The Relationship Between Oyster Farms and Their Environment, a Sea Otter’s Perspective

This project examines sea otter interactions with oyster farms and the relationship of these interactions with environmental parameters. Sea otter behavioral observations (activity and foraging) in and around oyster farms will be compared with observations where oyster farms do not exist or are not active.

Environmental parameters that will be examined in this study include; benthic community and habitat structure, protection from storms, water depth, turbidity, conductivity, salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen.