Animals in Marine Sanctuaries Not Immune to Human Impact

National Marine Sanctuaries are, contrary to what might be expected, among the most stressful places for marine predators to live along the U.S. West Coast, according to a new study.

The West Coast swarms with shipping, fishing and recreational boating lanes that can get in the way of marine animals' daily and seasonal travel routes. The cumulative effects of these direct coastal stressors — for example, boat hits to the head — along with indirect stressors of climate change and coastal development, are difficult to quantify but important to consider when developing management plans, researchers say. 

Now, a team of scientists based at the University of California, Santa Cruz have conducted the first study that maps the potential cumulative impacts of human activities on marine predators along the West Coast. They focused on animals at the top of the food chain — such as blue whales, California sea lions, leatherback sea turtles and black-footed albatrosses — because these animals play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems by preying on invasive species and helping to keep biodiversity high. 

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