Sea Otters and Nearshore Benthic Communities: A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

The central problem in environmental management is the balancing of competing societal values. Virtually any proposed management plan necessarily involves actions that will be viewed positively by some, negatively by others, and with mixed feelings perhaps by the majority. The management of the California sea otter population represents a classic example of such conflict, one in which multiple uses of the ecosystem are at odds and in which the diverse interests of different segments of society must be accommodated equitably.