The kelp forests of Santa Monica Bay once teemed with seven species of abalone—red, pink, green, white, black, pinto, and flat. Through overharvesting in the past century, loss of kelp habitat, and disease, all seven species found in southern California have been nearly wiped out. As the primary sea urchin competitor, these large underwater snails… Continue reading Abalone Restoration Program
Topic: Kelp
Ebb & Flow: The Rainforest of the Sea [Video]
Interview with Tom Ford of the Bay Foundation about the magic of kelp forests, their importance in mitigating climate change, and how restoration efforts are helping to restore this ‘rainforest of the sea’ off the coast of Los Angeles.
CNN Special Report: Saving California’s Kelp Forests from ‘Zombie’ Urchins [Video]
California’s underwater kelp forests have suffered a devastating decline. Now, the race is on to save them before it’s too late. Watch CNN’s Special Report on how an army of purple urchins has decimated these ecosystems, threatening the marine life that depends on them and the ocean’s ability to help fight climate change.
Meet the Company Creating Sushi that Heals the Ocean
When the 2011 tsunami struck Japan, the topside damage was easy to see: more than 400,000 homes were destroyed, and over 23,000 people died or went missing. Its underwater devastation took longer to spot. Just as the wave battered human neighborhoods, it blasted apart marine communities. Larger species moved out like refugees and, with few… Continue reading Meet the Company Creating Sushi that Heals the Ocean
Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program Comprehensive Monitoring Program – April 2021
The Santa Monica Bay region needs a Comprehensive Monitoring Program (CMP) to inform the community and interested stakeholders on the status and trends of the condition of key habitats. The purpose of the CMP is to provide a framework to use monitoring data to inform managers, practitioners, and the public on conditions and trends that… Continue reading Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program Comprehensive Monitoring Program – April 2021
Life in the Water: TBF CEO Tom Ford is Focused on Kelp Restoration and Preserving Ocean Life
Tom Ford has always had a connection with water. This connection brought him from a rural area in Pennsylvania to Los Angeles to preserve ocean life through influencing national and international policies, as well as helping the next generation of conservationists…
Kelp Forest Restoration Annual Report July 2019 – June 2020 (Year 7)
Annual report of Kelp Restoration Activities, including Stated Components in Scientific Collecting Permit (SCP). Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
As Kelp Forests Again Reach for the Ocean Surface in Santa Monica Bay, Life Follows.
The difference is like night and day. What was once a barren underwater landscape of reef overrun by millions of urchins is now a kelp forest teeming with life. Anchored to the sea floor, long stalks of kelp tower in the water, their giant fronds bouncing with the current. Schools of fish flit through the… Continue reading As Kelp Forests Again Reach for the Ocean Surface in Santa Monica Bay, Life Follows.
A Taste of the Sea: Nature Documentary ‘The Delicacy’ Dives Into Humankind’s Obsession with Sea Urchin Uni
Have you ever gone to a sushi restaurant and wondered what is “uni”? …Civilizations as ancient as Rome have indulged in these gourmet gonads, but despite modern technologies, fishing for sea urchins remains far from easy or automated. Jason Wise, founder of the online streaming service SOMM TV, documents the lives of hardworking Santa Barbara… Continue reading A Taste of the Sea: Nature Documentary ‘The Delicacy’ Dives Into Humankind’s Obsession with Sea Urchin Uni
Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project Begins Again This Week
A project to restore reefs and marine animals off the Palos Verdes Peninsula Coast resumes this week and is expected to be finished in September. A large barge and crane will be seen off Rancho Palos Verdes, near Trump National Golf Course, when work resumes on the Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project on Thursday, Aug.… Continue reading Palos Verdes Reef Restoration Project Begins Again This Week