Quantifying the dispersion and habitats of far-ranging seabirds, turtles, and cetaceans is essential to assess whether zoning strategies can help protect uppertrophic marine predators. In this paper, we focus on Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) use of three US national marine sanctuaries off central California: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay. We assessed the significance of these protected areas to albatrosses by: (i) documenting commuting flights between Hawaiian breeding sites and the California Current System (CCS); (ii) quantifying albatross dispersion patterns on the central California continental shelf and slope, and (iii) characterizing albatross habitats within sanctuary waters using concurrent satellite-tracking data and vesselbased sightings. Chick-rearing albatrosses commuted from their colony on Tern Island, Hawaii (23.878°N, 166.288°W), to the CCS (34-48°N) and two of the eight satellite-tracked birds entered the marine sanctuaries. Among the telemetry locations within sanctuary waters, two-thirds (24 of 36) straddled the shelf break and slope (201-2000-m depth), a pattern underscored by a concurrent vessel-based survey in which 144 Black-footed Albatrosses were sighted. This study illustrates the value of coordinated satellite telemetry and vessel-based surveys to assess the distributions of protected species within existing marine protected areas. More specifically, our results underscore the importance of three central California marine sanctuaries to Hawaiian albatrosses breeding in subtropical waters, approximately 4500 km away.

We investigated effects of marine climate variability on pinniped populations and assessed the initial stages of recovery following implementation of the U. S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) based on long‐term (1973‐1997) population surveys at the South Farallon Islands and Point Reyes Peninsula, central California. California sea lions increased over the study period, with peak numbers observed during and after major El Niño events. The rate of increase for California sea lions appears to have decreased in recent years. Steller sea lions decreased at the South Farallon Islands and remain depleted at Point Reyes Peninsula. Harbor seal populations increased in a logistic and non‐linear fashion at Point Reyes Peninsula and the South Farallon Islands, respectively. Harbor seals were more abundant at the South Farallon Islands during years of relatively high sea‐surface temperature, which may be related to their inability to find sufficient prey in coastal waters under these conditions. Northern elephant seal abundance increased in a logistic fashion over the study period at both the South Farallon Islands and Point Reyes Peninsula; however, productivity at the South Farallon Islands decreased in recent years. Maximum haulout numbers for elephant seals at the South Farallon Islands increased in the 1970s, maintained an asymptote throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, but recently declined; additional studies are needed to investigate which age classes are associated with this decline. Protection afforded by the MMPA has facilitated partial to full recovery of all populations except for Steller sea lion. Oceanographic relationships do not appear to confound interpretations of population recovery and may help to explain changes in the Steller sea lion population.

The aim of this study was to extend 40 yr of prior demographic work on northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) at Año Nuevo, California, by including the oldest animals. We used a Bayesian mark‐recapture analysis to estimate lifelong survival and lifespan of a cohort of 372 weaned pups branded in 1985–1987 and resighted until 2008. Annual survival probability of females averaged 86.3%/yr at ages 5–16, then declined until age 21, the age of the oldest female. Male survival was lower, averaging 67.7%/yr from age 1 to age 15, the age of the oldest male. Northern elephant seal females in the expanding population at Año Nuevo live longer than southern elephant seal females (M. leonina) at colonies whose populations are declining. This comparison suggests that high survival of females is a key factor in population growth.