Protocol Narrative for Marine Ecosystem Monitoring in the Southwest Alaska Network of National Parks: Version 1.0

This document provides a comprehensive plan for long-term monitoring of nearshore marine resources in the National Park Service's (NPS) Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN) parks. The objective of plan is to assist managers in preserving park resources by documenting changes to these resources over time and suggesting possible causes for these changes. The monitoring encompasses all major elements of the nearshore trophic web, from primary producers to apex predators, and focuses on six vital signs: kelp and seagrasses, marine intertidal invertebrates, marine birds, black oystercatchers, sea otters, and marine water chemistry and quality.