Enjoying Central Coast marine life responsibly

UPDATE 7/4/2016 5 PM:

Monterey Bay is called the “Serengeti of the Sea” because it’s home to hundreds of different marine mammals, sea birds and fish. There are federal laws, like the Marine Mammal Protection Act, in place to protect them. More people are taking notice of the animals, but they may not be aware of the laws.

“Since we’ve been having incredible weather because of the drought, we’ve seen a huge uptick in the number of people that are actually on the water and experiencing the wildlife,” said Lisa Emanuelson, volunteer coordinator for Team OCEAN.

Emanuelson works with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and runs two outreach programs, Bay Net and Team OCEAN (Ocean Conservation Education Action Network).

One is on land, the other on the water. Both are aimed at educating visitors about watching the wildlife responsibly. They recommend staying far enough away to not interrupt an animal’s normal activity.

“We’re not handing out tickets,” Emanuelson said. “We’re not scolding people. We’re trying to educate them to understand why approaching animals is actually detrimental to their health and potentially for ours. These are wild animals. They can bite, they can approach you and possibly scare you. If you’re getting too close to them, they’re going to defend themselves.”

Otters eat about a third of their body weight a day. Because they spend so much time feeding, their downtime is especially important. Constantly scurrying away from nosy humans can affect their well-being over time.

Team OCEAN volunteers kayak every weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day at Elkhorn Slough or along Cannery Row.

According to their website, Team OCEAN volunteers have reached out to more than 70,000 visitors since 2000. Emanuelson said the outreach program is a lot more cost-effective than having a game warden patrol both locations protecting the marine mammals.

To learn more about the programs, click here.

ORIGINAL POST:

Volunteers from Team OCEAN are spending weekends and holidays making sure visitors to Elkhorn Slough know how to enjoy marine life responsibly.

KION’s Mariana Hicks paddled out to hear what kayakers are being told. Look for her story tonight at 6 pm on KION, your Central Coast News Source.