Research Technical Report

Marine Mammal Research and Monitoring in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

DeVogealere, A., and S. Benson (2000)

Report to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 23pp.

INTRODUCTION

Designated in 1992, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) encompasses over 5,000 square miles off of Central California. Marine mammal habitats within the MBNMS include estuaries, rocky shores, sandy beaches, kelp forests, continental shelf, canyons, and deep water. The MBNMS has one of the most diverse and abundant assemblages of marine mammals in the world, including six species of pinnipeds, one species of fissiped, and 21 species of cetaceans (see the site characterization) Many of these marine mammals migrate north to the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, and south to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. There are also more than 20 active marine research institutions in the broader MBNMS, making this a recognized center for excellence in marine science. This wealth of habitats, species, scientists, and resource managers allows for successful collaborations and opportunities to enhance scientific understanding to manage natural resources. In this brief paper, we will give an overview of ongoing marine mammal studies in the MBNMS, successful collaborative projects, critical resource management questions to be addressed, and requests by scientists to the MBNMS to enhance research.