Can sea otters help with invasive species?

Sea otters, aside from being arguably the most adorable marine mammals, are absolutely vital in keeping our coastal ecosystems healthy here on the Pacific Coast. In particular, sea otters help foster healthy nearshore kelp forests and eelgrass meadows which are excellent at storing carbon and provide the habitat and hunting ground for countless sea creatures.

Crab invasion

In particular, they’re helpful in managing some invasive species. Here in Oregon, we have an invasive European green crab problem which has exploded recently. They prey on much of the wildlife call our ocean home, like snails, young fish and even Dungeness crab. As a result, they’re a big problem for our fisheries. They also destabilize shorelines by destroying eelgrass meadows. They cut through the roots, which increases erosion and limits a meadow’s ability to store carbon and buffer against rising seas. What if the solution to an invasive species is to reintroduce a native one?

Photo by Lillian Carswell, USFWS | Public Domain

The otter way out

It turns out in places, like in California, where there are sea otters there’s way less invasive green crabs and more eelgrass. Near Monterey Bay, the sea otters appear to be effectively managing these crab invaders which is a great sign for the estuary. Were Oregon to reintroduce these fuzzy critters to our coastal areas we’d likely see the same benefits. That’s why we’re calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to expedite the process regarding sea otter reintroduction.

In a world with oceans threatened by invasive species and climate change, we need to make our coastal ecosystems more resilient. We know one of the best ways to do this is by restoring these environments to their natural state as much as possible, and that can start with sea otters.