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Using 30 years of spatially-explicit landings and catch data, we analyzed differences in the spatial patterns of commercial and recreational fishers throughout the bight. In addition, we have identified areas that are receiving more fishing pressure than would be expected based on amount of reef habitat available. Scripts for calculating Fishing Pressure Indices forthcoming. We are now using Ecological Niche Models from this grant from The Campbell Foundation to model current fisher patterns in the bight. Our goal was to evaluate how implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in southern California have impacted fishing patterns.

Pelagic fish were sampled at 13 stations within the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during day and night, during spring and summer using a 166-m corkline x 22-m deep lampara net. Small catches were transferred directly from the net into containers for sorting, where a maximum of six brailed scoops from each haul were processed. If a haul was greater than six scoops, the fishes to be processed were randomly withdrawn from the net, and a count of the excess scoops returned to the water will be recorded for later use in calculating the total catch for the sample. All processed fishes were identified, measured and weighed. Fish abnormalities, including fin erosion, lesions, pop-eye, tumors, and parasites were noted on pre-formatted data sheets for direct entry into the database.

The goal of this study was to describe the ecological conditions of kelp and shallow rock ecosystems inside and outside of safety zone exclusions around San Clemente Island, California, to quantify the shallow subtidal (<30 m) densities of abalone (including white abalone) and to support the goals of the MPA network in the South Coast Study Region (SCSR) of the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). The specific objectives of the proposed surveys and analyses are to (1) produce a quantitative baseline characterization of the structure of kelp and shallow rock ecosystems around San Clemente Island through SCUBA surveys utilizing techniques identical to those used in monitoring the SCSR, (2) provide quantitative comparisons between kelp and shallow rock ecosystems inside the safety zone exclusions and associated reference areas outside safety zone exclusions. (3) This assessment will specifically target the quantification and ecology of abalone at San Clemente Island. (4) Use these data products to integrate support the ongoing monitoring data of MPAs (and reference areas) in the SCSR.

 and  - Southern California Bight Regional Monitoring Program - funded by the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project

The Southern California Bight Pilot Project (SCBPP) was conducted in 1994 to begin addressing regional monitoring concerns. This project was the largest regional survey of environmental conditions on the mainland shelf in the Southern California Bight (SCB). It capitalized on the interest and cooperation existing in southern California and the resources available in current monitoring programs to develop an integrated and coordinated regional monitoring program that addressed the needs of the participating local, state, and federal agencies, and provided new management information. The SCBPP provided a much needed first “snapshot" of the state of the SCB.

Kelp forest ecosystems are iconic and productive features along the coast of California with services that span a wide array of consumptive and non-consumptive uses. Predation by red and purple urchins will aggregate in fronts and clear expanses of kelp forest if left unchecked, leaving reefs devoid of macroalgae (urchin barrens). Kelp restoration efforts, and sea urchin relocation projects have successfully enabled the natural re-development of Giant Kelp on shallow rocky reefs in Santa Monica Bay. The goals of this project are (1) to quantify population and community difference between urchin barrens and kelp forest reference sites, (2) to quantify population and community changes in response to kelp restoration at restoration sites, and (3) to quantify population and community changes in response to kelp restoration at the full reef-scale at sites adjacent to restored habitat.

The overall goal of the proposed study is to describe the ecological conditions of kelp and shallow rock ecosystems inside and outside of MPAs in the South Coast Study Region (SCSR) and to utilize these baseline surveys together with historical data to measure changes in conditions over both short and long time scales. The specific objectives of the proposed surveys and analyses are to: (1) produce a quantitative baseline characterization of the structure of kelp and shallow rock ecosystems in all MPAs in the SCSR, (2) provide quantitative comparisons inside and outside of MPAs, (3) develop easily interpretable ecosystem indicators for assessing the health and status of this ecosystem, (4) inform future monitoring methods while optimizing integration of existing long-term data sets with future monitoring data, and (5) integrate data from the proposed baseline survey with existing long-term data to describe the current trajectory of ecosystem trends.

The Vantuna Research Group in collaboration with Santa Monica Baykeeper surveyed six stations in October and November 2008 following California Department of Fish and Game’s Cooperative Resource Assessment of Nearshore Ecosystems (CRANE) protocol. We surveyed the Cabrillo Jetty, Cabrillo Breakwater, Angel’s Gate (seaward side), Angel’s Gate East (harbor side) the rocky perimeter of the Shallow Water Habitat and Pier 400 at the Port of Los Angeles. After the first progress report was submitted to POLA, it was decided to expand this analysis to include the data from all of the reefs in the region. While the Port of Los Angeles data sets are complete, the remaining data from the region are still being processed as part of the Bight ’08 program and as such a final report will be developed following SCCWRP’s Bight ’08 guidelines and included as a full chapter in that report.

Bight ’08 and - Rocky Reefs - Funded by SCCWRP

Fish and Invertebrate Surveys of Rocky Reefs in the Southern California Bight in accord with the Marine Life Management Act – Funded by CDFW/CRANE

In 2003-04 the California Department of Fish and Game supported a cooperative research program referred to as the Cooperative Research Assessment of Nearshore Ecosystems (CRANE) that sampled 88 reefs with standardized protocol from Santa Cruz to the Mexico Border including the California channel islands.