Seen in the Press

In California's small coastal streams, where hundreds of thousands of Coho salmon once returned each year to spawn, most wild populations now barely cling to survival. Habitat loss and intensive water use have pushed them to the brink; now climate change and increasing competition for water resources could send them over the edge.

However, recent research offers some encouraging findings – that juveniles of Coho salmon, an endangered species in California, can survive in creeks where just a trickle of water remains flowing. Since Coho spend their entire first year in fresh water before heading for the sea, it’s critical that their creeks don’t dry out in the summer.

Scientist Mariska Obedzinski and three collaborators – Sarah Nossaman Pierce, a California Sea Grant Extension specialist; Gregg Horton, a principal environmental specialist at the Sonoma County Water Agency; and Matthew Deitch, an assistant professor of watershed management at the University of Florida – found that less than 1 gallon per second of flow in small streams is all it takes in some creeks to keep pools interconnected.

A portrait of a California condor, one of the world's largest flying birds, hangs opposite the desk of Nathan Dodder. The image is a constant reminder of the threatened bird that the San Diego State University analytical chemist is working to help save.

Along with SDSU environmental scientist Eunha Hoh and colleagues at the San Diego Zoo, Dodder recently received funding from California Sea Grant to study environmental toxins found along the coast that could impact the condor's reproductive success.
 

Even small amounts of running water—less than a gallon per second—could mean the difference between life or death for juvenile coho salmon in coastal California streams, according to a new study published in the journal Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.

The study, led by California Sea Grant Extension Specialist Mariska Obedzinski, shows that during dry periods, that amount of water was enough to keep pools interconnected, allowing young salmon to survive through the hot, dry summer months.

Worldwide, fishing fleets discard as many as two of every five sea creatures they catch. Now, a new tool--developed with funding from California Sea Grant--can help fishers locate the most productive fishing spots while avoiding unwanted or protected species such as sea turtles and dolphins.

Called EcoCast, the experimental tool developed by researchers at Stanford and other universities combines satellite data of ocean conditions, records from fisheries observers and species tracking data to pinpoint ideal fishing areas on a daily basis. Resource managers can adjust the weighting of each species as risks change and the fishing season progresses. This helps fishers optimize their harvest of target fish, while reducing the risk of inadvertently catching and killing sensitive species.

A new software tool can help fishers locate the most productive fishing spots while avoiding unwanted or protected species such as sea turtles and dolphins.

Humboldt Bay is now the third body of water in California to host the “Burke-o-Lator,” a device that will work to monitor how the state’s second largest enclosed bay and its renowned shellfish industry are affected by ocean acidification.

The scientific instrument was installed earlier this month where it is neighbored by young oysters at Hog Island Oyster Company’s hatchery in Samoa. It’s no coincidence that the Burke-o-Lator’s latest home is at California’s largest shellfish producing region. Ocean acidification weakens oysters’ and other shellfishes’ ability to produce strong calcium carbonate shells and therefore threatens one of the regions largest economic drivers.

The monitoring project is being led by a team of researchers from Humboldt State University, Oregon State University and California Sea Grant with collaboration with other agencies and the Wiyot Tribe.