Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) counts and haulout locations across the British Columbia coast

Considered the "king" of sea lions, the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) is the biggest of all sea lions and enjoys a lifespan of up to thirty years. In Canada, the Steller can be spotted along the rocky coast of British Columbia. This hefty mammal usually travels alone or in a small group, but wisely, it joins others for protection during the mating and birthing season. Little is known about its oceanic lifestyle; however, the good news for this sea-loving mammal is that since the Steller sea lion first became protected in 1970, the size of the adult population has more than doubled.

Recent trends in the abundance of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in British Columbia were assessed based on a series of thirteen province-wide aerial surveys conducted during the breeding season (27-June to 06-July) between 1971 and 2013.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field	Value
Last Updated	April 17, 2026, 17:23 (UTC)
Created	April 17, 2026, 15:34 (UTC)
contact_email	Sheena.Majewski@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
contact_person	{"en": "Government of Canada; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Ecosystems and Ocean Sciences / Ecosystems Science Division / Marine Mammal Research", "fr": "Gouvernement du Canada; Pêches et Océans Canada; Sciences des écosystèmes et des océans / Division de la science des écosystèmes / Recherche sur les mammifères marins"}
criticality_level	[]
data_dictionary	EPSG:4326,http://www.epsg-registry.org,8.8(9.3.1.2)
geographic_scope	[]
open_canada_collection	fgp
open_canada_date_published	2017-01-01 00:00:00
open_canada_keywords	{"en": ["Steller Sea Lion", "Aerial Survey", "Abundance", "Haulout Location", "British Columbia", "Pacific", "Scientific information", "Scientific research", "Population distribution", "Marine biology", "Oceans", "Game (Wildlife)"], "fr": ["Otarie de Steller", "Relevés aériens", "Abondance", "Emplacement de l'échouerie", "Colombie-Britannique", "Pacifique", "Information scientifique", "Recherche scientifique", "Répartition de la population", "Biologie marine", "Océan", "Gibier"]}
open_canada_subject	["nature_and_environment", "science_and_technology"]
sensitivity_level	unrestricted
title_fr	Dénombrements et emplacements des échoueries des otaries de Steller (Eumetopias jubatus) sur l’ensemble de la côte de la Colombie-Britannique.
update_frequency	as_needed