The goal of this project is to replace an existing vessel that has been in continuous operation for sea otter oil spill response preparedness, stranding response, and research for 24 years the new…

The goal of this project is to replace an existing vessel that has been in continuous operation for sea otter oil spill response preparedness, stranding response, and research for 24 years the new vessel will allow US to continue activities at current levels our current vessel was originally purchased in 1998 by the oiled wildlife care network owcn , shortly after the owcn was established, and its primary function has been oil spill response readiness for sea otters along the coast of california during the last 10 years, this was the primary vessel used during multiple full deployment oil spill drills, oiled wildlife capture training workshops, recovery of dozens of live and dead stranded sea otters floating offshore or in harbors , and countless sea otter capture operations in support of health, mortality, and population studies appendix a the vessel also has been used to attempt to reunite abandoned pups with their mothers appendix a our existing vessel, which is a zodiac srmn 550 17 7 FT rigid hulled inflatable boat rhib , has received regular maintenance and periodic upgrades, but due to its age, IT now has safety issues that cannot be reliably repaired we therefore are requesting funds for a new, nearly identical, but contemporary, vessel to continue our important work on southern sea otter oil spill response preparedness, stranded sea otter recovery, and sea otter research