Sea otter recovery deal threatened by 'military readiness' legislation

Contra Costa Times ^ | 2/19/12 | Donna Jones, Santa Cruz Sentinel

[hosepipe]

[ Southern California doesn’t have anything near a full complement of sea otters returned as of yet. Not even close. How is it that you’re seeing such a renewal of kelp? ]

Less Urchins?.. more Sunflower Stars?.. Urchin disease?..

[Finny]

Then lack of sea otters hasn't affected the kelp. And what about urchin divers ... you mean So Cal hasn't had those commercial guys harvesting urchins to keep urchin populations from exploding and killing the kelp?

We certainly had a beautifully bountiful and nicely balanced ecosystem along the coast during the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s, plenty of kelp, zero sea otters, and lots of divers making a living feeding people good healthy food in the form of abs and urchins (Japanes markets).

In So Cal, I remember in the 60s or very early 70s, San Pedro harbor was so polluted it was the color of orange crush. Do you remember that? It was literally toxic orange in color. Not rust-colored, but, ORANGE CRUSH. Nothing lived in it. Dumping laws were passed to minimize pollution, and when I went back to San Pedro some five years later, the water was nice and blue and filled with life. I couldn't believe my eyes -- I'd thought that harbor was permanently ruined. I've since learned to accept the fact that everything that happens on this earth is temporary.

The natural environment (and we are part of it) is extremely resilient. I'd rather see abalone and shellfish fisheries and masses of Pismo Clams continue on the coast than to see entire generations of family fishermen put out of business (and I HAVE seen that) because of cute little sea otters that could and should have been limited in protected range. Obviously the argument that kelp beds suffer without sea otters is malarkey -- I saw what the coast looked like when there were no otters.

[PIF]

I prefer a good fillet Mignon to hamburger, but I eat both. Like a shark, I eat meat. Sharks like surf boarders also - a little fiber with the meat snack - very filling. Kayakers might provide the same given the opportunity ...