Snorkel Safari

[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]

For our last field experience, we went snorkeling in Monterey Bay and had a blast.  We enjoyed great weather and explored the kelp forest and the rocky bottom areas near San Carlos beach.  My favorite part of snorkeling is seeing all the incredible creatures that live near our coast.  Here are just a few of my favorites that we encountered during our swim.

	Brown Turban Snail:  These little guys live in a world of algae.  We found them cruising along in the kelp (giant brown algae) where they eat microscopic algae growing on the kelp’s surface.  As though that weren’t already enough algae in its life, the color of the snail in this photo comes from red algae that cover its shell.  Learn more about them at: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?id=781029
	Bat Star:   Bat stars come in a lot of different colors, and are always fun to spot.  We saw lots of them cruising the sandy bottom, where they act as nature’s vacuum cleaners, scavenging algae and dead animals it finds along the way.  Learn more about them at: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=n3f4wm...
	Sheep Crab:  Sheep crabs are in the spider crab family, and can grow quite large.  We found this sizable fellow ambling over rocks not far from shore.  Crabs this size can inflict a serious pinch, so I was sure to keep my fingers clear while I snapped this photo.  Learn more about them at: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+L...
	Sunflower Star: The giant sunflower star is one of the kelp forest’s top predators, and the hordes of tube feet under its many arms allow it to move quickly, often sending its prey scrambling for cover.  We found this one in the open on the side of a large rock, but within minutes it had squeezed itself into a crevice where it was barely visible.  Learn more about them at: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+L...
	Opalescent Nudibranch:  I found this beautiful sea slug crawling among the algae-covered rocks, where it was undoubtedly looking for hydroids or small anemones to eat.  The opalescent nudibranch is capable of transferring the stinging cells of its pretty to its own skin – a formidable defense that it advertises with is bright colors.  Learn more about them at: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails

Octopus steals camera.

[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]

I found this and had to post it - octopuses are just incredible.  Read the captions if you want to know what is going on.

octopus steals my video camera and swims off with it (while it's Recording) from Victor Huang on Vimeo.

Marine Protected Areas

[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]

The last few months we have talked a lot about watersheds, culminating in our March field experience stenciling storm drains.  We now all know exactly why we should care about watersheds and waste water – because it FLOWS TO BAY!  Every little bit we do helps to guard the incredibly productive and diverse ecosystems within the bay, and adds to the protections already in place.

The federal government has designated the entire coastline from the San Francisco Bay to Cambria, including the entire Monterey Bay, as a National Marine Sanctuary.  This designation prevents mining, drilling, dumping waste, introducing non-native species, and other activities that might destroy or harm the habitats and wildlife present within the sanctuary.

Read more about the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary:  http://montereybay.noaa.gov/intro/welcome.html

The areas around the Monterey Penninsula and Elkhorn Slough are further protected by the California Marine Life Protection Act, which created a number of marine protected areas along the California coast.  State marine protected areas provide protections beyond those designated by the national marine sanctuary, and come in a number of flavors.


•    California State Marine Reserves, like Asilomar and the area between the Aquarium and Lover’s Point, prohibit all forms of habitat destruction and resource extraction.  Because this bars all fishing these reserves are often referred to as “no take” reserves, and provide the greatest protection from human activities.

•    State Marine Conservation Areas, like the water along Cannery Row and the area between Lover’s Point and Asilomar, allow certain uses, but restrict others.  Often this means that certain species or habitats are protected while fishing or extraction of other resources is allowed.

•    State Marine Parks, like Elkhorn Slough, are designated for recreational purposes (including fishing) but protect the area from commercial use.

Read more about the California Marine Life Protection Act: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/ccmpas_guide.pdf

So what are the benefits of all these protections?   Well, it turns out there are lots.  For one, excluding industrial uses such as mining and drilling protects our coastline from oil spills and other forms of industrial pollution.  Protections from fishing allow harvested fish numbers to increase, keeping the ecosystem intact.  There is also growing evidence that the effects of marine reserves extend beyond their boundaries.  Fish protected from fishing grow larger and have more young, which spillover into surrounding waters, and may enhance fishing outside the reserves.

Read more about the benefits of reserves: http://www.piscoweb.org/files/images/pdf/SMR_US_LowRes.pdf

These protections will help ensure that the natural resources we enjoy today will not be forgotten in the future:

Planting trees for the ocean?

[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]

For two of our field activities, the Student Oceanography club has planted trees and removed invasive plants on a former artichoke farm that is now growing strawberries.  Huh?  What does weeding have to do with oceanography?  How do willows next to a berry patch help conserve the oceans?  Well it turns out that our efforts can help the ocean in a number of ways:

1. Trees and other native plants produce habitat and foraging space for birds and insects.  Many of these, such as the ladybugs that we saw during our visit, eat crop pests.  When pest predators are abundant, farmers use fewer pesticides, reducing the amount of chemicals washed  into the sea.  Even though Serendipity Farms is an organic farm, the insectivore-friendly practices they are putting in place will have positive effects on surrounding farms, too.
2. Trees and other plants absorb lots of nutrients in ground water, leading to cleaner water reaching rivers and the ocean.  While nutrients may sound like a good thing, excess nutrients in the ocean can lead to harmful algal blooms (see my post about dinoflagellates below).  This is especially important in agricultural areas where farmers add nutrients to the soil with fertilizers.
3. By slowing down water running over the ground and protecting the ground from wind and rain, trees and plants also reduce erosion.  Less erosion means less sediment is transported to the ocean, where it can smother marine life.  Less erosion also means that rich topsoil is preserved, reducing farmers’ reliance on fertilizers.
4. Trees create shade that keeps water in streams and marshes cooler.  Cool water increases dissolved oxygen levels and is crucial for the health of fish, such as steelhead that live in the Carmel River. Fallen trees also create hiding spaces and slow currents, making better habitat for young steelhead.  After growing up in streams and estuaries, steelhead become an important part of the marine food chain, feasting on plankton and small fish while providing food for larger fish and marine mammals.
5. Finally, trees reduce atmospheric carbon through photosynthesis and sequester carbon in their wood.  Planting trees may be one of the most effective methods of taking CO2 out of the atmosphere in order to reduce the effects of global climate change and ocean acidification.

Halibut Catch

[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]

Freshly caught halibut ready for market.

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Description:
California Halibut (Paralichthys californicus) unloaded from bottom trawlers in Monterey, California, await shipment to markets.

Exposure Date:
3/17.2010

Gallery:
Fish Markets

City/Region:
Monterey

State/Province:
California

Country:
United States

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Download:
http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7617

Copyright Statement :
Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank."