Healthy Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

Integrating data to assess California's marine protected areas
As California's MPA network approaches its 10-year review, one research project seeks to answer the question: are these MPAs meeting their goals?

Microplastics found in a quarter of San Diego estuary fish
A new study of San Diego’s Chollas Creek shows that fish have a taste for certain types of plastics.

Are hatchery fish good surrogates for wild fish? A case study focused on winter-run Chinook salmon
Hatchery production has supplemented the Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon population since they first became listed in 1989.

Does the thermal history of the commercially farmed pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) influence tolerance to temperature-related disease outbreaks?
Oyster aquaculture comprises a large and growing segment of the aquaculture industry, offering a sustainable source of protein for a growing population.

Using transgenerational plasticity as an adaptation measure for ocean acidification impacts to abalone aquaculture
Following the dramatic decline of red abalone over the last 60 years, aquaculture has paved the way for restoration efforts and commercial opportunities.

Assessing brood stock fitness of Ceratonova shasta infected Chinook salmon’s (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) survivability during lab simulated Klamath River outmigration
Chinook salmon populations have been in steady decline due to several factors, including warming water, damming, and the spread of disease.

Water for coho salmon and communities: Mitigating climate change impacts on coastal streams
Endangered coho salmon populations, which already faced hardships during dry seasons, are now faced with more looming danger due to climate change and human water use.

Not so shellfish after all: How native oysters (Ostrea lurida) may aid eelgrass (Zostera marina) restoration by nitrogen filtration
Eelgrass populations have been declining on a global scale, faster even than the rate of tropical rainforest deforestation.

Returning spring-run Chinook salmon to the upper Klamath River post-dam removal
Chinook salmon in the Klamath River have significant economic and cultural importance to the region.

Improving the siting and practices of offshore finfish farms in the Southern California Bight by incorporating historical and modern data from islands near existing fish pens
Despite strong interests in developing offshore finfish aquaculture in California, no offshore farms exist.