The point of the recovery plan, if completed, is to reclassify the species to a less critical status. By 1911, hunting for the animal's luxurious fur had reduced the sea otter population to fewer than 2000 individuals in the most remote and … However, in southwest Alaska, sea otters have experienced a sharp population decline in the last 20 years. Air bubbles groomed into their fur serve as insulation in cold water. As for the otter's recovery, the recovery plan identifies three general objectives to achieve delisting, and explicit criteria for determining when each objective has been achieved. At the beginning of the year FSO partnered with Defenders of Wildlife, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Ocean Public Trust Initiative (a project of the Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammal Project) to assess and comment on the Draft Recovery Plan for the Southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the Northern Sea Otter. Fish & Wildlife Service Issues Recovery Plan for Alaskan DPS of Northern Sea Otter. 62,562 Oct. 12, 2010), are submitted on behalf of Friends of the Sea Otter, Defenders of Wildlife, Oceans Public Trust Initiative, a project of Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammal Project, and the Monterey Bay … otter under the Endangered Species Act: 1) increasing the range of sea otters in California to lessen the risk of a single oil spill event reducing the otter population below a viable level, and 2) decreasing the likelihood of a major oil spill event within the sea otter’s range. The recovery plan specifies that the species should be considered for delisting when the average population level over a three-year period exceeds 3,090 animals. Recovery Plan Scientists are monitoring and studying the northern sea otter population and its habitat to help the species recover, including ongoing research on the shifts in predation by killer whales, the highest priority threat. NATURAL HISTORY. The recovery plan describes the status of the otter, its history, and a number of actions the Service believes will allow for the delisting of the otter. These comments on the U.S. Ben Rubin assists developers, public agencies, landowners, and corporate clients on a variety of complex land use and environmental matters. Today, Friends of the Sea Otter (FSO) released the report, Roadmap: Recovery of the Southern Sea Otter. It has a highly buoyant, elongated body, blunt snout and small, wide head. Since 1977 the southern sea otter has been protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and other laws. Population. They’re also using the genomic resources from this study to assess the genetic diversity of more than 130 individual sea otters across the species’ range, information that will be incorporated into sea otter recovery goals. Once containing more than half of the world’s sea otters, this population segment, which ranges from Kodiak Island through the western Aleutian Islands, has undergone an overall population decline of at least 55–67 percent since the mid-1980s. The sea otter was once abundant in a wide arc across the North Pacific ocean, from northern Japan to Alaska to Mexico. However, the population has been in decline since the mid-1980s. The FWS estimated southern sea otter abundance in 2016 at 3,272 individuals, a record high since 1972. Recovery Plan for the Southern Sea Otter. Wildlife recovery--Alaska. 1.3.6 Recovery Plan or Outline. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) announced (pdf) the availability of its recovery plan (pdf) for the threatened southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni). Sea otters came under international protection in 1911 and since then, their numbers have rebounded. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our recovery plan describes the status, current management, recovery objectives and criteria, and specific actions … Southwest Alaska distinct population segment of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) recovery plan. We use cookies on this website to improve functionality, enhance performance, analyze website traffic and to enable social media features. Name of plan or outline: Southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment of the Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) Recovery Plan . 2 Category Score Biological Population Size (-10 to 10) The recovery plan describes the status of the otter, its history, and a number of actions the Service believes will allow for the delisting of the otter. the northern sea otter to the extent that this DPS no longer requires the protections afforded by the ESA and therefore can be delisted. We, the U.S. Sea otters were hunted for their fur in the 18th and 19th century, nearly driving the species to extinction. By the early 20th century, northern sea otters were nearly extirpated from Alaska as a result of overharvest (Muto et al. RELATED ISSUES Oceans Golden State Biodiversity Initiative The Endangered Species Act. The goals of the recovery plan is to protect this species and control and reduce threats to survival. We also inform readers about regulatory and legislative developments, as well as key court decisions. Date issued: August 2013 . THREATS: Bycatch from commercial fisheries, predation by killer whales in unbalanced ecosystems, oil spills, and pollution. The plans were designed to protect visitors, employees, firefighters and infrastructure in the event of a wildfire. ACTION TIMELINE. RECOVERY PLAN: Southern sea otter, approved 2003; northern sea otter, none. In 2001, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) designated the Aleutian Islands population of northern sea otter as a candidate species for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 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