Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
2009 Condition Report

#	Status	Rating	Basis For Judgement	Description of Findings
5.	Abundance/ Distribution	?	Past trawling, lost fishing gear, and marine debris have harmed habitats, although little is known about deepwater habitats. Recent trawl bans and other regulations may improve conditions.	Selected habitat loss or alteration may inhibit the development of assemblages, and may cause measurable but not severe declines in living resources or water quality.
6.	Structure		Long-term loss of giant kelp and understory habitat-forming algae, trawling damage to hard-bottom coral communities, anchor damage to eelgrass and kelp, declines in eelgrass as a result of white urchin increases, decline in mussel bed community diversity, biomass, and bed thickness. Short term increases in kelp, an eelgrass restoration project, reserves, and trawl regulations may help habitats recover.	Selected habitat loss or alteration may inhibit the development of living resources and may cause measurable but not severe declines in living resources or water quality.
7.	Contaminants		Distance from mainland reduces impacts from mainland discharges, DDT still detectable but some species recovering, vessel discharges are present but regulations have kept contamination at low levels.	Selected contaminants may preclude full development of living resource assemblages, but are not likely to cause substantial or persistent degradation.
8.	Human Activities		Impacts to habitat quality may have resulted from historic or current direct or incidental extraction of biogenic species, marine debris, vessel discharges, and anchoring; creation of reserves and other fishing regulations may improve conditions.	Selected activities have resulted in measurable habitat impacts, but evidence suggests effects are localized, not widespread.

Living Resources

9. What is the status of biodiversity and how is it changing?

Biodiversity is variation of life at all levels of biological organization, and also commonly encompasses diversity within a species (genetic diversity) and among species (species diversity), and comparative diversity among ecosystems (ecosystem diversity). This report focuses on species diversity. Overall the biodiversity in the Channel Islands sanctuary is rated as "fair" and the trend is "unknown." Although thorough historic and current comparative evaluations of species are not available to fully measure biodiversity status, there are key components that have been altered and indicate compromised biodiversity. Sanctuary-wide extraction of fish and invertebrates by commercial and recreational fishing has led to conditions that are far from pristine for all ecosystems. Recreational and commercial fishing has removed fish, such as sheephead, kelp bass, and rockfish, and invertebrates, such as lobster and abalone, and this extraction has altered the ecosystem. At San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and the western portion of Santa Cruz Island, where fishing pressure is lower, there are lush kelp forests with high biodiversity. However, even these locations are missing key species such as sea otters and larger individuals of some fish species (D. Kushner, CINP, pers. comm. 2007). At the eastern end of the island chain, Anacapa Island, Santa Barbara Island, and the eastern portion of Santa Cruz Island where fishing pressure is greater, there has been an overall decline in biodiversity in many areas (D. Kushner, CINP, pers. comm. 2007). However, recent studies comparing no-take reserves to fished areas show that there are more species of fish inside reserves than outside (CDFG et al. 2008).

Many areas that previously supported kelp forests or eelgrass beds are now dominated by one or more species of echinoderms (urchins and brittle stars) and have lower biodiversity (J. Altstatt, Santa Barbara Channelkeepe r (SBCK), pers. comm. 2007, J. Engle, UCSB, pers. comm. 2007) (Figure 22). In some nearshore areas around Anacapa, brittle stars have been found at densities greater than 1000 per square meter ( Altstatt 2005). Although some species can coexist with urchins, areas dominated by brittlestars appear to prevent the colonization of other species (J. Altstatt, SBCK, pers. comm. 2007). In addition, throughout the sanctuary abalone, rockfish, shark, and swordfish populations have been severely depleted (D. Richards, CINP, pers. comm. 2007). In the intertidal community, there has been a decrease in abundance and diversity of mussel bed communities (Smith et al. 2006a, b). Less is known about the biodiversity in deepwater habitats, where technological challenges make studying this habitat difficult. Advances in technology are just now emerging to make this more feasible.

10. What is the status of environmentally sustainable fishing and how is it changing?

The status and trend ratings for this question are based on the available scientific knowledge (e.g., published studies, unpublished data, and expert opinion) of targeted and non-targeted living resources that are directly and indirectly affected by fishing.  Because this is the sanctuary’s first condition report, the rating reflects a more historical view of the potential effects of fishing activity on biological community development, function, and ecosystem integrity, over the last two to three decades. Subsequent reports will take a more contemporary view of the ecosystem level impacts of fishing.  The rating does not serve as an assessment of the status of current fisheries management practices in the region.  However, the determination of an increasing trend for this question does reflect recent changes in fisheries management practices and their positive effects on living resources in the sanctuary.

The status of environmentally sustainable fishing is rated “fair/poor” and the trend is “improving.” Environmentally sustainable fishing protects the fish and the environment in which they live while allowing responsible use of the species that come from that environment.  It is designed to protect the integrity of ecosystem structure, productivity, function and biodiversity, including habitat and associated dependent and ecologically related biological communities.  Historical records indicate commercial and recreational fishing at the Channel Islands has occurred since the 1800s and sustenance fishing occurred as early as thousands of years ago.  Marine communities at the Channel Islands are subject to complex pressures and interactions, and many targeted species are long lived.  Therefore, fishery management actions aiming to allow population recovery may experience a long lag period before changes are observed.  

Despite the long history of extraction, fisheries managers at state and federal resource agencies appear optimistic that fishery stocks are being managed sustainably.  The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) uses the following definitions that set the standards by which Federal fisheries managers determine the status of federally managed stocks (NOAA Fisheries 2008):

• A stock that is subject to overfishing has a fishing mortality (harvest) rate above the level that provides for the maximum sustainable yield.  
• A stock that is overfished has a biomass level below a biological threshold specified in its fishery management plan.

By these definitions and NOAA Fisheries research, none of the federally managed fisheries in the area of the sanctuary are subject to overfishing, and only four Pacific groundfish species remain in an overfished status.  These four remaining overfished species – cowcod, bocaccio, dark-blotched rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish – are all covered by rebuilding plans and are making progress at meeting their rebuilding targets (NOAA Fisheries 2008).  Likewise, state fisheries managers are optimistic about improved environmental conditions and more sustainable fisheries for those species managed by the state of California (such as squid, spiny lobster, red sea urchin, sea cucumber, kelp bass, rock crab, prawns, and sheephead) as a result of recent regulatory changes.

However, the question of environmentally sustainable fishing considered for this report is broader than stock assessments and incorporates concepts such as size structure, trophic interactions, biodiversity, bycatch removal, and ecosystem integrity.  Local experts report conditions and long-term changes in the fish and invertebrate populations and communities that suggest that environmentally sustainable fishing goals are compromised, at least until a number of key populations have recovered from past overfishing. 

At least in part as a result of past or historic fishing, declines have occurred in several species of sharks, giant sea bass, swordfish, various rockfish, and abalone populations (Leet et al. 2001, Rogers-Bennet et al. 2004).  Even though the harvest of certain species has ended in a few areas, populations remain well below historic numbers.  For example, as a result of a combination of fishing and disease, black and white abalone populations have decreased to the point that they are listed as federally endangered species, and red abalone are rare in Southern California, except at San Miguel Island.  Populations of other species have shifted towards smaller sizes, such as red sea urchins, lobster, and sheephead in some areas where fishing occurs (D. Richards, CINP, pers. comm. 2007).  Size is an important factor in environmentally sustainable fishing because larger organisms have higher fecundity and make a greater contribution to healthy, robust populations.  Changes in size, abundance, and diversity can have effects throughout the food web.  For example, extraction of lobster has led to an increase in urchins and a decrease in kelp abundance in some areas (Behrens and Lafferty 2004).   

Another concern is the methods used in some fisheries.  Gill netting, which can have substantive bycatch, is allowed in some areas of the sanctuary, but not within one mile of the islands.  The Channel Islands sanctuary defines bycatch as catch of non-target species; note however, that NOAA Fisheries does not consider organisms as bycatch if they are marketable, and therefore distinguishes between economic and regulatory bycatch.  Gill netting in the sanctuary generally targets white sea bass, flatfish, swordfish, and sharks, but can entangle many other species, including other fin fish, mammals, birds, and turtles.  In addition, lost lobster or fish traps can indiscriminately capture marine organisms.    

Finally, there is concern about indirect effects of fishing to other animals in the sanctuary.  Seabird researchers are concerned abouteffects of: a) fishing of northern anchovy and Pacific sardine on prey availability for Brown Pelicans [note, however, that the federal Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan incorporates 150,000 metric tonnes for ecosystem forage needs]; b) bycatch from gill-net fishing on cormorants and alcids; c) bycatch of pelicans from recreational fishing; and d) disturbance of colonial surface-nesting seabirds and roosting seabirds by fishing, diving, and  boating activities near shore: and e) light pollution impacts (i.e., increased avian predation or increased nest abandonment) from squid fishing on small seabirds (e.g., Xantus’s Murrelets, Ashy Storm-Petrels) that visit nesting colonies only at night or collide with lighted structures or vessels (Gress and Anderson 1983, Carter et al. 2000, Carter et al. 2008).  Studies are needed to better assess fishing impacts on seabirds, especially boat disturbance and light pollution.

In recent years many new regulations have gone into effect including federal abalone fishery closures, a network of marine reserves regulated by both the state and federal government, a gill net ban within one mile of the islands, Rockfish Conservation Area, Cowcod Conservation Area, spot trawl ban, Essential Fish Habitat designation, and new regulations on nearshore fishery species (see Figure 21, Question 5).  All of these regulatory actions contribute to the “improving” trend of this issue.  However, historic fishing pressure has had impacts that are still evident in the environment.  Furthermore, fishing is still allowed in most of the sanctuary and there are significant gaps in our knowledge of fishery effects, basic life history, and ecosystem dynamics that impede management certainty that fishing is not having undue and unexpected deleterious effects on overall ecosystem health.

11.  What is the status of non-indigenous species and how is it changing?

The status of non-indigenous species in the marine environment is rated “good” and the trend is “getting worse” because although invasives do not appear to be much of an issue at present, there are several algal species (including Undaria pinnatifida, Sargassum filicinum, and Caulacanthus ustulatus) that are appearing in Southern California and have proliferated at Santa Catalina Island and other areas (Miller et al. 2006).  The Japanese brown alga Undaria pinnatifida has been found in Santa Barbara and Ventura Harbors and the brown alga Sargassum filicinum has been found at Santa Catalina Island (Miller et al. 2006).  The Asian red algaCaulacanthus ustulatus has been observed at one site at Anacapa Island.  If these species become established and widespread at the islands, they could outcompete native species and adversely affect species richness and diversity patterns in the invaded habitats.  Several ongoing monitoring programs record observations of invasive species as part of their standard procedures, so the sanctuary is hopeful that early detection can be achieved.    

12.  What is the status of key species and how is it changing?

The overall status of key species in the sanctuary is rated as “fair” and the trend is “not changing.” Key species in the sanctuary include urchins, sunflower star, California spiny lobster, sheephead, giant sea bass, rockfish and other fish species, red abalone, and sea otters.  Key seabird species include Brown Pelicans, Brandt’s Cormorants, Cassin’s Auklets, Xantus’s Murrelets, and Ashy Storm-Petrels.  Four species of whales are key species: fin, humpback, blue, and gray. 

In areas where kelp forests are present, some key fish species have increased (D. Kushner, CINP, pers. comm. 2007) and reserves may be helping fish species to recover (CDFG et al. 2008).  Populations of giant sea bass, once abundant, have improved in recent years, but levels are still well below historic populations and they remain vulnerable to both legal incidental harvest in gill net fisheries and poaching (Leet et al. 2001).  Although once persistent, kelp beds have become more transient in nature; of 16 sites originally designated by the National Park Service in 1981 as kelp forest monitoring sites, only one, within a long-standing no-take reserve at Landing Cove on Anacapa Island, has remained persistent over a 20-plus year survey (Lafferty and Behrens 2005).  Kelp may be reduced as a result of fishing impacts to other species, such as spiny lobster, which prey on sea urchins (Lafferty 2004).  When predators are removed, sea urchins can increase and thus reduce kelp on which they graze.  Red abalone and sea otters are key species that were once abundant in the sanctuary and have been depleted as a result of disease and historic harvesting.  Both species are now protected, but recovery has not yet been observed.  Both black and white abalone, which were once common in the sanctuary, are now listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Deepwater habitat includes a majority of area in the sanctuary and contains key species unique to that habitat.  However, little is known about this habitat, and key species in deepwater cannot be identified at this time.  Monitoring in deep water is logistically challenging and expensive and will require working with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), or submersibles.  The sanctuary is working to develop a deepwater monitoring plan and acquire funding to be able to address this issue. 

Seabirds feed at a high trophic level and are good indicators of ecosystem health.  There is a variety of impacts to seabird populations.  More than 30 years after DDT was banned, there have been dramatic improvements in Brown Pelicans (Gress 1995, unpubl. data).  In 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to remove California Brown Pelicans (Figure 23) from the U.S. endangered species list.  Brandt’s Cormorant populations fluctuate dramatically with population declines during major El Niño events (1992-93, 1998), and population increases in intervening years (Carter et al. 1996, Capitolo et al. 2008).  In general, cormorants are maintaining large populations and have recovered to a substantial degree from many past human disturbance factors and pollutant issues.  Cassin’s Auklet populations are declining, apparently in relation to changes in prey resources possibly related to climate change (Adams 2008).  About a third to a half of the world population of this species occurs in the sanctuary (Karnovsky et al. 2005, Carter unpubl. data), and it was listed by the state of California as threatened in 2004 (Burkett et al. 2003), with a federal listing decision pending.  Xantus’s Murrelets are declining at Santa Barbara Island due toimpacts from high levels of egg predation by high population levels of native deer mouse, and high levels of adult predation by avian predators (e.g., owls, falcons, and gulls) (Burkett et al 2003).  Recent invasive rat eradication from Anacapa Island is helping the nesting population at this location to recover (Whitworth et al. 2006).  Ashy Storm-Petrels are found almost exclusively in California, in addition to a colony in Northern Baja, and the Channel Islands sanctuary hosts about half of the world population (Carter et al. 1992).  This species was petitioned in 2007 to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.  Ashy Storm-Petrels in the Channel Islands may be declining due to continuing effects of pollutants (e.g., DDT and PCB), high predation of adults by avian predators, human disturbance, and light pollution (Carter et al. 2008).  After an absence of breeding for many years, Tufted Puffins bred at San Miguel Island from 1991-1997 but no longer breed there today (H. R. Carter, Carter Biological Consulting, unpubl. data).   Rhinoceros Auklets have bred at San Miguel Island since 1991 and were not known to breed there in the past (Carter et al. 1992, unpubl. data).  Common Murres have not bred at San Miguel Island since the early 1900s, but birds have been attending breeding habitats since 1999 and may soon recolonize (H.R. Carter, Carter Biological Consulting, unpubl. data).

Raptors are top trophic predators that feed on seabirds, fish, or scavenge marine mammal carcasses.  Raptors at the Channel Islands - Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, and Osprey - were extirpated from the Channel Islands by the effects of DDT.  Peregrine Falcons have returned to breed in relatively large numbers in the Channel Islands after significant efforts to reintroduce them to the islands.  Efforts to reintroduce bald eagles to Santa Cruz Island have had initial moderate success, with successful natural breeding, nesting, and fledging by several adult pairs. Osprey have not yet been reintroduced.

Four species of baleen whales use the sanctuary for significant feeding grounds or migration routes: fin, humpback (Figure 24), blue, and gray whales can be found in the sanctuary during parts of the year.  Fin whale numbers appear to still be depleted from commercial whaling, and they remain listed as endangered.  However, there have been indications of increased sightings of fin whales in many areas and it is expected they are making a recovery from whaling.  Data on this is very limited, and increased sightings could be caused by shifts in distribution rather than an actual increase in population size (J. Calambokidis, Cascadia Research, pers. comm. 2008).

Humpback abundance off the U.S. West Coast appears to be increasing steadily at about 8% per year, although there was a slight decline after the 1998 El Ni no (Calambokidis and Barlow 2004, Calambokidis et al. 2005).  They are now expected to number around 20,000 in the North Pacific, approaching the numbers thought to exist prior to whaling (Calambokidis et al. 2008). In recent years, humpback whales off California have switched from feeding predominantly on krill to fish (J. Calambokidis, Cascadia Research, pers. comm. 2007).  This switch may reflect declines in available krill that could also be affecting blue whales, and possibly other species.  This decline in their primary food source may negatively affect humpback abundance in the sanctuary over the longer term. 

The blue whale population status over the long term has been improving, but there have been indications of declining conditions in recent years.  There was an apparent dramatic decline in blue whale abundance off California in 2001 and 2005 compared to the 1990s (Barlow and Forney 2007).  This may be related to evidence of increasing use by blue whales of feeding areas outside California, including waters off Mexico, British Columbia, and Alaska (Calambokidis et al. 2007).  Blue whales are exclusively krill feeders and may be more vulnerable to the apparent local declines in krill abundance, based on recent declines in local krill-feeding bird species and the locally observed switch in prey of humpback whales.  At this point it is not possible to determine if this change in whale distribution is part of a natural cycle or related to climate change.  An additional and emerging threat to large whales is ship strikes, which has affected blue whales locally.  In 2007 several dead blue whales were discovered in the region, two of which were confirmed ship strikes.  The sanctuary and an interagency subcommittee responded to this event with increased monitoring for the presence of blue whales, and by recommending a voluntary speed reduction for cargo ships in the Santa Barbara Channel during blue whale season (generally in the late summer and fall months).  

Gray whales steadily recovered from whaling, and in the 1990s reached what was thought to be pre-whaling numbers.  In the late 1990s, the gray whale population experienced a high level of mortality and low calf production, apparently due to a combination of an increasing population and decreases in prey in the Bering Sea.  This may have resulted in a decline of about a quarter of the population during this period (J. Calambodokidis, Cascadia Research, pers. comm. 2007).

13. What is the condition or health of key species and how is it changing?

The overall diminished health of key species in the sanctuary is rated as “fair,” however the trend is “undetermined.” For example, overall abalone populations remain depressed at the islands (except at San Miguel Island), there is little indication of any recent recovery, and disease remains a concern.  Abalone are susceptible to withering syndrome, and a large portion of the remaining red abalone population seems to harbor the disease, even if individuals do not exhibit symptoms (CDFG 2007).  Although black abalone abundances have shown very slight increases in recent years, disease occurrences for this important key intertidal species continue.  In 2008, black abalone were listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.  Echinoderm diseases (especially in sea urchins and seastars) are common, but little is known about the cause or effects.

Size of marine organisms is important because larger individuals have higher reproductive fitness.  Outside of marine reserves (see Figure 21, Question 5), large spiny lobsters are uncommon but have increased inside reserves (CDFG et al. 2008).  Though several species of fish (e.g., sheephead and kelp bass) appear to have increased in abundance recently (probably due to favorable oceanographic conditions), their size distribution has not changed appreciably (presumably due to fishing pressure). These fish also remain noticeably small at several of the islands (mainly Santa Barbara, Anacapa, and the eastern portion of Santa Cruz Island) (D. Kushner, CINP, pers. comm. 2007).

Populations of some species of seabirds plummeted as a result of eggshell thinning caused by the pesticide DDT.  Since production ceased in the 1970s populations have been recovering (H. Carter, Carter Biological Consulting, pers. comm. 2007,CINP Brown Pelican Web site, Engle 2006, Sydeman et al. 2001, CINP Bald Eagle Web site).  In addition to effects on seabirds, fish, invertebrates (Jarvis et al. 2007) and marine mammals (Blasius and Goodmanlowe 2008) have measurable levels of DDT in the Southern California Bight.

Cassin’s Auklets have had high nesting failures in recent years, and this may be a result of reduced food sources due to changing oceanographic conditions (Adams 2008).  Xantus’s Murrelets nested later in 2005-2007, though nesting was earlier in 2008 (Whitworth et al. 2006, Whitworth unpubl. data). Ashy Storm-Petrels at Santa Cruz Island have had declines in nesting at some locations as a result of skunk predation and light pollution (Carter et al. 2007, Carter et al. 2008, unpubl. data).  These changes may reflect changes in food availability, predation, habitat, or other resources. 

14.  What are the levels of human activities that may influence living resource quality and how are they changing?

Human activities influencing living resource quality in the sanctuary is rated as “fair and getting worse.”  Although there are some impacts that are becoming less severe, these are overwhelmed by others that are getting worse.  For example, it appears that improved fishing regulations and marine reserves (see Figure 21, Question 5) may allow populations to recover although historic sanctuary-wide extraction has led to severe declines in some exploited species, such as abalone, lobster, and rockfish.  In contrast, there are some impacts that are increasing in frequency and severity.  A growing human population provides the potential for increasing visitation which could increase the chance for potential introduction of species and disturbance.  Mechanisms of disturbance include anchoring, noise, lights, trash, increased harvest pressure, and illegal fishing.

An increase in recreational diving, kayaking, boating, and wildlife watching could bring harm by disturbing wildlife and habitats.  People who land on shore could trample seabird nests or intertidal animals.  Wildlife disturbance from recreational boats and disturbance of the seabed from anchoring are also concerns.  Eelgrass beds in high-use anchorages such as Scorpion and Prisoners at Santa Cruz Island experience frequent scarring from anchoring (J. Altstatt, SBCK, pers. comm., 2007).  Over the long term, shipping traffic is expected to increase in the Santa Barbara Channel, potentially increasing the risk of air and water pollution, a wreck, spill, collision with marine mammals or other vessels, and the introduction of invasive species through ballast water. 

Unfortunately, these localized impacts are likely to be overwhelmed in the longer term by the adverse and wide-ranging effects of anthropogenically caused climate change effects on sea level, air and water temperatures, and ocean chemistry. 

Living Resources and Trends

Status:   Good     Good/Fair      Fair      Fair/Poor      Poor       Undet.  

Trends:

▲ Conditions appear to be improving.
- Conditions do not appear to be changing.
▼ Conditions appear to be declining.
? Undeterminted trend.
N/A Question not applicable.