BC sea otter comeback boosts kelp but threatens prized northern abalone

Sea otters, once extinct on British Columbia’s Pacific shoreline due to historic fur hunting, were reintroduced between 1969 and 1972, initially struggling before their numbers rose sharply. Government data indicate the population grew from 3,185 in 2004 to over 8,110 by 2017, and the animals have spread along the coast. By feeding on sea urchins, otters help prevent the formation of barren seafloor and support the resurgence of kelp forests and associated marine life.

Their diet also includes crabs, clams and the northern abalone, an endangered marine snail protected under the Species at Risk Act and valued by coastal First Nations. Research finds that areas occupied by otters for more than 30 years contain dramatically fewer exposed abalone than otter-free zones, suggesting the predator adds pressure to an already struggling species. Conservationists now face the challenge of balancing otter recovery with the need to safeguard the abalone’s future.