As gray whales began their northern migration along the Pacific coast, earlier this month — after a year of unusually heavy die-offs — scientists were poised to watch, ready to collect information that could help them learn what was killing them. The coronavirus outbreak, however, has largely upended that field work — and that of… Continue reading Whales are dying, but numbers are unknown. Coronavirus has stalled scientific fieldwork.
Topic: Ocean
Free Eco-Education Workshops: Dockwalkers Help Boaters Keep Pollution Out of the Ocean
Free Dockwalker trainings return this spring to educate volunteers on how to promote environmentally-sound boating practices across the Southern California coast. From March to May, five free workshops will familiarize volunteers with clean boating tips and resources to bring to their local boating communities. These workshops are provided by The Bay Foundation (TBF), California Coastal… Continue reading Free Eco-Education Workshops: Dockwalkers Help Boaters Keep Pollution Out of the Ocean
The 2020 California Boater Kit Feedback Report
The California Boating Clean and Green Program (BCGP) is a statewide program whose main objectives are to educate boaters about clean and safe boating practices and to provide technical assistance to marinas and local governments to increase the availability of environmental services for boaters. The program is jointly implemented by the California State Parks and… Continue reading The 2020 California Boater Kit Feedback Report
Effects of Elevated Sea Levels and Waves on Southern California Estuaries During the 2015–2016 El Niño
The 2015–2016 El Niño provided insight into how low-inflow estuaries might respond to future climate regimes, including high sea levels and more intense waves. High waves and water levels coupled with low rainfall along the Southern California coastline provided the opportunity to examine how extreme ocean forcing impacts estuaries independently from fluvial events. From November… Continue reading Effects of Elevated Sea Levels and Waves on Southern California Estuaries During the 2015–2016 El Niño
Green Boating: An Interview with Marine Biologist Victoria Gambale from The Bay Foundation
On the heels of The Bay Foundation winning the Outstanding Service Award (with associated partners) for their involvement in the Pumpout Nav app, we thought it would be a good time to talk about so-called green boating. We spoke with marine biologist Victoria Gambale from TBF about what local boaters can do (or not do)… Continue reading Green Boating: An Interview with Marine Biologist Victoria Gambale from The Bay Foundation
PODCAST: Helping the Kelp Make a Comeback
Kelp forests, the base of marine life on the Pacific Coast, including the seafood we eat, are disappearing. The Bay Foundation’s hands-on restoration effort might be the answer. Interview with Executive Director Tom Ford. (6 min.)
The Bay Foundation Award-Winning ‘Pumpout Nav App’ for Boaters Includes Personalized Profiles, New Resources and More
San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP), in partnership with California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways and The Bay Foundation (TBF), was awarded the ‘Outstanding Service Award’ for Pumpout Nav app at the States Organization for Boating Access (SOBA) annual national conference in Portsmouth, Virginia. SOBA serves a diverse audience of public boating access stakeholders,… Continue reading The Bay Foundation Award-Winning ‘Pumpout Nav App’ for Boaters Includes Personalized Profiles, New Resources and More
Can the Long-Lost Abalone Make a Comeback in California?
Hunched over a tank inside the Bodega Marine Laboratory, alongside bubbling vats of seaweed and greenhouses filled with algae, Kristin Aquilino coaxed a baby white abalone onto her hand. …To the untrained eye, they appear pretty drab. But in this humming lab, home to more white abalone than in the wild, these invertebrates have captured… Continue reading Can the Long-Lost Abalone Make a Comeback in California?
What Even Is Local Seafood?
The waters off Southern California are rich with marine life. As part of his effort to serve the freshest seafood possible, much of what [Chef Michael] Cimarusti offers at Providence is sourced from the Pacific. “There are so many amazing ingredients that are being harvested right here,” he says. But for most consumers, it’s not… Continue reading What Even Is Local Seafood?
Explosion of Oregon’s Purple Sea Urchin Population
Populations of purple sea urchin have exploded up and down the West Coast, decimating kelp and crowding out other marine animals. In a recent count of one Oregon reef, the population of purple urchins was 350 million, an increase of 10,000 percent over the last five years. Shellfish biologist Scott Groth with the Oregon Department… Continue reading Explosion of Oregon’s Purple Sea Urchin Population