gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:30917 eng UTF8 dataset Access Database, spreadsheets Southwest Fisheries Science Center (858)546-7000 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr. La Jolla CA 92037 USA https://swfsc.noaa.gov/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 8:00-16:30 resourceProvider Moore, Jeff E (858) 546-7161 (858) 546-7003 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr La Jolla CA 92037 USA Jeff.E.Moore@noaa.gov M-F 8:00 - 16:00 pointOfContact Curtis, Alex alex.curtis@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:18 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Sea Lion Diet Data Sea Lion Diet Data 1981 creation publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 30917 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30917 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information tableDigital California sea lions pup and breed at four of the nine Channel Islands in southern California. Since 1981, SWFSC MMTD has been conducting a diet study of sea lions at San Clemente Island (a small rookery) and San Nicolas Island (a large rookery). Information on the diet of sea lions is obtained from analyzing scats (i.e., fecal samples) and spewings (i.e., vomitus) collected at those two rookeries in January (winter), April (spring), July (summer), and October (autumn). Otoliths (a crystalline structure within the ear organ) from fish and beaks (mandibles composed of chitin) from cephalopods are recovered from the samples by washing each sample through sieves of varying mesh size. Otoliths and beaks, which are shaped and sized differently for each species of fish and cephalopod, respectively, are used to identify and enumerate fish, and cephalopods consumed by sea lions. Also, otoliths and beaks are measured for estimating size of prey being consumed by sea lions. The objectives of the sea lion diet study being conducted are to: 1) Identify prey species being consumed by sea lions in order to determine which are most important to the sea lion population. Prey species are identified by hard parts, such as fish otoliths and squid beaks found in scats. See the recently published Photographic Catalog of California Marine Fish Otoliths: Prey of California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus). 2) Monitor seasonal, annual, and multi-year variability in consumption of prey species. 3) Determine if dietary changes can be used to signal when the population reaches carrying capacity, 4) Estimate consumption by the sea lion population. 5) Use sea lion diet data as a fishery-independent index of abundance for commercial species of fish and squid. underDevelopment Moore, Jeff E (858) 546-7161 (858) 546-7003 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr La Jolla CA 92037 USA Jeff.E.Moore@noaa.gov M-F 8:00 - 16:00 pointOfContact Curtis, Alex alex.curtis@noaa.gov Other data management and support staff are involved with data at the entity level and will be documented there as well. custodian asNeeded California Sea Lion abundance diet ecosystems habitat pinniped rookeries scats spewings theme autumn spring summer winter temporal California San Clemente Island San Nicolas Island United States place DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SWFSC > Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Biological Data project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Southwest Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Sea Lion Diet Data [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30917. NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. otherRestrictions Access Constraints: FISMA Controls are in place to protect stored data from unauthorized access and/or disclosure. otherRestrictions Use Constraints: User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Acknowledgement of NOAA SWFSC, as the source from which these data were obtained, in any publications and/or other representations of these data is requested. The user is responsible for the results of any application of these data for other than its intended purpose. unclassified NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 30917 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/swfsc/dmp/pdf/30917.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference eng; US biota oceans San Nicolas Island -119.58 -119.43 33.21 33.29 January (winter), April (spring), July (summer), October (autumn) | Currentness: Ground Condition 1981 San Clemente Island -118.61 -118.35 32.797 33.04 January (winter), April (spring), July (summer), October (autumn) | Currentness: Ground Condition 1981 mixed Mixed Southwest Fisheries Science Center (858)546-7000 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr. La Jolla CA 92037 USA https://swfsc.noaa.gov/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Southwest Fisheries Science Center Website Website listed for Southwest Fisheries Science Center information 8:00-16:30 Unknown distributor https://swfsc.noaa.gov/mmtd WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link https://swfsc.noaa.gov/mmtd Data are not currently available for download. download https://swfsc.noaa.gov/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link https://swfsc.noaa.gov/ spreadsheet and database of scat/diet samples download dataset Representativeness data representative of animals feeding within distance of the collection sites on Channel Islands Scat samples collected in field are stored in freezer, then thawed prior to processing. Each scat sample is given a code number, then washed through sieves from which hard-parts (fish otoliths and cephalopod beaks) are collected. Prey identified and enumerated from prey hard-parts. Data entered onto Microsoft Excel worksheets, then transferred to Microsoft Access database. Queries are used to extract data for analysis. "Analyze program" written by Robert Holland summarizes queried data.