National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Seaweed Strain Selection and Preservation to Optimize Harvest Yields for Abalone Culture
Biologists developed a small red algae garden in Monterey Harbor, which the Monterey Abalone Company is using to supplement the diet of its red abalone.

Exploring the Impact of Avian Predators on Central California Salmonids
The working hypothesis of this project is that predatory birds, principally Western gulls, take a significant toll on federally listed coho and steelhead in Scott and Waddell Creeks.

Development of Biological Control for the New Zealand Mud Snail
This project investigates the potential use of a castrating trematode parasite (Microphallus spp.) as a biological control agent for New Zealand mud snails, which have invaded rivers and s

Cross-Shelf Larval Migrations Regulating Larval Supply and Connectivity in a Network of Marine Reserves
Contrary to prevailing view, invertebrate larvae are not mere passive floats swept hither and yon by ocean currents, say the scientists leading this project.

The Role of Symbiotic Bacterial Metabolites in the Development of Toxic Phytoplankton Blooms
What if some harmful algal blooms are triggered by certain kinds of bacteria?

Krill and Krill Predators: Ecosystem-Based Management in the Gulf of the Farallones-Cordell Bank Krill Production Domain
Euphausiid crustaceans (krill) are a critical source of carbon in marine food webs, providing food for hake, Chinook and Coho salmon, rockfishes, seabirds and large whales.

Integrating Molecular Data into a Robust Population Framework for an Apex Predator
This project seeks to identify the population structure of the shortfin mako shark in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.

Understanding the Influence of a Variable Ocean Environment on Chinook Salmon (Oncorhyncus tshawytscha)
All along the West Coast, chinook salmon returns are highly variable and extremely difficult to predict from year to year.

Assessing the Robustness of the Salmon Stock Assessment Process via a Life History Simulator
Stock assessments are based on many assumptions about a species’ life history characteristics and population dynamics.

Modeling the Effects of Interspecies Facilitation on Recruitment Success and Population Stability in Dwarf Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.)
This project seeks to clarify the conditions under which predator-prey relationships and interspecies competition should be included in fisheries models.