Resilient coho are MacGyvering their way through the drought

Resilient coho are MacGyvering their way through the drought

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When Rachael Ryan went to the Lagunitas Creek watershed in Marin County in the summer of 2021, she felt dejected. The river basin, roughly an hour north of San Francisco, shelters one of the largest and most stable remaining wild populations of endangered coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) along the Central California coast. But after another year with too little rain “there were all these fish trapped in tributaries and pools that were drying up,” Ryan recalls. “It was sad to watch in real time how drought impacted these fish.”

Mariska Obedzinski Honored with Golden Pipe Award for Innovation in Salmon Recovery

Mariska Obedzinski Honored with Golden Pipe Award for Innovation in Salmon Recovery

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Mariska Obedzinski, a Sea Grant Extension Specialist dedicated to salmon recovery efforts, has been honored with the Golden Pipe Award for her team’s contributions to the advancement of salmon monitoring in California. This recognition serves as a testament to her team’s tireless commitment and innovative approaches to helping conserve these iconic fish species.

New extension helps prep Humboldt County for the growth of offshore wind power

New extension helps prep Humboldt County for the growth of offshore wind power

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In late 2022, the federal government held an auction in which dozens of companies competed to snap up leases on offshore waters. They were seeking rights to develop floating offshore wind farms, considered a crucial component of California’s ambitious plans to reduce its carbon emissions. The auction included two sites spanning 206 square miles that lie twenty miles off Humboldt Bay — a mostly quiet, rural region that, within a few years, may become home to floating wind farms that produce enough power to 600,000 homes each year.

How tidal wetlands support pelagic food webs: using metagenomics and field flow fractionation to evaluate the role of particulate wetland organic matter

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is an important ecosystem but fish populations are declining. One way to improve the Delta is to restore wetlands, which are areas of marshland. This study investigated how restoring wetlands can improve the food chain for fish.

Restoring wetlands can impact the tiny food particles that float in the water. These particles are like food for even tinier creatures like zooplankton, which are then eaten by fish. The study wanted to see if restored wetlands would release more of these good food particles. 

Scrutinizing the spiny lobster

Scrutinizing the spiny lobster

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This is the fourth in a yearlong series of stories showcasing the research that the Ocean Protection Council supported in partnership with California Sea Grant, with funding from Proposition 84.