Endangered species, threatened fisheries: Science to the rescue! Evaluating the Congressionally designated Steller Sea Lion Research Program

Between 2001 and 2004, the US Congress designated over $120 million for research on the western population of Steller sea lions. This paper evaluates the science program, summarizing its context and motivation, the amount and distribution of funds, and how the recipients allocated funding to research activities. It considers factors affecting the science program's contribution to solving the problem that spurred Congress to act. While the program failed to achieve its immediate goals for a variety of reasons, it did provide long-term benefits for science and ecosystem management in the North Pacific.