Why do we care
Approximately 70% of the world's 1.2 million northern fur seals breed and pup only on the Pribilof Islands. Due to dramatic declines in recent decades, northern fur seals are listed as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Steller sea lions are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The native Aleut people of the Pribilof Islands harvest a small number of non-breeding male fur seals for subsistence each summer. This subsistence harvest is of great material, social, cultural, and spiritual importance for the Aleut people. Indeed, the cultural history and well-being of the Pribilovians is closely tied to the northern fur seal. Viewing fur seals at their breeding sites/ haul-outs represents an important segment of the islands' small but growing tourism industry. Lactating female fur seals are known to forage up to 350 km from the Pribilofs in an area and season that overlaps with commercial fish harvests. Marine mammals are an important component of the marine ecosystem and food web. Although these population declines are poorly understood, they may indicate other changes are occurring within the ecosystem.

Stakeholder concerns

• The Aleut people of the Pribilof Islands are concerned that the decline in the northern fur seal population is part of a larger change in the Eastern Bering Sea ecosystem, and that the decline will cause further restrictions on their subsistence harvest and an overall decline in their culture.
• Members of the commercial fishing industry face restrictions due to measures enacted to protect the declining Steller sea lion population, and are concerned about impacts to fisheries if closures or other restrictions are imposed to protect the northern fur seal population.
• Many are also concerned about both the ecological causes and ramifications of the declines northern fur seal and other marine mammal populations.
• The Islands' tourism industry and economy could be negatively impacted by further declines in northern fur seal populations.

• Northern fur seal numbers have declined by 65% since the 1950's and pup production dropped an average 5.2% per year on St. Paul and St. George Islands between 1998 and 2002.
• Steller sea lions, which have declined approximately 90% in the last 30 years, breed in small numbers on Walrus Island.
• Harbor seals, which have declined 80% in recent years, haul out and breed on Otter Island.

• Decline in prey species abundance and quality due to competition from fisheries, effects of global climate change, or some combination of these and other factors.
• The cumulative effects of persistent pollutants in the marine environment and other environmental factors.
• Direct mortality of individual fur seals at sea by net entanglement.
• Direct mortality of individual fur seals at sea by killer whale predation.