Ugamak Island, Alaska--NMFS marine mammal biologists report a -16.6% decline in Steller sea lion pup counts at Ugamak Island in the eastern Aleutian Islands. This reversed an upward trend in pup abundance occurring in 1994 and 1996. They also reported surviving pups were smaller which has not occurred since 1989. The NMFS biologists believe they may be seeing an El Nino-related event similar to that which occurred in California during the El Nino event of 1983-84, even though they believe the full-effect of the current El Nino has not yet reached the Gulf of Alaska. Their observations provide evidence of a relationship between sea lion population trends and prey availability and also indicate that Steller sea lions may respond fairly quickly and negatively to a decline in food supply. [Alaska Fishermen's Journal, Nov. 1997].--Jeff June JAJfish@aol.com

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