YACHATS – A Lincoln County nonprofit urging the re-introduction of sea otters on the Oregon coast will talk about its efforts during a public presentation at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 in the Yachats Commons multipurpose room.
The presentation by Peter Hatch of the Siletz-based Elakha Foundation is sponsored by View the Future, a Yachats conservation group.
A federal report in August said it is “feasible” to reintroduce sea otters to their historical range along parts of the West Coast, including Oregon. But the 200-page report, prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under a directive from Congress, does not provide a recommendation as to whether sea otter reintroduction should take place. It does, however, say that sea otters are a “keystone species” that play a fundamental role in the “ecological health of nearshore ecosystems.”
The Elakha Foundation conducted its own study, some of which was included in the federal report.
Hatch works in the cultural resources office of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. His Yachats presentation will cover the cultural and historical significance of the sea otter, their ecological significance, the history of the sea otter on the Oregon coast and previous attempts to re-introduce them, and concerns about their potential return.
Admission is free. Refreshments will be provided by Yachats Ladies Club and View the Future.
