Our Otters!
Today the US Geological Survey released the Spring 2013 sea otter count, and it’s good news, the California sea otter population has continued to grow for the second consecutive year. Teams of scientists counted 2899 otters and pups, this is … Continue reading
Otters Win! Seismic testing near Diablo Canyon defeated.
Late yesterday (11/14) the California Coastal Commission denied PG&E’s application to conduct high-energy seismic testing within Estero Bay and in the heart of the sea otter’s range. PG&E said the testing was needed to assess the potential magnitude of an … Continue reading
What role do sea otters play in combatting Climate Change?
Yes, you read that right. Climate Change. Last week, I read about a new study by two UC Santa Cruz researchers that suggests that sea otters undoubtedly influence the carbon cycle, CO2 storage, by limiting sea urchin populations which allows … Continue reading
Good news! Annual Sea Otter Count for 2012 is up
Monterey, CA –The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) released their annual sea otter survey count for 2012 this week and the news is good. The results were presented with cautious optimism since “the southern sea otter population … Continue reading
CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO END THE ‘NO-OTTER’ ZONE
June 15, 2012 California Coastal Commission finds that proposed termination of southern sea otter translocation program is consistent with California Coastal Act Huntington Beach, CA—By unanimous vote, the California Coastal Commission yesterday confirmed … Continue reading
Fisheries exemptions included in 2013 House National Defense Authorization Act
On May 17th, Rep. Gallegly made a floor statement for his amendment, formerly House Bill HR 4043, to the 2013 House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to establish “Military Readiness Areas” and provide unprecedented protections for all commercial fishery interests … Continue reading
Otters remain in harm’s way of H.R. 4043 – Bill hearing before Full Natural Resource Committee
Last week, southern sea otter conservation dodged a bullet as House Bill H.R. 4043 was not included as an amendment to H.R. 4310 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 in the Armed Services Committee Hearing. This is … Continue reading
House Subcommittee Hearing on H.R. 4043 hits the Target
House Bill H.R. 4043 had its day before the House Natural Resource Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs on April 19th. The witnesses before the committee to provide testimony were: Donald Schregardus, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy … Continue reading
If it happened here….The legacy of the Exxon Valdez Disaster
MONTEREY, CA – On the eve of the 23rd anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound and in the shadow of the Deep Water Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, we should pause and reflect … Continue reading
Otters on the move
In the past few months you may have heard or read about rare sea otter sightings off San Diego and Laguna Beach. It has been decades since sea otters were seen off the coast of southern California and we are … Continue reading