In conjunction with tribal fishermen and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, SEI has undertaken marine surveys to accurately map the distribution of murrelets in critical fishing areas. In addition, SEI research has shown that the birds stop feeding and move off-shore during the night, making them less vulnerable to entanglement. Tribal fisheries managers have used these data to plan fishing operations which conserve murrelets while still allowing a normal salmon harvest. Ocean conditions might therefore affect marbled murrelets, which may breed more successfully in areas with higher marine productivity. Dr. Bruce Menge, of Oregon State University, has been monitoring phytoplankton production at numerous sites along the Oregon coast.
Some sites show consistently high or low production.
Not surprisingly, marbled murrelets appear to be more abundant in those areas with more food, indicating that some areas may be of more importance to the species than others. This information is potentially critical for deciding where to concentrate conservation efforts.