Results of the 2010 Survey of the Reintroduced Sea Otter Population in Washington State

The 2010 Washington sea otter survey was conducted from 12-16 July 2010 and included the inshore area from the South Jetty at the mouth of the Columbia River on the outer Washington coast to Pillar Point in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Biologists and volunteers from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Quinault Indian Nation, The Seattle Aquarium, and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium participated in the survey. Counting conditions this year were variable with visibility ranging from good to excellent for the ground observer component and poor to very good conditions for the aerial component. During this year’s survey, ocean swell was unusually high during the survey window with buoy reports of 12-14 foot swell during the early part of the week. Although swells dropped as the week went on, high swell washing over some traditional rafting areas likely caused some changes in use around areas like Destruction Island, Reef 443, Yellowbanks and Duk Point as waves washed over shallow reef areas used for rafting in the past.