Charismatic Megafauna • Whales, dolphins, seals, sea otters, sea lions, sea elephants, manatees, etc. • Their relationship to food web & fisheries • Marine.
Download ReportTranscript Charismatic Megafauna • Whales, dolphins, seals, sea otters, sea lions, sea elephants, manatees, etc. • Their relationship to food web & fisheries • Marine.
Charismatic Megafauna • Whales, dolphins, seals, sea otters, sea lions, sea elephants, manatees, etc. • Their relationship to food web & fisheries • Marine mammal protection act (MMPA) Baleen vs. Toothed Whales Common Dolphins Humpback Whale Blue Whales Gray Whale Sea Lions Orca Sea Elephant Sea Otter Sea Otter Marine Mammal Protection Act • Enacted in 1972 • Protect & manage marine mammals & their products • Replenish depleted species or population stocks • Limits “harassment” MMPA “Jurisdictions” • DOC/NMFS => pinnipeds (other than walruses) and cetaceans • DOI => walruses, sea otters, polar bears, manatees and dugongs • NMFS also responsible for monitoring populations Monitoring of Stocks Blue Whale Stocks Role of Climate Changes Depleted Stocks Under MMPA • Northern Fur Seals Depletion caused by sealing (stopped in 1894) Breed @ 4 sites in Pacific (incl. San Miguel Island) Role of Climate Changes The 97/98 ENSO led to a 80% pup mortality on San Miguel MMPA Harassment • Level A - potential to injure a marine mammal or stock • Level B - potential to disturb a marine mammal or stock by causing disruption or behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering. NOAA Seal Watching Guidelines • Observe animals from a safe distance of at least 50 yards • Limit viewing time to 30 minutes or less • Avoid making loud noises or abrupt movements • Keep pets on a leash Industrial Guidelines Geophysical Surveys Whale Watching Blue Whale Strikes MMPA & Fisheries • Sea lion & harbor seal populations along the Pacific coast are now huge • Concern about loss of fishery incomes due to MMPA protected organisms – Obviously hard to quantify – But “smoking gun” was found MMPA & Fisheries • Reenactment of MMPA in 1994 allows States to lethally take pinnipeds under certain conditions • Requires NMFS to investigate role of certain pinnipeds on the recovery of salmonids on Pacific Coast Summary • Whales, dolphins, seals, sea otters, sea lions, sea elephants, manatees, etc. • Their relationship to food web & fisheries • Marine mammal protection act (MMPA)