Countywide : Support for Otter Colony Withdrawn

In a blow to a plan to establish a California sea otter colony at San Nicolas Island, a second state agency withdrew support this week from the federal otter recovery program.

The California Coastal Commission voted Tuesday to request that the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service temporarily delay plans to move another 18 of the threatened sea mammals to the island, about 60 miles southwest of Point Mugu.

The Coastal Commission will meet Dec. 11-14 in San Diego, where it is to decide whether to ask for a delay of several months to more than a year for a reduction in the number of animals moved.

“Everyone has been surprised at the number of animals that have left the island,” said Susan Hansch, manager of Energy and Ocean Resources for the state commission.

The recovery program was begun in 1987 to set up a second colony of sea otters. Without the move, it was feared that the species might become extinct in the event an oil spill were to wipe out the main population off the coast of Monterey.

But of the 137 animals that have been moved to the island, only about 15 remain. However, federal officials say the young adults are beginning to breed and have pups at San Nicolas.

Carl Benz, Ventura-based coordinator of the otter recovery team, said Wednesday that the Coastal Commission vote came as a surprise. “We have tried to make people understand what we are up against in terms of setting up a colony and gathering scientific data.”