Pinniped Monitoring
In 2009, Stewards began a partnership with Sonoma Water to monitor pinnipeds at or near the Russian River mouth in response to the need for a federal permit for incidental harassment of marine mammals during the activities associated with the requirements of the biological opinion.
The biological opinion (BO) is a 15-year recovery plan to implement the mandates of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as they relate to threatened and endangered fish in the Russian River and its tributaries. More information is available on the Sonoma Water website -- https://www.sonomawater.org/marine-mammals
Trained citizen monitors are counting seals at numerous locations in and around the Jenner Estuary during breaching activities and during the outlet channel formation that is recommended in the BO. Monthly baseline data collection is also scheduled twice a month.
Tasks: Pinniped monitors collect monitoring equipment at the Jenner Visitor center before their shift begins. With the equipment, they drive to the Jenner overlook and use the data sheets to record information such as weather, wind speed, number and age of individuals observed, and location of seals. Disturbances are also documented. Monitors return the equipment and completed data sheet to the Jenner Visitor Center after completing their shift.
Meeting times: Shifts are 4 hours, scheduled twice a month from March through October. Surveys are conducted Tuesday through Thursday with shift times beginning any time between 8A and 12N to avoid high tide. Four-hour on-call shifts occur the day before and day after artificial breaching events.
https://stewardscr.org/sonoma-coast-volunteer-program-pinniped-monitoring/
