A broad research program was implemented from 20002024 by the national marine fisheries service, the alaska department of fish and game and other agencies to address recovery of the endangered western…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the Alaska Department of Fish and Game $333,188 on January 1, 2026, under the Cooperative Research Program (CFDA 11.472) to monitor the western distinct population segment of Steller sea lions at Central Gulf of Alaska rookeries and haul-outs.

The award funds continued monitoring of branded sea lion animals at Marmot and Sugarloaf Islands and surrounding haul-outs during summer 2025 and beyond, tracking age-specific vital rates and pup production to assess current population trends in the region. The research responds to Steller sea lion recovery plan priorities and FY25 NOAA Alaska regional priorities for vital rate estimation and entanglement rate documentation. The work addresses potential long-term effects of marine heatwaves and environmental variability on population status—factors identified as high threats to population recovery with uncertain impacts on population dynamics and viability.

Performance takes place in Juneau, Alaska, with a period of performance from January 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027. The award is structured as a project grant with no automatic renewal; continued funding for subsequent years is contingent on fund availability and the recipient's achievement of project objectives and reporting requirements.

A broad research program was implemented from 20002024 by the national marine fisheries service, the alaska department of fish and game and other agencies to address recovery of the endangered western distinct population segment (WDPS) of steller sea lions (SSL). A key component of this research was the branding of >9,000 pups from 20002016 at their natal rookeries for age specific vital rates (nmfs 2008, hastings ET AL. 2011, fritz ET AL. 2014, maniscalco 2014, jemison ET AL. 2018). In the summer of 2025, we propose to continue monitoring the large sample of branded animals at two important rookeries in the central gulf of alaska (GOA): marmot and sugarloaf islands, and surrounding haul-outs. The WDPS in the GOA has shown signs of recovery since 2003 but remains much reduced from historical numbers (fritz ET AL. 2016) and was negatively impacted by the recent pacific marine heatwave of 20142016 (suryan ET AL. 2021, hastings ET AL. 2023A, mchuron ET AL. 2024). This research will provide data to determine if survival and/or PUP production are currently declining in the central GOA and to address potential longterm effects of marine heatwaves and increased environmental variation on population status. Environmental variability has been identified as a potentially-high threat to population recovery and its impact on population dynamics is highly uncertain, yet this information is crucial to adequately assess population viability (goodman 2008, nmfs 2008). This research responds to two steller sea lion recovery plan priority 2A recovery actions (principally, 1.2.1 .estimate [vital rates].through a resight program, nmfs 2008) and two FY25 nmfs alaska regional priorities, including estimation of vital rates and entanglement rates of WDPS SSL in this region.