Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) management plan: chapter 10

3. Proposed Implementation Schedule

Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Parks Canada Agency encourage other agencies and organizations to participate in the conservation of Eastern Pacific Steller Sea Lion through the implementation of this management plan. The agencies in Table 2 have been identified as potential partners for implementing the recommended actions.

Table 3 summarizes those actions that are recommended to support the goals and objectives of this management plan. The activities implemented by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Parks Canada Agency will be subject to the availability of funding and other required resources. Where appropriate, partnerships with specific organizations and sectors will provide the necessary expertise and capacity to carry out the listed action. However, this identification is intended to be advice to other agencies, and carrying out these actions will be subject to each agency’s priorities and budgetary constraints. Organizations currently collecting data on Steller Sea Lion are listed in Appendix II.

Table 2: The management actions outlined in this plan are to be carried out, where and when appropriate, in partnership with the following organizations.

Organization Acronym
Fisheries and Oceans Canada DFO
Parks Canada Agency PCA
Marine Mammal Response Network MMRN
Department of National Defence DND
Environment Canada EC
Transport Canada TC
Natural Resources Canada NRCan
Canadian Coast Guard Services CCG
National Energy Board NEB
First Nations FN
B.C. Province B.C. Prov
Ministry of Agriculture and Lands MAL
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre VAMSC
B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network B.C. CSN
Pacific Salmon Commission PSC
Straitwatch Straitwatch
Universities having relevant research programs Universities
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service NMFS
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
National Marine Mammal Lab
NOAA
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife ODFW
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife WDFW
Alaska Department of Fish and Game ADFG
Pacific Whale Watch Association PWWA
Environmental non-Governmental Organizations ENGOs
North Pacific Marine Mammal University Consortium NPMMUC
To be determined TBD

Table 3: Proposed Implementation Schedule

Action Obj. Priority Threats or concerns addressed Participating Agencies5 Timeline
Protection
1. Protect Steller Sea Lions from disturbance at breeding sites and haulouts
a. Continue enforcement of MMR, promote regional guidelines D1, D2,
M3
L Continued protection from disturbance; habitat degradation CCG, DFO, PCA Ongoing
2. Enforcement of regulations for discarding debris, develop new fishing standards M2 L Reduce entanglement risks DFO, TC,
Fishing industry
Ongoing
Management
3. Consider dietary needs when changes to current fisheries management regimes occur P1, M6 H Prey limitation DFO,
Fishing industry
As changes to fisheries management occur
4. Review proposals with potential for disturbance at haulouts and rookeries, and provide advice D1, D2,
M3, M5
L Acoustic and physical disturbance DFO, DND, Industry,
NRCan, NEB
Ongoing, enhance involvement where necessary 
5. Manage and reduce input of chemical toxins, reduce toxic loading
a. Develop DFO emergency response plan to identify marine mammal expertise required in toxic spill response P1, M2,
M4
LM Effective, coordinated response for toxic spills DFO, EC, CCG, PCA, B.C. Prov, TC 4 years
b. Marine mammal-specific DFO operational manual for toxic spill response M2, M4 LM Effective, coordinated step-wise response to toxic spills; standardized data collection; monitoring DFO, EC, CCG, PCA, B.C. Prov, TC 4 years
c. Review management of point-sources of toxins listed in Appendix I R3, M2 LM Relevance of guidelines and thresholds for marine mammals, contaminant loading EC, B.C. Prov, Municipalities,
Industry
Ongoing
6. Support low-impact research R1 to R4, M1, M3 H Fostering independent/ non-DFO, low-impact research, trans-boundary collaboration, data sharing DFO, ENGOs,
NPMMUC, NMFS,
ADFG, WDFW, ODFW, TBD
Ongoing
7. Strengthen measures to reduce entanglement risk
a. Support MMRN initiatives R3, R4 L By-catch, entanglement (all types), incidental take DFO, VAMSC, ENGOs, MAL, NPMMUC, PCA, CCG, TBD Ongoing
b. Fisheries observer reporting standards and guidelines R3, R4 M Clarify extent of fisheries interactions DFO,
Fishing industry
3 years
c. Develop solutions to predator interactions, quarterly reporting P1, R3, R4 L Clarify extent of interactions at aquaculture sites; entanglement; predator control DFO,
Aquaculture industry
Ongoing
d. Develop and evaluate best management practices P1, M2 L Mitigate depredation and entanglements DFO,
Aquaculture industry
Ongoing
e. Alternative gear types (fishing, aquaculture) P1, M2 M Reduce entanglement risk; incidental take DFO, Fishing and Aquaculture industry, VAMSC Ongoing as new information becomes available
8. Determine risk associated with lifting of moratorium on offshore fossil fuel extraction P1, D1,
D2, R3,
M2 to
M5
LM Determine associated risk regarding toxic spills; disturbance; potential impacts to foraging DFO, EC, NEB,
 NRCan, B.C. Prov
Ongoing
Research on Steller Sea Lion Biology
9. Data collection:
a. Collection of tissue samples R2, R3, M1 L Genetic, pathogen and fatty acid analysis DFO, NMFS, ODFW, ADFG, WDFW, TBD Opportunistically
b. Brand re-sighting; photographs of branded animals R1, R2, R3, M1 M Assist range-wide research efforts to assess vital rates; movements DFO, NMFS, ODFW, ADFG, WDFW,  TBD Ongoing
10. Contribute, support, foster research on
a. Important foraging areas, seasonal distribution P1, R2, R3, M1,
M6
H Prey availability near rookeries during breeding season DFO, PSC, WDFW, ADFGW, NMFS Ongoing  
b. Diet outside the breeding season P1, R2, R3, M1, M6 H Knowledge gaps re: seasonally important prey species; nutritional needs DFO, PSC, WDFW, NPMMUC, NMFS, ODFW,TBD Ongoing
c. Maintenance of brand re-sight database R2,
M1
M Data sharing; data organization DFO, ADFGW, ODFW, NMFS, NPMMUC Ongoing
Research to clarify identified Threats
11. Assess sustainability of total human-caused mortality P1, R4 M Human-caused mortality levels DFO, TBD Ongoing
12. Assess potential for fisheries competition for prey resources P1, R3,
M6
H Prey limitation; fisheries impacts DFO, PSC, WDFW, NPMMUC Ongoing
13. Determine seasonal variation in significance of research disturbance at haulouts and rookeries D1, D2,
R3, M3
LM Significance of seasonal disturbances NPMMUC, TBD Ongoing
14. Gather information on entanglement rates observed by researchers P1, R3,
M1, M2
L Entanglement rates in B.C.; gear types; severity of incidents DFO, NMFS, ODFW, ADFG, WDFW, VAMSC, NPMMUC, TBD Ongoing
15. Analysis of toxin and pathogen loading P1, R3,
M2
LM Determine risk of impacts from toxins and disease DFO, EC, B.C. Prov,
MAL, TBD
Ongoing
16. Assess sources of biological pollutants R3, M2 L Determine potential for biological pollutant loading Municipalities,  Industry, TBD Ongoing
17. Identify significant non-point source toxic contamination R3, M2 LM Emerging contaminants; toxic loading near rookeries and year-round haulouts TBD Ongoing
Monitoring population status
18. Support, contribute to coordination of range-wide surveys, every four years P1, D1,
D2, R1, 
M1
H Monitoring range-wide trends; effective, efficient data collection; foster data sharing DFO, PCA, B.C. Prov, NMFS, ODFW, ADFG, WDFW, TBD Ongoing
(next survey in 2010)
19. Consider biennial rookery surveys P1, D1,
D2, R1,
R2, M1
M Monitor breeding populations DFO, PCA, B.C. Prov, NMFS, ODFW, ADFG, WDFW, TBD Conducted in 2008, next survey is funding dependent
Outreach and Communication
20. Foster improved communication networks
a. Pro-actively build communication networks M1, M2 M Effective intra- and inter-agency communication catastrophic spill response DFO, EC, CCG,
B.C. Prov, VAMSC, Municipalities, ENGOs
3 years
b. Trans-boundary and inter-jurisdictional collaboration All M Coordinated management and research efforts DFO,PCA, NOAA,
NMFS, NPMMUC,
ENGOs
3 years
c. Ongoing media communications and promotion of the MMR and ‘Be Whale Wise’ M1 L Awareness of guidelines, regulations; enforcement measures DFO, B.C. CSN,
VAMSC, Straitwatch, PWWA, TBD
Ongoing
d. Support, where feasible, independent education and awareness programs M1, M2 L Entanglement; marine debris; depredation; incident reporting; contamination of habitat DFO, B.C. CSN,
VAMSC, Straitwatch, PWWA,  TBD
Ongoing

5 Identification of government agencies and non-governmental organizations is intended to be advice and does not commit the agency or organization to implementing the listed action. Implementing actions will be contingent upon each organization’s or agency’s priorities and budgetary constraints.

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