OceanBights The Magazine of the Catalina Marine Society

Winter 2010 Volume 1, Number 1

Contents Introducing OceanBights 2 Spotlight on: California State University, Long Beach 2 Catalina Scientific Mooring Pilot Project 5 Editorial: The Experiment 7 Possible CMS Projects 8 Spotlight on: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium 9 Green Abalone Monitoring at Santa Catalina Island 12 Upcoming meetings 15 Membership Application Backcover OceanBights ______collaborations, etc. And, we Introducing OceanBights will forthrightly document the status of ongoing CMS Welcome to OceanBights, the programs. The pressure of an magazine of the Catalina OceanBights deadline may be just the impetus required to keep Marine Society. This is one of Catalina Marine Society the Society’s tools wielded to programs moving forward. 15954 Leadwell St accomplish our mission, We will have a section on Van Nuys, CA 91406 namely, marine-related research upcoming local meetings of www.catalinamarinesociety.org conducted in Southern interests and where to find more

California. We will employ the information on them. And we Publication Committee magazine to introduce ourselves will publish submitted meeting Michael Doran reports if they are supplied by Karen Norris to the community, learn about ongoing local research in the attendees. Craig Gelpi The magazine will also local ocean, understand current issues, debate possible CMS function as a newsletter for the Interim Editor Society’s membership. We will Craig Gelpi projects, focus ourselves on our chosen projects, and keep the include notices of Board meetings, significant decisions is published by the community informed on the OceanBights made by the Board, fundraising Catalina Marine Society. It is Society’s activities. distributed free of charge to Through our “Spotlight” activities, social events and, in those interested in the Society’s columns, we will familiarize general, all Society activities. activities. The Society holds you and ourselves with research Of course, we will report copyright to all articles within activities being conducted by directly to the membership via and they cannot be reproduced local institutions. In turn, these private e-mail activities that are without the written permission institutions will learn about the internal to the membership of the Society. (e.g., board elections). CMS as we interact with them The Catalina Marine Society is a to produce the columns. We The planned publication nonprofit membership plan to feature two interval for OceanBights is every corporation founded in 2009 in organizations each issue: a large six months. This schedule Los Angeles to marshal volunteer institution; and, a smaller, more depends on resources and resources to study the marine intimate and less known demand and we may adjust the environment of Santa Catalina research entity. publication schedule and length Island and the Southern accordingly.■ California Bight. We use the same strategy with our guest columns in Submissions. The magazine may which we will hear from, and Spotlight on: publish submitted articles that interact with, individual California State pertain to our mission researchers who discuss their statement. Contact the e-mail specific projects, identify University, Long address below for more research issues and perhaps information. Beach suggest projects for the CMS to Letters to the editor should be undertake or contribute to. Perhaps one of the largest sent via e-mail to the address As in this issue, we discuss institutions doing marine below. possible CMS projects with the research in Southern California [email protected] intent of receiving valuable is California State University, comments, suggestions for ©Catalina Marine Society Long Beach (CSULB), also 2

OceanBights ______known as “The Beach”. As can importance of life in these include finding the molecular be expected from such a large extreme environments is that and cellular mechanisms that university their efforts are they can tell us much about life permit pollutants to enter diverse and include work in and its origins on the early earth aquatic organisms and then both marine biology as well as when chemical and physical determining their impact on the marine geology. Their conditions differed substantially health of the individuals and the biological studies emphasize from the present nominal community structures they life in extreme environments environment. inhabit, and perhaps how the and the impact and effects that Perhaps our era of pollution communities resist, acclimate or humans have on the local fauna represents another form of an adapt to these conditions. and flora of the Southern extreme environment. The The Phycology lab works in California Bight, while the Beach also emphasizes the area of marine algal geologic studies pertain to the physiology and biochemistry. discovery of past (and perhaps Many of their specimens would extreme) environments. be familiar to SoCal ocean The Marine biology labs at lovers as the lab is particularly The Beach include Aquatic interested in the physiology of Toxicology, Aquatic kelps (Order Laminariales, Microbiology, Echinoderm including our giant kelp), algal Evolution and Development, halogen (elements such as Environmental Endocrinology bromine, chlorine and iodine) (EEL), Invertebrate, Phycology, metabolism, and the Shark and Wetlands Ecology. biogeochemistry of halogens in The Microbiology Lab the marine environment. Algae focuses on studying the are well known to concentrate ecology, physiology and iodine and other halogens from diversity of microorganisms in the surrounding seawater. The extreme aquatic environments. lab has been investigating the Local extreme environments dynamics of algal halomethane include the Salton Sea (extreme Microbial mat at Cabrillo beach production. Halomethanes are salinity) and sulfide vents off sulfide vent. chemical derivatives of methane Cabrillo Beach (who knew?). I Image courtesy of J. Dillon containing halogens and are asked CSULB Prof. Jesse important in atmospheric Dillon if these extreme environmental issues and uses chemistry. They have been environments included the its expertise in microbiology to elucidating the physiological famous hydrothermal vents off understand problems associated and environmental factors that White Point with their notable with pollution and toxic influence this process using hydrogen sulfide odor. Prof. materials in the Southern phytoplankton, seaweeds, Dillon writes that little is known California Bight. For example, a coastal salt-marsh plants and about these vents but assumes primary focus of the toxicology other angiosperms (flower- they are part of the same laboratories is to study the bearing plants). complex. He notes that there are effects of anthropogenic While The Beach’s biology two distinct bacteria that use chemicals and pollutants on department concentrates on sulfur in their metabolism but aquatic organisms and the local marine organisms affected little else is known about the ecosystems in which they dwell. by present-day conditions, the springs, but he hopes to study Areas of current research geology department is working them in the future. The to determine local conditions of 3

OceanBights ______the far past. Specifically, some occurs in our own Bight, where bottom of the basin and the members are working in sea sediments have accumulated high-sedimentation rate paleoceanography, or the study undisturbed in the Santa combine to keep the sediments of ancient oceans. This Barbara Channel for millennia. relatively undisturbed and a academic field has risen in Staff from the university are good record of historical events. popularity as we struggle to analyzing cores taken by the The cores are relatively shallow understand what the effects of Ocean Drilling Program in the compared to petroleum-well global warming are likely to Santa Barbara Channel and are depths, being a few meters to be. We can address this learning fascinating things. I 45-m deep, but the cores question by first understanding asked CSULB Prof. Richard occasionally reach 200 m into how and why climate changed Behl what makes the Santa the sediment in water depths in the past. Barbara Basin a good location that are 100 to almost 600-m Past changes in global for taking ocean cores. He deep. climate are often recorded in wrote that the Santa Knowing our interest in sedimentary processes, Barbara Basin is ocean temperature, I asked Prof. including compacted snow and spectacularly good at Behl how past sea-surface ocean sediments, and drilling temperature is reconstructed. cores extracted from recording environmental He responded that there are a undisturbed areas can provide a change with great number of ways, including the chronology of events temporal resolution. The assemblages of plankton and surrounding global climate abundant plankton accumulate various chemical ratios found in epochs. Ice cores from rapidly on the basin floor as minerals produced by living Greenland have samples of they die, providing a strong organisms. I tracked down one ancient atmospheres laid out in signal of what conditions were method, the oxygen isotope the order that snowfalls trapped when they lived near the ratio in the calcium carbonate them. An analogous situation surface. The low oxygen at the shells of Foraminifera. The oxygen isotopes 18 and 16 differ in their atomic weight by more than 10% and this is enough to differentiate their rate of absorption into the ocean from the atmosphere (via water vapor evaporation and condensation). Cooler water collects relatively more 18O than 16O. The isotopic composition is impressed on the shells as the forams take the oxygen from sea water to construct their calcium carbonate shells when they are alive, and then recorded in the Evaporative saltworks in Mexico is an extreme environment. sediments when they die. Image courtesy of J. Dillon. Hence, past oceanic temperature changes can be reconstructed. Preliminary and ongoing studies of these cores by 4

OceanBights ______CSULB and others have trapped in a crystal structure of location and size (they are one employed sedimentologic and water). These clathrates may of the largest universities in paleoceanographic methods have been responsible for the California) makes them one of (grain size, mineralogy, failure of the first attempts to the more important marine- ichnofabrics (e.g., worm holes), gather oil from the spewing related research centers in the microfossils, carbonate and well of the Deep Horizon Southland. ■ carbon content, and stable disaster. Methane is also a isotopes) to understand changes significant greenhouse gas (see Scientific-Mooring in the ancient California Current above). Destabilization of the System. They have discovered reservoir through changes in Pilot Project amazing and important seafloor temperature and fluctuations in climate and pressure may release methane The position of Santa environment that have taken into the ocean and then into the Catalina Island, in the center of place over the past 60,000 atmosphere, dramatically the Southern California Bight, years, as well as clues to what changing the amount of solar is an ideal spot to study many may have influenced their energy that is absorbed. The Bight properties. Surprisingly, occurrence and timing. These "Clathrate Gun Hypothesis" there are few long-term ocean studies have documented proposes that through geologic monitoring programs located dramatic changes in bottom- time the marine methane near Catalina. The CMS is water oxygenation, sea-surface hydrate reservoir was repeated examining the feasibility of temperature, productivity, and reloaded and discharged as deploying and maintaining a organic matter preservation clathrates accumulated during long-term scientific mooring off during the later Quaternary (the cold glacial intervals only to be the island. One long-term (>10 Quaternary being the last 2 dissociated when triggered by years) monitoring program on million years or so) that pulses of warmer intermediate Catalina is the Catalina correlate with variations in water impinging on the Conservancy Divers (CCD) global climate change. They continental slopes. This thermograph program. This have recently pushed our mechanism could have greatly program has been very knowledge of climate change amplified and accelerated successful in elucidating the back to 700,000 years and are global warming episodes. temperature dynamics of the currently proposing additional CSULB has resources and inner Bight. coring and seismic survey facilities for doing field Long-term monitoring expeditions for the upcoming research, including 4 boats, and of physical and biological years to continue this work. is also a member of the properties of the ocean One interesting (and Southern California Marine provides valuable data frightening) question is what Institute. They are located only caused repeated, global a few miles from the Pacific for understanding warming events that occurred in Ocean, which places their seasonal processes, trends less than one human lifespan marine work within a local and anomalous behaviors during the late Quaternary. context. And they are and characteristics. We CSULB is investigating the role sometimes the venue for think that long-duration time of methane hydrates (also marine-related meetings. series of biological activity, known as clathrates) in rapid The Beach is actively temperature, visibility, tides and climate change. A vast reservoir involved in many local marine currents at Catalina can assist in of frozen methane in ocean research projects and trains understanding how the presence sediments is in the form of many of our local scientists and of the island affects the local methane hydrates (methane resources managers. Their ocean, including the spreading 5

OceanBights ______of nutrients, mixing of the water work for CMS volunteers. The Third, from our work with column and their resulting pilot project will satisfy several CCD data, we appreciate both effects on primary and goals of the CMS. the advantage of quantitative secondary production. Data The first goal of the data collection provided by measured at Catalina could be pilot project is to expand automated sensors and the compared to that measured at our efforts to include utility of high sampling continental locations, such as frequency, long-term the UCLA mooring off Malibu biological studies. The measurements. We suspect that to determine similarities and logical path is to evolve our scientific institutions find such differences between continental established data analysis long-term collections difficult and island ocean processes. techniques to include physical because the funding cycle is These data sets could also be measurements of biological- typically only a couple of years used to put into context the related material, such as and not conducive to long-term measurements of other chlorophyll and oxygen, as well studies. The CMS, not facing researchers who typically conduct much shorter campaigns at the island. The long-term temperature time series collected by the CCD has been used successfully in this manner. For these reasons, the CMS would like to execute a long-term monitoring program at the island. The idea for a CMS scientific mooring originated in discussions between Lauren Czarnecki and Craig Gelpi. Lauren expressed an interest in The YSI 6600 to be deployed. obtaining oceanic biological and physical measurements to as various nutrients. this pressure, could perform a assist researchers at the Wrigley Second, the CMS wants to valuable service by maintaining Institute of Environmental establish a field program. Up to a scientific mooring that Studies (WIES). Craig was this time, the CMS has taken collects appropriate data for working with data from the little field data. These were many years. Santa Monica Bay Observatory, collected during the CHIVE The proposed scientific a UCLA scientific mooring experiment or measured by a observatory would be an program sited several miles thermograph sited at Corral ambitious undertaking for the south of Malibu. The outcome Beach in Malibu and discussed young CMS. It involves of the conversations was that a elsewhere in this issue of planning, acquiring the scientific mooring off WIES OceanBights. We want a field instrumentation, deploying the would be a very useful field program that broadens our sensors, retrieving them for data program that the CMS may be activities and appeal as well as collection and re-calibration, able to conduct. It has many utilizes the talents of our and redeploying them. The appealing elements that address membership. measurements would have to be issues of scientific significance quality assured, formatted, while providing interesting 6

OceanBights ______stored, analyzed and aggregated WIES and CMS have gone team necessary to execute all for future use. well. The work will be aspects of the experiment. If After a short study on what partitioned among the three successful, we hope to expand could be done, how it could be organizations. The CCD will the instrumentation to include accomplished, and what are the provide the instrument from measurements at other sites, of required resources and the risks their inventory and also the different data types, and depth involved, a plan was AAUS-certified divers. The profiles.■ documented and circulated divers will coordinate among the Board and interested instrument retrieval with other The Experiment parties. The plan recommended data-gathering activities. WIES, a one-year pilot study that which paid for the initial The formation of the would quantify and evaluate calibration of the instrument, Catalina Marine Society is an some uncertainties and risks so will provide laboratory facilities experiment, an experiment to that the true scope and costs of for future instrument see if the promotion, enjoyment the undertaking could be calibration. They will also and pursuit of science can be computed before we committed permit the instrument to be sited accomplished by amateurs in to a long-term program. The at one of their deep-water boat the original sense of the word, pilot study would employ moorings. The CMS will be i.e., lovers of science. The existing instrumentation housed responsible for continued genesis of the Society is in local at WIES and use American instrument calibration, surface oceanography where lovers of Academy of Underwater support, data quality-assurance, the ocean are naturally curious Sciences (AAUS) certified data storage, and data analysis. about the fantastic life forms divers supplied by the CCD to In return, WIES will have within and the beautiful and deploy and retrieve the sensors use of calibrated data for sometimes terrifying dynamics near WIES. Additional surface educational purposes, the CCD above. support would perform will get to dive an exciting new Our experiment is to calibrations and maintenance project and the CMS will determine if we can using WIES facilities when the continue its mission of marine accommodate talented and instrument is out of the water. research with new data. motivated non-professionals The major uncertainty is Assuming a successful one-year who wish to contribute to the frequency of instrument deployment, we will be able to marine science in a significant maintenance. Maintenance develop tidal harmonic way, providing them resources includes battery and fluid coefficients for Two Harbors, necessary to obtain useful replacement, cleaning and examine the start of the spring results from their donated labor recalibration. Reports indicate bloom, and compare the and then place those results into deployment intervals as short as seasonal timings of biological the scientific mainstream. 1 month and as long as 3 factors with other known The Society will gathered the months. A one-month seasonal cycles. questions, design and execute maintenance cycle requires 48 Although the pilot experiments, retrieve data from individual dives annually, with project is designed to collect our instruments and other freely the attendant significant valuable scientific data, we also available sources, collaborate logistics of transporting and expect it to be a learning with professionals, perform housing the divers and exercise that teaches us the analyses and provide the results calibration crew. difficulties of operating a to the greater community. We At this time, an instrument maintenance-intensive, long- will inform all who are has been secured and term experiment. It will focus interested in the answers and discussions between CCD, us to assemble and train the 7

OceanBights ______make our data available to all. groups. To determine if the Scripps Institution of The Society will work with CMS is up to it, we have Oceanography. professionals in the field with established a one-year pilot We are currently exploring the only requirement that the program that will deploy a internal waves on Santa Society be actively involved in reduced set of instrumentation Catalina Island. Internal waves the collaborative research. We will accomplish these goals through the resources provided by our membership, whether financial or in kind and contributed by any interested people: engineers, mariners, divers, and fundraisers, in short, anyone who enjoys making contributions to our efforts. We will do this within a framework of fellowship and camaraderie enabled by the love of the ocean and unencumbered by the usual workaday considerations and Malibu fire signature found in satellite SST. pressures. The wonders and questions are endless. Let the experiment (including biological data are like waves on the surface, begin! ■ sensors) sited on a nearby boat being oscillations in the water mooring. The pilot study is the column beneath the surface. Possible CMS subject of a separate article in These waves are thought to this issue of OceanBights. move larvae toward shore and Projects Additionally, we plan to help mix nutrients into the expand past activities that water. We have found intense The CMS has begun putting included temperature studies. waves off Catalina and have together a list of research Rapid temperature variations studied data from CINP and projects that pique our interest often signify the movement of found them on the Northern and can be accomplished with temperature gradients by ocean Channel Islands, too. The the available resources. Below currents and these currents are significance of these waves to are some of our thoughts. There usually the primary research the ecology of the Southern is an emphasis on physical target. However, temperature is California Bight is still to be oceanography that reflects our much cheaper to measure than determined. Meanwhile, origins but does not necessarily currents. And we have access to researchers at UCLA are reflect our future. large arrays of temperature running computer simulations The largest of these projects sensors, including those of the internal wave response to is the long-term scientific maintained by the Channel tides. Their simulations indicate mooring we want to deploy and Islands National Park (CINP), a strong semi-diurnal response maintain adjacent to the the Catalina Conservancy along Santa Catalina Island, and Wrigley Marine Science Center Divers (CCD), the National we are comparing our previous near Two Harbors on Catalina Oceanic and Atmospheric studies of temperature Island. This project will require Administration (NOAA) and variations along the island to the collaboration of several the UCLA computations. 8

OceanBights ______Another proposed project is We would like to build on activities. The Aquarium the examination of the effects our previous work with the provides a view into the greater on the ocean of Santa Ana California Cooperative Oceanic marine ecology that supports winds. Beach divers like Santa Fisheries Investigation these activities but that are not Ana winds in that the winds (CalCOFI), a research program easily seen by the casual oppose the usual swell and wind establish by the state in observer. Perhaps surprisingly waves, providing for calm response to the sardine collapse is the fact that the current entries and exits. The winds in the 1940’s. The seasonal facility was designed by the also push surface water seaward variations of CalCOFI famous architect Frank Gehry, to be replaced with cold, clear, biological data could be who also designed Walt Disney deep water. It is this latter effect compared to mixing rates Concert Hall in downtown Los which is of interest as the discovered using temperature Angeles. It is quite distinct from upwelling brings nutrients to the variations to establish a nutrient the existing building which surface. The most notable Santa budget for the ocean formerly housed the Aquarium Ana winds come in the fall, surrounding Santa Catalina at its previous location on the when the surface nutrient Island. The CalCOFI data could same beach where some of us supply is depleted due to the also be correlated with satellite remember showering after phytoplankton growth known as chlorophyll data to understand diving at the Point. the spring bloom. We are the differences between remote The Aquarium’s research investigating the use of satellite sensing and in situ facilities include an aquatic data to determine coastal measurements. nursery and a research library. locations in the Southland There is always more work The nursery is equipped to where Santa Ana winds are than people to do it. If you wish support the study of larvae and prominent. The satellites to weigh in on proposed work juvenile animals. Besides the provide sea surface temperature, or volunteer, please contact us usual tanks of sea water that a prime marker for ocean via the e-mail address on page hold the specimens, there are upwelling. The satellite data two.■ also facilities to supply live could be supplemented by an food, including rotifers and array of coastal thermographs brine shrimp, which are sited where the winds are Spotlight on: cultured to feed the analysis usually strong. We chose the Cabrillo Marine subjects. Larval stages are strong Santa Ana winds Aquarium observed with a series of responsible for the microscopes. Test equipment that measures water quality is Malibu fires of 2007 as a The Cabrillo Marine used to map out parameters that case study. In the figure you Aquarium has displayed marine influence survival or growth of can see the fire’s signature in life of Southern California to baby animals. During our visit, the satellite data we visitors since 1935. Although the lab was trying to grow larval downloaded (for free). These mainly known for its kid- spiny lobsters, a delicate task data are coincident with data friendly layout and exhibits, the indeed. The Cabrillo Marine measured by UCLA’s Santa Aquarium also conducts marine Aquarium houses the Virginia Monica Bay Observatory, a research. It is appropriately Reid Moore Marine Research scientific mooring located 4 located at Cabrillo Beach, Library. Open to the general miles south of the fire. adjacent to the tide pools at public, the library provides a Signatures of this event appear Point Fermin, the fishing pier, non-circulating reference in several instruments located fishing and dive boats and a collection of approximately on the mooring. host of other maritime 9,000 books, periodicals and 9

OceanBights ______audiovisual materials on the marine life of Southern California, the world’s oceans, marine sciences and related topics. It is open Tuesday to Friday 12 noon to 5 pm and Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm. Doing research in the library is a delightful experience. There is a tremendous variety of ocean information laid out in an intimate atmosphere that makes perusal of the stacks inviting. Much of the material has been Research Library at the donated by researchers and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. contains their notes in the margins. When needing a break from literature searches, one young sea animals, from and, optimal husbandry for can easily walk downstairs and abalone to lobster to seahorses. raising larval garibaldi, goby, peruse the exhibits. Watching According to Dr. Kiersten grunion, and rockfish. the marine life brings life to the Darrow, research curator at In addition to the staff books. CMA, staff has focused on projects, students execute Research at CMA usually projects that apply to graduate projects appropriate for science falls into two categories: staff- work. fairs. Some of these sound very and student-conducted. Both A partial list of staff projects interesting and include: raising make good use of the Aquatic completed over the last five local sea jelly species from Nursery. Projects include both years include: raising spiny polyp to medusa stage in long-term monitoring of local different salinities, temperatures, and tank designs; CMS Awarded Grants cryopreservation of abalone Northrop Grumman Corp. has awarded two Community gametes; bioluminescence of sea pansies in different calcium Service Grants to the CMS. These grants recognize solutions; feeding habits of employee volunteer services to non-profit organizations. nudibranchs and hydroid culturing; and, sea urchin larval marine habitats and laboratory- lobsters from egg to settlement development in different pH based husbandry projects to stage in different tank designs levels. achieve a better understanding and with different population Finally, Dr. Darrow indicates of basic marine life and their densities; describing that the Aquarium also lifecycles. In the Aquatic developmental stages of red collaborates with other local Nursery, staff and students rock shrimp from egg to institutions. One example is conduct research projects settlement; jaw development working with the California focused on helping threatened in larval white sea bass; Institute of Technology to study and endangered species in our physiology of larval grunion in the biomechanics of sea jelly coastal waters. They grow delayed hatching conditions; movement. Another example is 10

OceanBights ______an effort with California State University, Long Beach (the other institution spotlighted in this issue) studying halibut CMS presents to Sharkbait feeding behaviors in local On November 16, the CMS travelled to Brea to restored saltmarshes. be the entertainment for the Sharkbait Dive The Aquarium is receptive Club. Our powerpoint presentation described to volunteer research projects the purpose and projects of the CMS as well as using their facilities. Students and volunteers are given the its origins. opportunity to pursue research projects in the lab under staff supervision. Researchers is made up of university faculty CMS instrumentation exercise their investigative and research professionals who skills as they conduct sampling advise the aquarium’s staff. is still missing! and measurement activities Individual research projects focused on baby animals that require approval and must A thermograph sited off are raised for conservation, food follow ethical guidelines Corral Beach in Malibu is still or research. Possible projects promoting animal health and missing. This particular should be discussed with Dr. population conservation. instrument has a storied past. It Darrow, who can be reached via The CMA has much in was originally deployed in 2008 the CMA website. According to common with the CMS. Both to measure internal wave the website, all research encourage volunteers to signatures and upwellings on conducted there is carefully perform marine related research the small-gradient Malibu guided by a Research Policy to understand the environment beach. However, after developed with the help of an of Southern California.■ approximately 6 months it External Research Review surfaced at a dive club show- Committee. The Committee and-tell. A salvage diver noted the fishing float attached to a sand anchor and thought he had a wonderful find. We recovered the instrument from the diver, retrieved the data and redeployed the thermograph again, this time without the attention grabbing garb, which was designed to keep the instrument from being buried. However, we have not been able to find it after 5 search-and-recover dives and the offer of a reward for its return. Too bad, because it was Easily accessible exhibits provide an appropriate break from in a perfect location to record reading in the library. the upwelling associated with the Malibu fires noted in a preceding article.■ 11

OceanBights ______Green Abalone abalone looks like. The reality reasons for the abalone collapse Monitoring at Santa is that the status of abalone in are debatable; however, it is a southern California is a sad result of both human-related Catalina Island May story with glimmers of hope, causes and disease. The Provide Clues for imposed fishing moratorium is a Recovery Timeline major step toward abalone recovery in southern California, but the Department of Fish and By Derek Stein and Kai Game’s (DFG) currently Lampson directed fieldwork is on a small-

scale level, and may only Southern California increase local populations at abalone were once a staple this time. However, our efforts catch for sport divers and a cash may give us some insight on the crop for commercial fishermen. current status of abalone They were so plentiful that a populations and how we may recreational SCUBA diver D. Stein bring them back to historical could easily harvest a sport levels more quickly. The truth limit in a single dive. thankfully. of the matter is that our greatest Commercial divers had no Currently, five of tool for restoration for most of problem collecting full sacks of California’s seven abalone the abalone species is natural abalone, which for many years species (red, white, black, pink, recovery, and that will take a was a very lucrative business to green, pinto, and flat) are on a long time to achieve historical be in. In 1997, the once federal species list. The white abundances. productive sport and and black abalones are The Abalone Recovery commercial fisheries were and Management Plan or closed south of San Francisco in ARMP was adopted by the order to give those stocks the California Fish and Game opportunity to recover to healthy levels of abundance. In Commission in 2005 for the contrast to southern California, purpose of providing a cohesive a sustainable recreational red framework to direct recovery abalone fishery has continued efforts, and to manage existing throughout the years to be and future fisheries. The managed north of San document lists the goals for recovery for all California Francisco. K. Lampson If you have explored the abalones. These include reefs of southern California reversing the decline of lately looking for these grand endangered species under the populations, establishing a self- marine snails you would be Endangered Species Act, sustaining population fortunate to see one or two; you meaning that they are in danger throughout historical ranges, may even stumble upon an of extinction in the near future. and reaching sustainable fishing aggregation of three or four. Pink, green, and pinto abalones levels. Some possible methods More likely, you did not see are on the federal list for to meet these goals include any. It’s come to the point Species of Concern; they are aggregation or translocation of where the newest generations of depleted and are in need of adults and captive breeding for divers don’t even know what an conservation. The specific adult or larval out-planting. Not all of these have been explored 12

OceanBights ______to their fullest extent; however, populations to determine the inches. Like all abalone, the the DFG’s aim is to determine status of recovery. DFG divers males and females broadcast which ones are most effective in have completed an assessment spawn into the water column the recovery efforts. of southern California abalone when conditions (i.e., The DFG, funded by a through extensive dive surveys temperature, season, water grant from the NOAA using a timed-search method. chemistry, etc.) are optimal. Fisheries Service, and in Timed searches are a way to They may spawn every year, collaboration with the Long measure abalone abundance by but successful fertilization and Beach Aquarium of the counting abalone over a specific recruitment of newly settled Pacific, is making an attempt unit of time. This technique is abalone varies depending on the to facilitate restoration used in low-density areas where conditions. Large females will through abalone aggregation. transects are not feasible. On have millions of eggs; however, Aggregation is defined as the backside of Santa Catalina probably far less than one moving abalone closely Island for example, a trained percent of the fertilized eggs together within a small area to diver may find 2-6 pink abalone will survive to adulthood. Slow aid in reproductive success. in a one hour dive. Greens are growth, broadcast spawning, Abalone broadcast spawn, more abundant on the front side and low juvenile survival rates where males and females of the island, and as many as 20 are some reasons as to why release sperm and eggs into the may be encountered by one abalone populations will likely water column, thus fertilization diver in an hour, which is very take a long time to recover. is more successful in larger and encouraging. However, the Adult and juvenile green tighter groupings. Scientific norm is more like 2-5 green abalones require specific literature says that successful abalone per hour. The DFG has habitats for feeding and fertilization occurs more often found that densities are no protection. Planktonic larvae when abalones are no more than where near historical levels, and will drift aimlessly with the five feet apart, and the a re-opening of the fishery will currents until settling on probability for success greatly most likely not be considered appropriate rocky habitat and increases with an increase in for many years. However, there finally turning into a juvenile population density. This is is cause for optimism because abalone. Juveniles stay hidden technically referred to as the there are some signs of for about four years until finally Allee effect, and it is true of recruitment indicated by the emerging as adult abalone. many of our invertebrate presence of juveniles and a During this life stage they are broadcast spawners. At Santa wide range of adult sizes, found under boulders or deep Catalina Island, the DFG has representing many year classes. cracks, and are more vulnerable established two study sites for Certain life history to predators such as octopus, monitoring the successes of traits that make green fish, lobster, and crabs than aggregating green abalone. abalone and other abalone adults are. Adult green abalone Aggregating abalone will species vulnerable to over- mostly prefer deep, dark cracks hopefully prove to be a useful fishing will also make it or tight ledges in thick kelp, tool for increasing the size of difficult for them to rebound. where they are protected from abalone groups within small Green abalone can attain a size predators and receive plenty of areas. If so, this method can be of about ten inches and are 10- drift kelp for sustenance. Both used on a grander scale for 21 years old when they reach juveniles and adults are more restoring depleted areas. seven inches, which was the old commonly found in depths of 5- The ARMP also minimum size for commercial 15 feet, but can be found deeper addresses the need to conduct harvest. They usually become to at least 30 feet. Even though periodic surveys of the sexually mature at about three abalone are difficult to find, 13

OceanBights ______they still reside in shallow water techniques in southern ongoing until 2011. The and areas of high use where California. monitoring for this project is they are vulnerable to poachers, Our two study sites at being conducted by our which also contributes to the Santa Catalina Island allow us partners, the Long Beach low numbers of abalone in to monitor tagged aggregated Aquarium of the Pacific. southern California. The abalone in a small, defined area Aggregation was very minimum fine for possession of to determine their survival, successful at both of the sites abalone in the moratorium area movement, and persistence over and the results so far are (south of San Francisco) is time. We placed approximately showing a high rate of survival $15,000 under FG code section fifty abalone into each site, with the majority of the abalone 12006.6 (a). which measures 10 x 10 meters persisting at the sites or in Withering Syndrome and is divided into four proximity to the sites. The (WS) is an abalone disease quadrants. Two tags were tagging operations did not that complicates our recovery affixed to the shell of each appear to impact overall efforts and creates additional abalone using an underwater abalone health, and very little uncertainty regarding the ability epoxy. Small, electronic tags mortality was observed. For the of the stocks to support a known as PIT tags, emit a first couple of weeks, most fishery. DFG studies regarding unique signal read by a abalone persisted within the site WS have shown that green specially designed underwater boundaries; however, in the abalone should be the best reader. The tag tells us which following weeks, many of the species for recovery in southern abalone we are examining in abalone moved outside the California. WS is a chronic case that the second tag, a plots, but not very far. Other wasting disease caused by intra- numbered stainless-steel untagged abalone have moved cellular bacteria that weakens external disc is either in and out of the sites. In the abalone through starvation, unreadable or worn. The sites general, final calculations will leading to a shrunken foot and were monitored intensively be used to determine individual eventual death. Abalone exhibit after the initial aggregation, and and group movements and signs of WS with increased subsequent monitoring is still overall survival, which will water temperatures, and the occurring monthly and will be ultimately be the factors in disease has detrimentally affected all southern California abalone species to some extent. DFG researchers have found that in lab experiments comparing green and red abalone, the higher temperatures did not result in higher infection intensities of the causative agent of the disease nor increase in clinical signs of disease in greens. The fact that green abalone seem to tolerate the disease better than other abalone species is PIT tags enable abalone tracking for over 50 years. encouraging and supports the Image provided by D. Stein. idea that greens should be the best species for testing recovery 14

OceanBights ______determining if aggregation is on a larger scale, and as a tool Annual Meeting feasible and warranted. to assist us in increasing Measuring success is abalone populations, a primary challenging when dealing with goal of the ARMP. The CMS annual abalone aggregation. This is The status of the due to the difficulties in southern California abalone meeting will be held determining if new recruits at a populations is that their Sunday, April 10, site are a result of our direct numbers are low and attaining efforts or from natural recovery. full recovery at historical 2011 at the Long Thus the determination of fishing levels will be a gradual abalone aggregation as a and challenging process for Beach Aquarium of successful recovery technique researchers and resource will take a stepwise process. managers. The first step in the Pacific. The first step is to determine if recovery was to close the the abalone in this study persists fishery, which occurred in over time. If so, we can assume 1997 south of San Francisco. Upcoming Meetings that our efforts are increasing Even in the thirteen years since the moratorium, we are This year’s CalCOFI Conference observing positive signs for theme will be Ocean Acidification recovery, and divers are and Hypoxia. It will be held at more often talking about Scripps Institution of Oceanography abalone sightings throughout the Southern California in La Jolla, CA. December 6-8. More Bight. Other means to information can be obtained from recovery such as aggregation oceaninformatics.ucsd.edu/calcofi/co may eventually prove to be a nference/ useful method to facilitate reproductive success and The American Geophysical Union An abalone tagged with epoxy. enhance populations. We are meeting will be held, as usual, in San Eventually the tag will become hopeful that divers will start Francisco, December 13-17, 2010, encrusted. Image by D. Stein. seeing more abalone of all with several ocean-related sessions. species, and that these grand the odds for successful snails may once again be a Annual Meeting of the Southern reproduction in accordance with common invertebrate on California Academy of Sciences, the Allee effect. Subsequent southern California reefs. May 6-7, 2011, California State yearly monitoring will determine significant increases Derek Stein, Associate Polytechnic University, Pomona. The symposium showcases research in all in abalone density in and Biologist, and Kai Lampson, fields pertaining to Southern around the two study sites. If Marine Biologist, both work there is an increase, further California. monitoring in the broader on the Invertebrate Project vicinity of the sites should help for the California Ocean Sciences Meeting 2012 will determine how successful Department of Fish and be held in February in Salt Lake City, aggregation is for increasing the Game’s Marine Region in Utah. This meeting, held every 2 abalone population in a given Santa Barbara. ■ years is the pre-eminent gathering of area. This will give us a higher ocean scientists of all specialties. confidence in using aggregation 15

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