As the rising sea level slowly erodes California’s beaches, underserved communities are most affected by the loss, according to preliminary results in a new study funded by California Sea Grant and the California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST).

Seasoned surfers know the telltale signs of an ocean rip current. The common ocean phenomenon can mean an easy and welcomed lift past the surf’s break to catch the next wave. 

But for less experienced ocean swimmers, rip currents can be decidedly dangerous, causing an estimated 100 drownings across the U.S. every year. It’s an area ripe for improved public awareness of the dangers.  

Executive Chef Justin Cogley is known for his beautiful, sea-inspired tasting menus at the L’Auberge’s Aubergine Restaurant in Carmel. For 12 years straight, his nightly menu has included farm-raised red abalone that he sources from the nearby Monterey Abalone Company.

“We clean it, save the livers for the sauces and tenderize it 25 times with the constant tap of a small wooden mallet,” Cogley said. 

There’s a massive push afoot to restore and protect the San Francisco Bay-Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which suffers from, among other issues, polluted waterways and degraded ecosystems. Restoration efforts have spawned countless research projects, from biological studies to historical surveys. 

The University of Southern California (USC) Sea Grant Program and the California Sea Grant Program jointly announced today the release of a new report detailing what research is needed most urgently to address the deep ocean DDT contamination off the coast of Los Angeles.