Team OCEAN Prevents Wildlife Disturbances in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

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October 2024

It was one of those amazing days paddling through the calm, clear water of the harbor near Cannery Row in Monterey, California. A small movement in the water drew our attention to some kayakers paddling through the area. A mother sea otter (Enhydris lutris), dubbed “Big Mama,” swam slowly between the boats, carrying her pup on her chest. Although the pup was old enough to swim and begin diving, it still relied on Big Mama for milk until it was fully weaned at around six months in age. The charismatic nature of Big Mama and her dependent pup drew some kayakers closer to her, and with these visitors paddling closer, there was the potential to disturb both mother and pup. Many paddlers are unaware that disturbing an otter’s natural behavior takes precious energy away from the mom that she could be using to feed and nurture her pup. Fortunately on this day, I was out with my Team OCEAN volunteers, so we paddled over to the kayakers to chat with them in the hopes we could prevent any kind of disturbance of Big Mama and her pup.

In 2000, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary started Team OCEAN (Ocean Conservation Education Action Network) with a mission to train volunteers as naturalists on the water in kayaks who educate other boaters about the sanctuary and responsible wildlife viewing. As the Team OCEAN volunteer coordinator, I had the opportunity to reignite the program in 2023 after a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sanctuary volunteers take part in a comprehensive training program, which involves a kayak basic skills and safety instruction through Monterey Bay Kayaks, and classes covering the sanctuary, natural history of sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, whales, birds, and specific wildlife guidelines and regulations.

This past summer, we had 22 Team OCEAN volunteers out on the water along Cannery Row in Monterey and Elkhorn Slough at Moss Landing—two wildlife hotspots for recreational paddlers. I also engaged four undergraduate interns from University of Washington, Oregon State University, Endicott University, and Florida State University to support the program

Jenna Callan, a NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Program scholar who participated in Team OCEAN, recalls her experience, “It was so easy for me in a kayak to approach visitors and have a face-to-face conversation with other kayakers, stand up paddleboarders, hydrofoil bikers, recreational fisherman, and even scuba divers.”

Through these one-on-one interactions on the water, Team OCEAN volunteers not only make the public more aware of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, but they educate about responsible wildlife viewing and how ocean recreators can enjoy and protect marine life in the sanctuary.

Jenna continues to say, “Team OCEAN staff and volunteers have a huge impact in reducing wildlife disturbances by being present on the water during the summer peak tourism months.”

Many coastal visitors are unaware their behavior may be disturbing sensitive wildlife. Simply approaching too closely to wildlife may result in flushing birds from their nests or separating nursing sea otters or harbor seals from their young. Marine mammals, like harbor seals, sea lions, and sea otters, are particularly vulnerable to disturbances by people. A single disturbance to an individual animal can have immediate negative impacts, but also the repeated, cumulative effect on animals time after time can be detrimental to their health. This is especially true during peak summer visitation season or during sensitive times, such as the harbor seal pupping season from February to July. Each time a marine mammal has to move to avoid you when you get too close, it is using precious energy that it would otherwise use to find its food, care for its young, or avoid predators.

Data Shows Team OCEAN is Making a Difference

While Team OCEAN staff and volunteers are on the water, they are documenting wildlife disturbances and collecting critical information about the types of disturbances. When an animal raises its head above the water or a group of animals flees an area, these behaviors indicate that they have been disturbed. The data is analyzed to better understand how human interactions are disturbing wildlife. This information is then used to inform management strategies for reducing and preventing those impacts in sanctuary waters. Since the beginning of the Team OCEAN program, volunteers have prevented more disturbances than they have documented. This shows that having people out on the water filling this role actually works! From 2003 to 2024, Team OCEAN staff and volunteers spent time on the water and their presence has prevented 2,470 wildlife disturbances.

More and more people are experiencing the sanctuary out on the water for fun and recreation. The data Team OCEAN collects informs us about what messages are needed for promoting responsible wildlife viewing, including outreach to rental outfitters that offer guided tours or rent kayaks, stand up paddleboards, hydrobikes, and small boats in an effort to educate everyone about how to protect Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and its inhabitants.

Whether gliding over eelgrass beds in Elkhorn Slough or paddling above majestic kelp forests along Cannery Row, I personally have had the best wildlife viewing experiences in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of the top places in the U.S. to encounter wildlife like sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, and a diversity of shorebirds throughout the year.

Addressing and preventing wildlife disturbance is a priority resource protection issue for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s regulations prohibit the take of any marine mammal, sea turtle, or migratory bird within or above the sanctuary, as authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, National Marine Sanctuaries Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and/or the Endangered Species Act.

Here are recommended responsible wildlife viewing guidelines for you to become familiar with and follow if you are planning recreational activities in one of America’s national marine sanctuaries.

Team OCEAN volunteers are Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s bridge to inspiring awe and appreciation with those recreating in these special waters. These volunteer efforts go a long way to ensuring wildlife have stewards looking out for them. It is a joy to work with our dedicated community members who passionately educate others about responsible wildlife viewing. We all realize that we are conserving this special ecosystem for future generations.

LIsa Uttal is the education and outreach specialist and Team OCEAN volunteer coordinator at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Jenna was an Ernest F. Hollings scholar at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Rachel Plunkett is the content manager and senior writer/editor at NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries