Endangered Steller Sea Lions Slowly Increasing In Alaskan Waters

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"For the second time in four years, the number of endangered Steller sea lions counted between the Gulf of Alaska and the tip of the Aleutian Chain has increased, according to new data released by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Some scientists see it as the beginning of a sea change, while others caution not to hope for too much too soon. "I think we're seeing a turnaround in this Steller sea lion population," longtime federal biologist Tom Loughlin told more than 200 scientists and others at the opening session of the Sea Lions of the World conference in downtown Anchorage last week.

"There's something going on out there, and I think it's because we're seeing the very opposite of what happened in the '60s, '70s and '80s." The western population may have increased 6 percent to 7 percent since 2002, based on counts of the big, bellowing pinnipeds at more than 250 sites conducted by a team from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center during aerial surveys in June.

That's similar to the increase reported two years ago, when the fisheries service documented the first overall rise for Aleutian sea lions in nearly three decades."

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http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/5635157p-5566135c.html