SEALS Program

SEALS ProgramPhoto by Jamie Hallreducing the effects ofhuman disturbance onseal populations

Sanctuary Volunteers and Staff 1997-2004SEVEN YEARS OF DEDICATED STEWARDSHIPViki AdamHillary AdamsA. AlbertJan AllenLewis AmesLisa ArayaAdan ArayaJulie BarrowDennis BaumChaz BenedictGordon BennettCaroline BolthouseSarane BowanJudy BourkeRoberta BoyerEllen BraithwaiteLaura BrandsJudy BrayJohn BrewderDonna BrintMaria BrownJason BuckerVince BuckleySharon BuquenPriscilla BurgessLeticia BurkeSandy BushJackie ButterfieldJon CampoPaul CampoMary CantiniKate CarolanNate CashdollarThomas CastilloNuala CaulfieldGraham CharlesA. ChernockPat ClarkDebra CobeCraig CobeJudy CoburnEva CoffinSuzanne CollinsDavid CrockettLucy CrockettFelicity Stan CrushLeah CulpSarah DaviesMichelle DiamondSusan DonnellyMonica DuClaudNathan DumdeiSusan EdwardsJeanine EganLinda EgarJulianne EngMolly EngelbrechtLara EttensonPatrice FambriniTom FaithPatricia FariaLinda FerreiraCatherine FerreiraMindy FinkelsteinAngela FitzsimonsGinger FlathHazel FlettShelley FlintMary FollisLinda FrankeEd FrankewiczLisa FrankewiczLee FranksJulene FreitasTeri FruchtmanJames FryerSally GaleJeremiah GallMary GibsonJack GiesslerMarco GiGuereGil GonzalesJoel GrapentineJeffrey GrayNancy GriestJoanna GreeneLeslie GrellaLisa HaltonLisa HamiltonJames HamiltonEric HamreLaurie HaroianIngrid HarraldKathy HeaveyDan HeffernanSally HenriksonChelsea HernandezLaurie HerronKathy HoffmanGreg HofmannWayne HolterRuth HowellAlan HubbardIsabel HubbardRea InglesisJ D InmanNancy JamisonKristen JaquesSandy JonasMike JohnsonSue JohnsonLisa KarasJeni KardinalJohn KempJulia KempD. KennedyChristina KerksieckNikole KimesDiana KingJessica KinmanKatie KirkGene KitamoraTatjana KlierStefanie KohnJudy KopanicPeter KragTanya KugelmasJoan LamphierJim LarkinEric LarsenJoanne LasinerMicheael LawsonJung LeeMatt LeeDeb LennonChrister LewenhauptConnie LewisBelita LewisBecky LhermitteDick LingelserStephanie LotaneAudrey LouisVanessa LowePamela LundLarry LynchAmber MaceJim MaezyBeth MalloyStan MandellPamela ManwaringCindy MarconiDominic MarconiAnne Marie-LhermitteEd MartinezMimi MengisJoan MccuneDenise McevoyHelen McginnisPat MerrillCarrie MillerJulia MitchellRobin MitchellJoanne MohrEmma MooreElizabeth MooreKris MorelocTina Mori-PrangeJoe MortensonMindy MortlockJohn MullikenZsuzsanna NagyAlice NgShari NoguchiR. NorkinAlex NortonJoanne NortonJudith NovakCathy O’BrienMaureen O’BrienPatricia O’ConnellLinda OliveKaren OlesonDave OsorioDaniel PearsonTessa PechenikSusan PenderRon PeraltaRebecca PrattLara RachowiczSara RandallDaniel ReadJudy RectorLin RennerWendy Renz-TsitrinHolly ReynoldsTony RicucciKaren RiordanJanet RobbinsMiriam RodsteinJan RolettoSuzy RomanowiczMichelle RoseKristin RothballerLeslie RoweSuzanne RoyRebecca RuedyAllan SchreiberTina SchullerRishi SchweigLigia SequieraJoe SciortinoMary ShaughnessyKevin ShawSusan ShermanKit ShepardDiane SheridanJuliet ShinMichelle ShouseMarjory SiegalDanielle SimoniElizabeth SojournerC. SmithAria SmithErin SpringerEmily SteeleE. StevensAlice StrausAngelica TerceroKay ThorkilsonCaroline TjengdrawiraSusan TompkinsGwen ToneyMarilyn TravisTina TuckerJohn TurnierNoel TurnerEd UeberSue VanderwalJerry VurekSue WaberGina WatkinsDona WerraMark WeltherGeorge WenzelDale WenzelGretchen WeberMaurianne WebsterGeorge Kunio UeharaPaul WangMichael WarrenChris WilmersPatti WhiteRick WhitneyBob WilsonGil WimmerBeth WoodSteph WoodDenny WuIrwin ZimLeslie Grella sharing her knowledgeof harbor seals with two visitors.In memory of Leslie Grella,SEALS and Beach Watch VolunteerCoordinator from 1995 to 2001,who made the SEALS programa great success and devoted herlife to the preservation of thenatural world.

The SEALS ProgramSANCTUARY EDUCATION, AWARENESS AND LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIPThe goals of the program are to:j Minimize disturbance toharbor seals and helpmaintain the integrity ofrookery sites in the Sanctuaryj Preserve harbor seal colonysize in the Sanctuaryj Educate the general publicabout harbor seals and theirhabitat in the Sanctuaryj Increase stewardship in theSanctuaryAt Bolinas Lagoon and Tomales Bay in Marin County, low tides create islets in the shallowwaters. These refuges are vital to the health and survival of Pacific harbor seals (Phocavitulina richardii), which need to haul out on land for periods of rest. In the spring, thehaul-outs provide a safe haven for harbor seals to give birth and nurse their pups. Thequalities that make Bolinas Lagoon and Tomales Bay so beneficial to seals also attracthumans. The goals of the Sanctuary Education, Awareness and Long-term Stewardship(SEALS) program are to minimize human disturbances to harbor seal haul-outs at BolinasLagoon and Tomales Bay and educate the community about protecting habitats.I want to take this opportunity to thank all the SEALS volunteers for yourhard work and commitment to the Sanctuary Program. The work you do iscritical to the program's success. The volunteers on Clam and Seal Islands havevirtually eliminated disturbance to harbor seals from clam diggers. The datacollected has identified other sources of disturbance and has been instrumentalin developing targeted education materials and programs to reduce disturbance.Your commitment, your citizenship, and your stewardship inspires all of us onthe staff to work hard to protect this priceless resource – the Gulf of theFarallones. Together we are making a difference!Thank you!Maria BrownManager, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

History of SEALSCHALLENGES OF BALANCING HUMAN ENCROACHMENT ON WILDLIFE HABITATTomales BayMary Ellen King, a former board member of Audubon CanyonRanch, led a project to collect disturbance data from Tom’s Pointon Tomales Bay from 1991 through 1994. The data raisedawareness of impacts of human activity on harbor seals in theBay. Mary Ellen King made her concerns evident to Gulf of theFarallones National Marine Sanctuary (the Sanctuary). In 1996Bibit Traut, an Environmental Education Specialist, wascontracted by the Sanctuary to develop a program to reducedisturbance on the Tomales Bay mudflats.The Sanctuary in collaboration with the Association developedSEALS in 1997. In 1998 Dr. Sarah Allen, Senior Science Advisor,from Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS), along withSanctuary and Association staff and management joinedtogether to design a volunteer monitoring project on TomalesPoint to determine the effectiveness of the Tomales Bay docentsin reducing disturbance. Monitoring from Tomales Pointcontinued for five years and determined that the Tomales Baydocents were extremely effective in reducing disturbance to sealsfrom people harvesting clams on the mudflats. Docents continueto have an active presence on Tomales Bay, minimizingdisturbances to harbor seals.Bolinas LagoonIn 1996 the well being of resting harbor seals in BolinasLagoon was a growing concern for residents and area managers of the BolinasLagoon and Stinson Beach area. In 1997 the SEALS program trained volunteers tomonitor Bolinas Lagoon to determine levels and sources of disturbances. In 1998the Wildlife Disturbance Subcommittee was formed to support the efforts of theBolinas Lagoon Technical Advisory Council (BLTAC). Annually, a representativefrom the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association (the Association) presents datafrom the Bolinas Lagoon SEALS program to BLTAC, keeping the members of BLTACup to date on the results of the study. Individuals on the Wildlife DisturbanceSubcommittee began a wildlife disturbance education campaign in 1999. In 2000,the Seadrift monitoring site was established in order to attain an overallpopulation count of harbor seals in Bolinas Lagoon and ensure a thoroughunderstanding of the level of disturbance to harbor seals.“The trend of disturbancescontinued on Tomales Bay and itwas clear to me that some kind ofintervention was needed on themudflats.”Mary Ellen King, advisor“The issue was intense enough topotentially inhibit boating onBolinas Lagoon.”Gordon Bennett, volunteerMonitoring the effects of human activities on seal behavior from 1997 to 2003 hasresulted in a successful kayak education campaign and provided excellentopportunities for interpretation to road-side visitors.

RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE VIEWINGCommunity Commitment and VisionVOLUNTEERS AND PARTNERS SUPPORT THE SANCTUARYMotorboatactivity easilydisturbs restingharbor seals. Itis important formotorboats tostay at least 300ft. from shore.A head-alert is whena seal raises its head.This is the first signthat harbor seals aredisturbed.A flush whenharbor sealsretreat into thewater for safety.Our volunteers and collaborating partners are vital to the success ofthe SEALS program.• 256 SEALS volunteers from 1997 to 2004 in Tomales Bay andBolinas Lagoon• SEALS volunteers donated over 6,696 hours to the program from1997 to 2004View animals from a distance of at least 300 ft.If an animal’s behavior changes because of yourpresence, it may be frightened and view you as athreat. If the animal raises its head and looks atyou, move away immediately.The proximity and curiosity of visiting people canalarm seal colonies. If seals are flushed into thewater, their important resting time is disrupted.Pups can become separated from their mothers.Eventually, chronic disturbance may result in areduced birth rate and even abandonment of thehaul-out sites.“The NOAA SEALS program has championed the stewardshipof harbor seals in Tomales Bay and reversed the precipitousdecline in their numbers from the previous decade.”Sarah G. Allen, Ph.D., Senior Science Advisorfor Point Reyes National Seashore“Being a Sanctuary steward is such an immeasurableprivilege. It’s like being on a National Geographicexpedition without needing the graduate degree... a truepeek at nature from a perspective not available to thegeneral public.”Rick Whitney, SEALS volunteer

The Next LevelCURBING DISTURBANCES THROUGH STEWARDSHIPThrough the dedicated volunteer monitoring and data collection effortsat Tomales Point and Bolinas Lagoon, we have determined the causes ofdisturbances to harbor seals, and now need to work to eliminate theproblems. In 2003, we stopped analyzing disturbance data, and begancollecting interpretation data to increase the effectiveness of the docentprogram.The presence of visitors at seal observation sites provides an excellentopportunity for on-site interpretation. SEALS volunteers in BolinasLagoon and Tomales Bay frequently encounter curious onlookers andvisitors engaged in recreational activities such as bird watching, fishing,clam harvesting and kayaking – putting them in the perfect position toeducate the public about seal habitats.The Sanctuary Education Awareness and Long-term Stewardship(SEALS) program will transform into a joint Sanctuary and Associationstewardship, interpretative enforcement partnership that trains andsupports volunteers to provide harbor seal information to visitors and actas stewards of the Sanctuary.

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine SanctuaryMaria BrownJulie BarrowRuth HowellIrina KoganJudith NovakMatt OngCarol PrestonKaren ReynaJan RolettoMary Jane SchrammChristy WalkerAnne WaltonSanctuary ManagerSanctuary Advisory Council & MaritimeHeritage CoordinatorAssistant Management Plan CoordinatorResource Protection SpecialistOffice AdministratorNetwork & Web ManagerEducation & Outreach CoordinatorResource Protection SpecialistResearch CoordinatorPublic Outreach SpecialistEducation SpecialistManagement Plan CoordinatorFarallones Marine Sanctuary AssociationCecily HarrisApril DevittDru DevlinJamie HallHarriet LewShannon LydayKirk McLaughlinJoanne MohrJoe MortensonJennifer SaltzmanSage TezakAdvisorsSarah AllenRebecca Anderson-JonesBob BreenMarlene FinleyMary Ellen KingDiane KopecJane MooreSkip SchwartzBob StewartActing Executive DirectorEducation SpecialistResearch AssociateData CoordinatorChief Financial OfficerVolunteer SupervisorVisitor Center ManagerVolunteer Program CoordinatorData ManagerEducation ManagerSEALS CoordinatorAudubon Canyon RanchBay Area Sea KayakersBlue Waters KayakingBolinas Lagoon Technical Advisory CouncilFitzgerald Marine ReserveGolden Gate National Recreation AreaMarin Open Space DistrictMuir Woods National MonumentPoint Reyes National SeashoreThe Marine Mammal CenterSponsorsAmeriCorpsCounty of MarinDennis and Nancy GatesGulf of the Farallones National Marine SanctuaryHomeland FoundationMarin Community FoundationThe Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuarywas designated in 1981 because of its rich biologicaldiversity. The Sanctuary surrounds the wind-sweptpeaks of the Farallon islands off of the Golden Gate andencompasses 1,255 square miles of open ocean andcoastal waters as well as bays and estuaries. Thesesaline waters, sea bottom, inter-tidal and sandy beachhabitats support an abundance and diversity of marinewildlife species that define this Sanctuary as one of themost biologically important areas in the world. The Gulfof the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary protectsand restores this unique and special ecosystem forpresent and future generations.The Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association is a nonprofitorganization dedicated to protecting Sanctuarywildlife and habitats through the development of adiverse community of informed and active oceanstewards. We collaborate closely with the Sanctuaryand coordinate and sponsor programming andinitiatives. From education to research and volunteerprogramming, we work to build a network ofconcerned and informed people that will ensure theSanctuary is protected.Additional SupportDan Howard, Cordell Bank National Marine SanctuaryJohn Kelly, Audubon Canyon RanchLawson’s LandingChuck Morton, CalTransDoreen Moser, The Marine Mammal CenterRangers of Point Reyes National SeashoreJennifer Stock, Cordell Bank National Marine SanctuaryA special thanks to all the people who have made donationsto the SEALS program.The PresidioFort MasonBox 29386 Building 201San Francisco, CA 94129 San Francisco, CA 94123www.farallones.orgwww.farallones.noaa.gov415.561.6625 415.561.6622