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Draft Marine Birds and Marine Mammals Evaluations for Round 3 MPA Proposals in the

MLPA South Coast Study RegionPresentation to the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team

October 6, 2009 • Los Angeles, CA

Dan Robinette and Dr. Susan Chivers, MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team

Marine Life Protection Act Initiative

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Benefits for Marine Birds and Mammals

Direct Benefits1. Decreased disturbance at breeding and resting sites2. Decreased human interactions at foraging sites

e.g., bycatch, gear entanglement, light attractionIndirect Benefits1. Reduced competition with humans for food resources

Prey availability is an important factor regulating annual breeding population and reproductive success.

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Methods Overview

Five Analyses to Evaluate Direct and Indirect Benefits1. Protection of seabird and pinniped breeding sites2. Protection of seabird roost and pinniped haulout sites, and sea

otter habitat3. Protection of nearshore foraging areas4. Protection of neritic foraging ‘hot spots’5. Protection of estuarine and coastal habitat

Notes about Round 3 Analyses• Marine mammal analyses considered only proposed state marine

reserves (SMRs)• Proposed state marine conservation areas (SMCAs) were

included in bird analyses depending on allowed uses• Pending military closures were reviewed separately to determine

the level of benefit they provide marine birds and mammals and were included where appropriate

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Marine Bird and Mammal Analyses

Analysis 1: Protection at Breeding Sites

Investigated % of bioregion marine bird breeding populations protected and number of rookery sites.

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Seabird Breeding Colonies

(values in parentheses indicate breeding population estimates)

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Percent of Bioregion Breeding PopulationNorth Mainland Bioregion

0%

100%

200%

300%

400%

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

PigeonGuillemot

PelagicCormorant

Least Tern

BlackOystercatcher

South Mainland Bioregion

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

Least Tern

Brandt'sCormorant

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Percent of Bioregion Breeding Population

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Number of Pinniped RookeriesNumber of pinniped rookeries in state marine reserves

California Sea Lion

Northern Fur Seal

Northern Elephant Seal Harbor Seal

Proposal 0 N/A 0 0 0SCRSG 1 N/A 0 1 2SCRSG 2 N/A 0 1 2SCRSG 3 N/A 0 1 2

Proposal 0 1 0 1 N/ASCRSG 1 1 0 1 N/ASCRSG 2 1 0 1 N/ASCRSG 3 1 0 1 N/A

Proposal 0 1 1 5 N/ASCRSG 1 1 1 5 N/ASCRSG 2 1 1 5 N/ASCRSG 3 1 1 5 N/A

SCRSG 3 0 0 1 N/A

North Mainland

Mid Channel Islands

West Channel Islands

West Channel Islands Military Closure

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Marine Bird and Mammal Analyses

Analysis 2: Protection at Roosting and Haulout Sites and Sea Otter Use Areas

Investigated % of bioregion populations protected for marine birds and pinnipeds; investigated % of sea otter habitat (kelp) protected.

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Mainland Brown Pelican RoostsNorth Mainland Bioregion

01234567

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

Nu

mb

er

of

Ro

ost

s

Low

Medium

High

South Mainland Bioregion

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

Nu

mb

er

of

Ro

ost

s

Low

Medium

High

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Pinniped Bioregion Haulout Summary

Distribution of Total Pinniped Populations in the South Coast Study Region by Bioregion

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

CaliforniaSea Lion(131404)

Northern FurSeal

(11180)

NorthernElephant

Seal(32228)

Harbor Seal(7746)

North Mainland

South Mainland

East ChannelIslands

Mid ChannelIslands

West ChannelIslands

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Percent of Bioregion Haulout Population

North Mainland Bioregion

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

HarborSeal

NorthernElephantSeal

East Channel Islands Bioregion

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

HarborSeal

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Percent of Bioregion Haulout Population

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Sea Otter/Kelp Analysis

(Values in parentheses indicate amount of kelp persistence contained in SMRs in linear miles.)

Current Sea Otter Use Area

North Mainland Sea Otter Habitat

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Proposal 0(0.00)

SCRSG Proposal1 (2.90)

SCRSG Proposal2 (3.82)

SCRSG Proposal3 (6.36)

SeaOtterHabitat

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Proposal 0(0.00)

SCRSG Proposal1 (3.47)

SCRSG Proposal2 (3.82)

SCRSG Proposal3 (6.93)

SeaOtterHabitat

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Sea Otter/Kelp AnalysisSan Nicolas Island Sea Otter Habitat

Study Region Sea Otter Habitat

(Values in parentheses indicate amount of kelp persistence contained in SMRs in linear miles.)

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Proposal 0(11.33)

SCRSG Proposal1 (21.11)

SCRSG Proposal2 (18.28)

SCRSG Proposal3 (31.16)

SeaOtterHabitat

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Proposal 0(0.00)

SCRSG Proposal1 (0.00)

SCRSG Proposal2 (0.00)

SCRSG Proposal3 (3.78)

SeaOtterHabitat

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Marine Bird and Mammal Analyses

Analysis 3: Protection at Nearshore Foraging Sites

Investigated amount of foraging area protected.

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Nearshore Foraging Areas

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Nearshore Foraging Areas

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Nearshore Foraging AreasBald Eagle

0

5

10

15

20

25

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

Weig

hte

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ora

ge I

nd

ex

EastChannelIslands

MidChannelIslands

Harbor Seal

05

101520253035

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

Weig

hte

d F

ora

ge I

nd

ex North Mainland

South Mainland

East ChannelIslands

Mid ChannelIslands

West ChannelIslands

MilitaryClosures

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Neritic Foraging Area AnalysisComposite Map of Neritic Foraging “Hot Spots” within the

MLPA South Coast Study Region

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Neritic Foraging AnalysisOverlap of “hot spots” and SMRs and

selected SMCAs (square miles)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Proposal 0 SCRSGProposal 1

SCRSGProposal 2

SCRSGProposal 3

Sq

uare

Mil

es

NorthMainland

SouthMainland

WestChannelIslands

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Marine Bird and Mammal Analyses

Analysis 4: Protection in Estuarine and Coastal Habitats

Investigated percent of available estuary, tidal flat, coastal marsh, and beach habitat protected.

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Estuarine and Coastal HabitatEstuaries

Coastal Marshes

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

Proposal 0 SCRSG Proposal1

SCRSG Proposal2

SCRSG Proposal3

NorthMainland

SouthMainland

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

Proposal 0 SCRSG Proposal1

SCRSG Proposal2

SCRSG Proposal3

NorthMainland

SouthMainland

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Estuarine and Coastal HabitatTidal Flats

Beaches

0%

100%

200%

300%

400%

500%

Proposal 0 SCRSG Proposal1

SCRSG Proposal2

SCRSG Proposal3

NorthMainlandSouthMainlandEast ChannelIslandsMid ChannelIslandsWest ChannelIslands

0%

50%

100%

150%

200%

Proposal 0 SCRSG Proposal1

SCRSG Proposal2

SCRSG Proposal3

NorthMainland

SouthMainland

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Summary of Round 3 Analyses

No major differences in marine bird and mammal benefits between Round 2 and Round 3 proposals.

Most differences among Round 3 proposals are subtle.

Major differences among Round 3 proposals include…

Bald Eagle foraging habitat

Harbor Seal foraging habitat

Least Tern foraging habitat

East Channel Islands Harbor Seal haulouts

Overall, Proposal 3 provides the most benefits to marine birds and mammals.

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Summary of Round 3 AnalysesAnalysis P 1 P 2 P 3

Seabird Breeding Colonies = = =Pinniped Breeding Rookeries = = =Seabird Roost Sites +East CI Harbor Seal Haulouts +Sea Otter Habitat Protection +Least Tern Foraging North Mainland + +Least Tern Foraging South Mainland + +Bald Eagle Foraging +Harbor Seal Foraging +Neritic “Hot Spot” Foraging +Beach/Coastal Marsh/Tidal Flats +Estuary Habitat + +

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