Marine Mammal Program Overview Presented to the Oregon Fish and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Jul 10, 2023 172 likes •335 views

Marine Mammal Program Overview Presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission 02/07/2020 Sheanna Steingass, PhD Marine Mammal Program Leader sheanna.m.steingass@state.or.us Marine Mammal Program Objectives Research behavior and

SLIDE 1

Marine Mammal Program Overview

Sheanna Steingass, PhD Marine Mammal Program Leader sheanna.m.steingass@state.or.us

Presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission 02/07/2020

SLIDE 2

Marine Mammal Program Objectives

 Research behavior and ecology of pinnipeds in Oregon’s coastal

and riverine environments

 Perform population and distribution surveys of pinnipeds,

assess salmonid predation at coastal and inland sites

 Provide scientific evaluation of predation on fisheries

resources and T&E species

 Collaborate with other states, tribes, and NMFS to manage

predatory pinnipeds at designated sites in the Columbia River Basin

SLIDE 3

2018/19 Management Outcomes

 2019 was first year of lethal management

at Willamette Falls

 33 habituated sea lions were permanently

removed between Dec. 2018-May 2019

 When animals migrated in May, all but 8

IDed animals had been removed

 There are still 37 animals listed for

Willamette Falls; we do not know how many will return in 2020 (or when)

WILLAMETTE FALLS

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Willamette Falls

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500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 30 60 90 120 150 180 210

Total Winter Steelhead Passage Serial Day (Starting December 1)

2018-19 Winter Steelhead 2019-2020 Winter Steelhead

Willamette Falls Winter Steelhead Counts to Date (2018-19 vs. 2019-20)

Willamette Falls

3118

W Steelhead Returned

512

Returned 2017

33

CSL Removed At Willamette

W Steelhead

Vs.

25%

Up to

7%

W Steelhead Eaten

Vs.

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44 identified CSLs 2018-19 RED LINE = Removal YELLOW BOX = not trapped April 1

Willamette Falls

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2018/19 Management Outcomes

 A relatively small number of California sea lions

arrived at Bonneville Dam in 2019

 19 (over half of) California sea lions removed

under new requirements (with new ‘and/or’ criteria)

 More than 40 Steller sea lions  Spring California sea lion management will

resume under the same authorizations in April 2020

BONNEVILLE DAM

SLIDE 8

Task Force, Legislative Changes

 Public Law 115-329 ‘Endangered Salmon Predation Prevention Act’  Removes individually-identifiable criteria; animals above RM 112

qualify for removal

 Application submitted by States and Tribes earlier this year  Task Force to be held in May  NMFS will determine whether to approve/deny

application and set new conditions for removal of California and Steller sea lions

SLIDE 9

Steller Sea Lion Management

 Steller sea lion management planned to begin

in Fall 2020 pending NMFS approval

 Will be similar management program to

California sea lions

 Collaborative interagency/tribal management  Willamette Falls trapping dependent on Steller

sea lion presence/use of traps

SLIDE 10

Steller Sea Lion Key Considerations

1. Safety
2. Logistics
3. Collaborative interagency team
4. Establishing protocols and ramp up
5. Careful, ethical, deliberate work

SLIDE 11

Program Developments

 Thanks to agency and

legislative support, we have expanded our program’s capacity to perform both management and resume coastal research

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Coastal Work – Program Objectives

 Resumption of coastal research  Aerial population surveys Summer 2020: harbor seals, Steller sea lions  Continue river surveys, EMB counts and resights  Assessment of pinniped ecology on the coast; movement and food habits

f harbor seals

 Continue to be a diverse but cohesive program

SLIDE 13

2020 Program Calendar

Now-May: Willamette Falls California sea lion management April-May: Bonneville Dam California sea lion management June-July: Aerial surveys of harbor seals, Steller sea lions Sept-Nov: Steller sea lion management

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

SLIDE 14

Thank you – questions?

Sheanna Steingass, PhD Marine Mammal Program Leader sheanna.m.steingass@state.or.us

Acknowledgments

ODFW Marine Mammal Program B Wright, M Brown, S Riemer , S Valentine, B Triplett, D Heiner, Z Kroneberger , E Nass, B Sorenson, C Owen, E Warren, K Sandoval, J Burco, C Gillin ODFW C Melcher , E Bowles, S Clements, D Fox WDFW S Jeffries, E Johnson, C Pasi, T Barker, K Lee IDFG C Kozfkay, M Drew, D Whitney, R Hand NOAA R Anderson, B DeLong CRITFC, Grand Ronde, Siletz, Warm Springs, Umatilla Tribes D Hatch, B Begay BPA K Tidwell, B Hausmann PSMFC D Colpo, S Kirk OSP, CCSO Sgt. N Thompson, Sgt. C Allori Willamette Falls 2018 Sea Lion Task Force