Comment on FR Doc # 2011-28065

The Southern Sea Otter Translocation Program hurts sea otters, ocean ecosystems, and ultimately, the communities of Southern California as well. It was an ill-considered policy that has failed to achieve it's stated objectives of establishing another sea otter community on San Nicolas Island, and has instead resulted in the disappearance and presumed deaths of many otters. It is in fact doubtful that this policy was ever anything but a result of pressure from the fishing industry, which views otters as competition for items like sea urchins, abalone, lobster and crab. Even from the self-interested standpoint of the fishing industry, however, eliminating sea otters from vast stretches of Southern California ocean makes no sense. Marine ecosystems have co-evolved with otters, and their normal hunting activities contribute to the health of the kelp forests, home to many interdependent marine species. If fisherman hope to have anything to fish, they should leave otters alone, and let them roam where they will. Fish and Wildlife should do the same. I strongly urge and end to the injurious and poorly thought out policy of southern sea otter translocation. Sincerely, Shirley Gutierrez