Feasibility Assessment of Sea Otter Reintroduction to the Pacific Coast

Cover photo for the Feasibility Assessment: Sea Otter Reintroduction to the Pacific Coast with a collage of photos including kelp and fish under water, a mother sea otter holding her pup in the water, people looking at fishing boats, otter swimming on back eating a sea urchin, and a view above water looking at the kelp beneath.
SEA OTTER REINTRO REPORT 2022 508 compliant - FINAL 07082022 with cover.pdf9.33 MB

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was directed by Congress to look at the feasibility and cost of reintroducing sea otters on the Pacific Coast, including Oregon, Washington, and California. This directive stemmed from language that was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2021, Sea otters have been absent from most of the Pacific Coast for more than 100 years, since their near extinction as a result of the maritime fur trade. 

This Feasibility Assessment of Sea Otter Reintroduction to the Pacific Coast (Assessment) constitutes our report to Congress.

Type of document
Report
Facility
Trees and lupine at Metolius Preserve in Oregon by Bonnie Moreland
Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Ecological Services program. We work closely with partners to conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats throughout Oregon for future generations.
Conservation Office
Portland,OR
Bend,OR
Newport,OR
Roseburg,OR
Photo of a foggy morning in the Trinity River Valley.
Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office
The Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office is a field office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our work in northern California includes scientific assessments, habitat restoration, and conservation of listed species.
Conservation Office
Arcata,CA
Program
A rocky shoreline of a river. The water is calm. Mist and green branches line the river.
The Ecological Services Program works to restore and protect healthy populations of fish, wildlife, and plants and the environments upon which they depend. Using the best available science, we work with federal, state, Tribal, local, and non-profit stakeholders, as well as private land owners, to...
Program
Baileys Crossroads,VA
Close up of a California condor. Its pink featherless head contrasts with its black feathers.
We provide national leadership in the recovery and conservation of our nation's imperiled plant and animal species, working with experts in the scientific community to identify species on the verge of extinction and to build the road to recovery to bring them back. We work with a range of public...
Program
Baileys Crossroads,VA
Species
Many sea otters floating in the ocean

Southern sea otters, also known as California sea otters, can be found in nearshore areas along the central California coastline, including areas of high human activity, like harbors. As a keystone species, they play a fundamental role in the natural food web, and keep important elements of...

FWS Focus
Species
Kingdom
Animalia
Taxonomic Rank
Subspecies
Sea otters floating in a group

Sea otters are a member of the weasel family (Mustelidae) and live in the near-shore waters along the North Pacific Ocean. They are the smallest of marine mammals and are excellently suited to their marine environment with adaptations in their skeletons, teeth, and fur.

Historically,...

FWS Focus
Species
Kingdom
Animalia
Taxonomic Rank
Subspecies