Conservation in the
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

Wildlife in Peril

Of the 29 species of marine mammals found in the sanctuary 12 are considered threatened, endangered, or species of concern at the state or federal level. Some animals, like the California Gray Whale, have made significant recovery since protections were put into place. The original Washington population of sea otters was completely hunted out by the early 1900's but is now making a come back, thanks to a tenacious reintroduction program that began in the late 70's. Unfortunately, other species' declines, such as the southern population of resident Orca, have only recently come to light. And other species' secretive behavior, for example the deep-diving of the Sperm Whale, makes the health of its populations very difficult to assess.

Twenty-three species of marine birds that breed in or visit the sanctuary have some state or federal protective status. Birds of the sanctuary demonstrate a vast variety of life history strategies, from the non-migratory Black Oystercatcher to the far-wandering Black-footed Albatross who visits from breeding areas as far away as Hawaii and Japan. Cliff nesting Common Murres are relatively easy to watch as they raise their one chick on exposed rocks in dense colonies, but birds that deposit their eggs deep in a hole in ground like the Tufted Puffin or the nocturnal Rhinoceros Auklet can be elusive. The traits that make birds fascinating to study can also confound our ability to detect population trends.


Biodiversity

Marine birds and mammals are really only the tip of the iceberg. Under the surface there is a dizzying array of organisms - fishes, invertebrates, algae, and single-celled wonders. The variety of types or groups of living things in the ocean outnumbers those on land (especially if you don't count terrestrial insects), and the marine environment still has many undiscovered species. Our cold, nutrient rich waters are particularly productive and harbor much biological diversity, one of the reasons why large aggregations of marine mammals and seabirds feed here.


Protecting Habitat

Because the sanctuary is about "Place" it is perfectly suited to protect a variety of habitats, which in tern safe-guards threatened species and promotes biodiversity. A habitat is the healthy, nurturing environment that provides the space, food and shelter needed by any specific organism. The sanctuary boundary encompasses mysterious deep sea canyons, soft, muddy plains, rocky crags, wispy kelp forests, lush estuaries and expansive open ocean - each type of habitat supports a unique community of living things. Being a sanctuary in the National Marine Sanctuary Program helps protect habitats in several ways:

- Recognition:
OCNMS is recognized as a national treasure worthy of safe guarding its ecological integrity.

- Restriction:
Oil and gas drilling is prohibited and large ships voluntarily avoid the most vulnerable areas of the sanctuary, thus greatly reducing the chance that an oil spill will contaminate the waters.

- Research:
broadening our understanding of the ecology and physical processes of the area helps managers make sound decisions about conservation

- Reaching Out:
Marine education brings knowledge, understanding and hopefully empathy to both local communities and, through the web and published materials, the nation at large.

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