Sea otter foraging welfare depends on sufficient prey availability, with prey depletion from overfishing and otter range expansion creating challenges for individual nutritional welfare.
Individual sea otter nutritional welfare is directly linked to prey abundance. Otters in areas with depleted prey experience hunger, reduced body condition, and reduced reproductive success - genuine welfare harms at the individual level. The conflict between otter conservation and shellfish fishing creates situations where individual welfare (otter food security) conflicts with conservation management and fishing industry interests. Sustainable shellfish management that maintains sufficient prey for both otter populations and fishery production is the welfare-positive long-term solution.