For several years we’ve been working to better understand what impacts the health of river otters in the Salish Sea. While the Pacific Northwest is fortunate to have a robust river otter population, more than 20 states are spending millions of dollars to bring back wild river otters.
Are Seals Causing Bottomfish Declines?
Many people have been concerned that a burgeoning harbor seal population is responsible for the declines in bottomfish like rockfish, lingcod and greenlings, but nobody has the data to show if this is true or not. If seals are eating large numbers of bottomfish, it’s important to know so we can make good decisions about where to locate bottomfish protection areas.
Abalone Declines
Recovery of Rockfish Populations
The Pacific Northwest has 26 species of rockfish that are truly “magnificent,” the translation of their Greek name Sebastes. Unlike many other fish, they give birth to live young, some species can live to be over 100 years old, most have venom glands at the base of their fin spines, and—they just look cool!
Feeding Habitat for Western Sandpipers
You may have seen – and smelled! – a big marine mud flat when the tide is out, and been less than favorably impressed. It may not be readily apparent, but those mucky expanses provide critical habitat to migratory birds. Recently completed work studying the fattening rates of Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) is now helping improve our ability to identify and conserve important habitat for migratory shorebirds.
Seabird Workshop
In addition to killer whales, rockfish, and other well-known marine mammals and fish of the Puget Sound region, dozens of bird species depend on our saltwater ecosystem. Some of these birds, like the Western Grebe, winter here and fly farther north to nest in the summer. Others, like the Rhinoceros Auklet, summer here and then move to the open ocean for the winter. And then there are species like the Black Oystercatcher that call this area home year-round.
Recreational SCUBA Divers' Contributions to Science
Can private citizens really help conduct underwater research that will benefit the recovery of threatened or endangered species? Yes! For over three years, the SeaDoc Society has been training recreational SCUBA divers to help count and monitor marine fish and invertebrates in the Pacific Northwest.
Species of Concern
How do we judge the health of our marine environment?
Fish and wildlife populations are the ultimate indicators for the health of the entire Puget Sound Georgia Basin marine ecosystem. The recent biennial SeaDoc Society Species of Concern report shows that the number of species listed as threatened or endangered is increasing and unless efforts are stepped up, the “silent slow motion crisis” will continue to out pace the ability to stabilize and restore populations.
When One Endangered Species Eats Another
What do you do when one endangered species eats another?
Sea otters, once extirpated in Washington, are now recovering thanks to several transplantations from Alaska. They eat up to 25% of their body weight a day in abalone, clams, crabs, sea urchins, and other invertebrates. This is a concern, because the northern (pinto) abalone also has declined precipitously in Washington and efforts are underway to bring back this culturally and ecologically important mollusk. Complicating the issue, young abalone might hide under sea urchins for protection and Washington has a sizeable state and tribal commercial urchin harvest.
Sargassum muticum Research
Over half a century ago, a non-native seaweed called Sargassum muticum was accidentally introduced into Washington’s inland waters with oysters imported from Asia. The seaweed invaded the entire region, and can be found in lower intertidal and shallow subtidal rocky habitats throughout Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the San Juan Islands.
MPA-related Research
The SeaDoc Society is ensuring the health of marine wildlife populations and their ecosystems by funding critical research, providing scientific support and bringing stakeholders together. Thanks to the support of numerous private investors, the SeaDoc Society recently solicited and funded four new research projects to be conducted in 2004. Like the projects we have funded before, these studies are designed to provide useful information that will enable us to better manage our living marine resources. Last year, the SeaDoc Society reported that over 60 marine species in our region have declined enough to warrant their listing or proposed listing as threatened or endangered. The new research we are supporting this year is examining marine protected areas (MPAs) as a tool to help recover declining populations of wildlife like rockfish, herring, and scoters.
Harbor Porpoise/Navy Sonar Investigation
In addition to improving the health of marine wildlife and ecosystems by funding critical research and bringing stakeholders together, the SeaDoc Society also provides all levels of scientific support for numerous regional marine ecosystem health-related issues. A good example is our participation in the recent investigation of the potential association between the stranding of 14 harbor porpoises and the Navy’s mid-frequency sonar exercise in Haro Strait last May.
Sea Otter Research
The SeaDoc Society is improving the health of marine wildlife populations and the ecosystem upon which they depend by funding critical research, providing scientific support, and bringing stakeholders together. Like many SeaDoc Society-funded research projects, a recently completed project on sea otters is providing new information that is being used to better manage living marine resources.
Eelgrass Declines
The MEHP [the SeaDoc Society's former name] ensures the health of our marine wildlife and the ecosystem upon which they depend by funding applied scientific research, providing scientific support and translation, and bringing stakeholders together to solve problems. This summer, the Puget Sound region was faced with an emerging ecosystem health issue that needed a rapid and coordinated response if it was to be addressed in a timely and efficient manner.
Herring Declines at Cherry Point: Finding the Real Cause
One way the Marine Ecosystem Health Program (MEHP [now the SeaDoc Society]) works to ensure the health of marine wildlife populations and their Pacific Northwest inland waters ecosystem is to fund scientific research. Research projects are carefully selected to ensure that each one provides information needed to better manage marine resources throughout the inland waters region. For this edition of the quarterly MEHP Research Update, we would like to highlight some early results from one of the projects the MEHP funded in 2002. This research project, entitled “What are the causes of developmental abnormalities in Cherry Point herring?” investigated some important aspects of herring declines in Puget Sound.
River Otter Research
This has been a very busy and productive summer for the Marine Ecosystem Health Program (MEHP [now the SeaDoc Society]). Not only did we convene the First Biennial MEHP Science Symposium in September, but we also launched an exciting new wildlife health research project which we’d like to tell you a bit about. Joe is leading a long-term study of the health of river otters within the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia.