Commercial crabbers worry bringing sea otters back to San Francisco Bay could hurt industry
SAN FRANCISCO -- There is a push by conservationists to reintroduce threatened sea otters to San Francisco Bay waters, but local crab fishermen are concerned the move could hurt their already struggling industry.
Federal wildlife officials say it's possible, but haven't made a decision whether to green light the move. Those efforts worry fishermen like Dick Ogg because of the sea mammals' voracious appetite for crustaceans like Dungeness crab.
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"I don't feel like it's our place to pick them up and relocate them. Yes, there could be impacts to the fishery," said Ogg.
The fur trade era in the 19th century nearly wiped out the now-endangered species. Marine biologists are trying to determine what's best for conservation, fisheries like the Dungeness crab industry and the marine environment.
ALSO READ: Feasibility Assessment of Sea Otter Reintroduction to the Pacific Coast (PDF)
"Sea otters tend to promote the resilience of kelp and sea grass. And those habitats provide habitat and food for hundreds upon hundreds of species," explained U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Lilian Carswell, who specializes in sea otters.
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Experts say translocation efforts in the past have boosted sea otter numbers and are responsible for one-third of the animal's current global population.
"We know it can be done. But we concluded in our feasibility assessment that we need to look in a much more targeted way about potential socio-economic impacts," said Carswell.
Those unknown impacts are weighing heavily on local crab fishermen, who have seen a thriving marketplace decimated by growing restrictions to address whale entanglements since 2016.
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Ogg has been helping state and federal regulators come up with solutions, but a reintroduction of a subspecies in the Bay is where he draws the line.
"My main concern is the moral issue whether it's right to do and if it's something that will benefit the animal itself," said Ogg.
Scientists say translocation could strengthen the genetic makeup and chances for long-term survival.
The otters have established themselves off the San Mateo County coast, but human assistance in San Francisco Bay could potentially connect the southern and the northern populations in the Pacific Northwest.
"San Francisco is an anomaly. It would be a huge prize and huge risk as well," said Carswell.
The plan poses a risk the crabbing industry can't take and another potential disruption to the livelihood of crew members. Ogg said he feels natural range expansion is the best path.
"I've always believed nature has its way. If they were meant to be here, they would migrate in this direction. I think they will in time," said Ogg.
For now, Ogg can only wait for what looks like a long road ahead. Marine scientists say the sea otters haven't been able to establish habitats north of Half Moon Bay into San Francisco largely because of white sharks.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been hosting open houses in the Bay Area to listen to communities during this exploratory phase.
