Jaime Jahncke
Seabird and marine mammal ecology; climate change impacts on marine ecosystems; long-term ecological monitoring
I serve as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biology and a Principal Investigator at the Estuary & Ocean Science Center at San Francisco State University, where I mentor graduate students, develop collaborative research initiatives, and contribute to advancing marine science education.
In addition, I direct the California Current Group at Point Blue Conservation Science, leading applied research, policy engagement, and partnerships to accelerate climate-smart ocean conservation. I oversee a team of 17 staff and coordinate research activities involving 20–25 seasonal volunteers and 6–10 graduate students annually. Through collaboration with agencies, academia, and NGOs, I help translate scientific insights into actionable solutions that protect marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
My work emphasizes a Connected Conservation approach—integrating applied science, community engagement, and policy—to enhance ocean resilience, support sustainable fisheries, and safeguard marine wildlife from climate-driven threats. I leverage long-term datasets from the Farallon Islands and the Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies (ACCESS) program to inform adaptive management, ocean zoning, and fisheries policies.
With over three decades of experience, I have led marine ecological research from Peru to Antarctica, Alaska, and California, focusing on seabird foraging ecology, whale habitat modeling, and climate change impacts on marine food webs. I earned my BS in Biology from Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina and my PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine.
Born and raised in Peru, I carry a lifelong passion for the ocean and a strong commitment to fostering equity in marine conservation. My work bridges science and policy to ensure long-term stewardship of the California Current and beyond.
When I’m not working from my home office in Santa Rosa, CA, or our headquarters in Petaluma, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my husband, son, and dog—preferably by the ocean, though I’m just as happy by a river or lake, soaking in the natural world that fuels my passion for conservation.
Anderson, R., E. Hines, P. Mazzini, M. Elliott, J.L. Largier, J. Jahncke. 2022. Spatial Patterns in Aragonite Saturation Horizon over the Northern California Shelf. Regional Studies in Marine Science 52:102286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2022.102286
Ingman, K., E. Hines, P.L.F. Mazzini, R.C. Rockwood, N. Nur, J. Jahncke. 2021. Modeling changes in baleen whale seasonal abundance, timing of migration, and environmental variables to explain the sudden rise in entanglements in California. PLoS ONE 16:e0248557. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248557
Studwell, A., E. Hines, N. Nur, J. Jahncke. 2021. Using habitat risk assessment to assess disturbance from maritime activities to inform seabird conservation in a coastal marine ecosystem. Ocean & Coastal Management 199:105431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105431
Studwell A., E. Hines, M. Elliott, J. Howar, B. Holzman, N. Nur, J. Jahncke. 2017. Modeling Pelagic Seabird Foraging Distributions to Inform Ocean Zoning in Central California. PLoS ONE 12:e0169517. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169517
Dransfield, A., E. Hines, M. Elliott, J. Howar, N. Nur, J. Jahncke. 2014. Where the whales are: using habitat modeling to support changes in shipping regulations within National Marine Sanctuaries in Central California. Endangered Species Research 26:39-57. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00627
McGowan, J., E. Hines, M. Elliott, J. Howar, N. Nur, J. Jahncke. 2013. Using habitat modeling to inform ocean zoning within Central California’s National Marine Sanctuaries. PLoS ONE 8:e71406. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0071406
Marine Birds
Seabird Foraging Flexibility Under Changing Prey Fields. How do seabirds adjust foraging behavior when krill biomass declines or becomes patchy? This project would integrate ACCESS krill data with seabird distribution and behavior (e.g., density, flocking, foraging modes) to quantify behavioral plasticity during marine heatwaves versus productive years. Results could identify species most vulnerable to prey variability.
Linking Seabird Distribution to Fine-Scale Oceanographic Features. Are seabirds tracking fronts, eddies, or upwelling plumes at fine spatial scales? Using ACCESS CTD and oceanographic data, this project would map seabird hotspots relative to physical features to understand habitat selection and improve predictive habitat models for management.
Tufted Puffin Colony Restoration and Monitoring. We have begun an effort to establish an accessible tufted puffin colony at the Farallon Islands using nest boxes and social attraction techniques. If successful, this effort will create new opportunities for reproductive monitoring, diet sampling, banding, and tagging of the ever-growing Farallon population.
Pigeon Guillemot Pacific-Wide Overwintering Study. There is evidence suggesting the much of the North Pacific pigeon guillemot population may concentrate in a small region of British Columbia and Southeast Alaska during the winter months, creating alarming vulnerability to a single major oil spill. This proposed multi-year tagging study could fill a major knowledge gap and has strong potential for policy relevance.
Light Pollution and the Ashy Storm-Petrel. We would like to better understand how artificial light at sea affects the movement decisions of the ashy storm-petrel, and possibly other species through specialized tags that couple GPS, accelerometer, and light level data. This project could reveal whether light from ships and offshore platforms disrupts the movement and survival of Ashy Storm-Petrels. Findings will directly inform outreach and policy for the maritime industry.
Seabird Diet Monitoring via eDNA. What are Farallon seabirds and pinnipeds eating, and is it changing? This project collects fecal and diet samples annually to track which forage fish species are being consumed, using modern DNA extraction techniques. Results from this work could provide an early-warning system for shifts in ocean food webs driven by climate change.
Microplastics Exposure in Farallon Seabirds. Microplastics are everywhere in the ocean, but how much are seabirds ingesting? This ongoing project collects fecal samples and eggs from species like Cassin's Auklets and Western Gulls to quantify plastic exposure across the food web. Students will develop lab skills in contaminant analysis while contributing to an urgent and highly visible area of marine pollution research.
Contaminants in Farallon Seabirds. What toxic legacy and emerging contaminants are accumulating in marine birds off California? This project collects eggs, blood, and feathers across multiple seabird species to assess exposure to PFAS, mercury, microplastics, and newer industrial chemicals. Results will fill a major data gap on contaminant pathways in the California Current ecosystem.
Leach's Storm-Petrel Complex: West Coast Population Genomics. Leach’s storm-petrels nesting and stranding along the California coast may represent multiple cryptic species. This multi-year genomic study aims to collect samples from live birds, strandings, and museum specimens across California and Mexico to determine population origins and boundaries.
Burrow Nesting Seabird Detection via Environmental DNA.
Can we use soil samples from seabird burrows and crevices to test whether DNA or scent molecules can reveal active nesting activity in storm-petrels and other species? Results could revolutionize monitoring of cryptic, hard-to-observe seabirds across their range.
Marine Mammals
Pinniped–Prey Overlap and Habitat Compression. Do pinnipeds experience the same habitat compression observed for whales during warm events? This project would combine ACCESS prey fields (krill, zooplankton) with pinniped sightings to assess how prey shifts alter pinniped distribution and potential overlap with human activities.
Northern Fur Seal Foraging and Dispersal Tracking. Farallon Island Northern fur seals were extirpated from the island during the seal trading days and has since grown at a substantial rate over the past several decades. This project proposes to deploy GPS tags on adults and possible juvenile animals to map foraging areas, identify interactions with fishing and shipping activities, and shed light on dispersal patterns. Students will gain experience in marine mammal field methods and contribute data with direct management relevance.
Whale–Krill Hotspot Dynamics and Climate Variability. How stable are whale foraging hotspots over time? Using ACCESS whale sightings and krill biomass, this project would evaluate how hotspots shift under marine heatwaves, ENSO, and strong upwelling years, with direct relevance for dynamic management (e.g., VSR zones).
Habitat Compression and Risk Exposure in Baleen Whales. Do poor ocean conditions compress whales into smaller areas with higher overlap with shipping lanes? This project would quantify changes in whale distribution relative to prey and ocean conditions, linking directly to ship strike risk and management actions.
Evaluating Effectiveness of Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Using ACCESS Data. How well do current VSR zones overlap with whale hotspots? This project would integrate ACCESS whale distribution with AIS vessel data to assess spatial and temporal alignment, helping refine management strategies.
Forecasting Whale and Seabird Hotspots for Dynamic Ocean Management. Can we predict where predators will aggregate in near real time? This project would use ACCESS relationships between ocean conditions, prey, and predators to develop predictive models that inform dynamic management tools like Whale Safe.
Other / Cross-Trophic / System
Whole-ecosystem processes Trophic Mismatch in the California Current. Are predators and prey becoming decoupled in time or space? This project would examine whether peaks in krill availability align with predator presence (seabirds, whales) across years, testing for increasing mismatch under climate variability.
Early Warning Indicators of Ecosystem Change. Can we identify leading indicators that predict poor years for predators? Using the ACCESS time series, this project would evaluate whether oceanographic variables (e.g., SST anomalies, upwelling index) or prey metrics (krill biomass, size structure) can forecast seabird breeding success or whale distribution shifts.
Sea Level Rise Impacts on Farallon Island Breeding Habitat. How much of the Farallon Islands habitat will change due to rising sea levels? This modeling project will combine drone imagery, tidal records, tectonic data, and storm-surge projections to forecast the future of breeding habitat for dozens of species. There's also an opportunity to model extreme events like earthquakes and tsunamis.
Drone-Based Habitat Mapping of the Farallon Islands. We would like to use drone-derived orthomosaics and vegetation indices to quantify seasonal and annual shifts in habitat that may be driving changes in where and how successfully seabird and pinniped species breed on the island. Students will build skills in remote sensing, GIS, and ecological analysis.
Burrowing Owl Origins and Conservation Status. Where do the Burrowing Owls on Southeast Farallon Island come from? This genetic study would use feather samples to determine whether island owls belong to migratory or California resident populations, with direct implications for their state endangered listing and future management.