dead fish wash ashore in marina del rey

By Q McCraySunday, May 18, 2014MARINA DEL REY, Calif. (KABC) --Massive cleanup efforts are underway after thousands of dead fish were found floating in Marina Del Rey Saturday afternoon, near Ballona Creek.Anchovies, stingrays, halibut, sunfish and an octopus were among the thousands of dead fish that rose to the surface at Basin A of the marina near Tahiti Way, according to the Sheriff's Department.

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Intense El Nino seen likely to be developing this fall

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] - May 15, 2014 -

New NASA satellite images seem to show that El Niño conditions seem to be developing in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, data from satellites and ocean sensors indicate.  The ocean temperature profile in May 2014 appears very similar to that of 1997, when an intense El Nino cycle formed.

A natural climate cycle that brings abnormally toasty temperatures to the Pacific Ocean, El Niño occurs when winds pile up warm water in the eastern part of the equatorial Pacific, triggering changes in atmospheric circulation that affects rainfall and storm patterns around the world.

Sea-surface height can reveal if such heat is being stored in particular regions of the ocean, since water expands as it warms. Above-normal sea-surface height in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, in turn, can suggest an El Niño is developing, according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

That's what is showing up right now, as satellite images taken from the Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 satellite reveal sea-surface height, averaged over a 10-day period centered on May 3, is above normal. A similar anomaly showed up during May 1997 — which coincided with one of the strongest El Niños ever experienced. That year North America saw one of its warmest and wettest winters on record; Central and South America saw immense rainstorms and flooding; and Indonesia along with parts of Asia endured severe droughts, the Earth Observatory noted.

"What we are now seeing in the tropical Pacific Ocean looks similar to conditions in early 1997," said Eric Lindstrom, oceanography program manager at NASA headquarters, in an Earth Observatory statement. "If this continues, we could be looking at a major El Niño this fall. But there are no guarantees."

A network of sensors in the Pacific Ocean reveals a deep pool of warm water shifting eastward, supporting the satellite data, according to the Earth Observatory.Model predictions issued on May 8 by the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center forecast that the chances of an El Niño developing during the summer are more than 65 percent. "These atmospheric and oceanic conditions collectively indicate a continued evolution toward El Niño," the alert read.

This event may be just the beginning of more intense El Niños to come, according to research detailed Jan. 19 in the journal Nature Climate Change. That study suggested the most powerful El Niño events may occur every 10 years rather than every 20 years, due to rising sea-surface temperatures overall in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

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Republished with permission of SeafoodNews.com

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Scientists Warn of Rising Oceans From Polar Melt

By JUSTIN GILLIS and KENNETH CHANGMAY 12, 2014A large section of the mighty West Antarctica ice sheet has begun falling apart and its continued melting now appears to be unstoppable, two groups of scientists reported on Monday. If the findings hold up, they suggest that the melting could destabilize neighboring parts of the ice sheet and a rise in sea level of 10 feet or more may be unavoidable in coming centuries.Global warming caused by the human-driven release of greenhouse gases has helped to destabilize the ice sheet, though other factors may also be involved, the scientists said.The rise of the sea is likely to continue to be relatively slow for the rest of the 21st century, the scientists added, but in the more distant future it may accelerate markedly, potentially throwing society into crisis.“This is really happening,” Thomas P. Wagner, who runs NASA’s programs on polar ice and helped oversee some of the research, said in an interview. “There’s nothing to stop it now. But you are still limited by..." Read the entire article online here. NYTimes.com 

Pew/NatGeo Column Oversimplifies Ecosystem-Based Management of "Forage Fish"

"Environmental NGOs have launched a nationwide campaign to protect "forage fish".  Groups such as Pew are broadcasting the same protectionist message on the west coast as well as the east and gulf coasts.  On the west coast, the Pacific Council has already adopted an Ecosystem Plan, but as this article attests, managing "forage species" is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.  In fact, west coast fishery regulations for coastal pelagic species, also called forage fish, are the most precautionary in the world."

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Pew/NatGeo Column Oversimplifies Ecosystem-Based Management of "Forage Fish"It's not as simple as "ABC"WASHINGTON (Saving Seafood) May 7, 2014 -- In a recent article, "The ABCs of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management-Part II," the Pew Charitable Trusts' Director of Federal Fisheries Policy and National Geographic online guest writer, Lee Crockett, focuses on the management of "forage fish" -- a much used, though highly debated categorization for a number of small, marine species. The article's title suggests that management of forage species is as simple as learning the alphabet, but in reality that is far from the case. Fisheries management is a highly complex process, and fisheries managers have stated that much remains to be studied and understood before ecosystem-based management can work for every species.The term "forage fish" simply describes a number of tiny fish and invertebrates that share a similar niche in the marine food web (they are often "foraged" upon by larger predators). The range of included species is broad, and their differences are diverse. Targeted stocks like shrimp, squid, herring, and menhaden can all be classified as "forage" species, as can non-targeted species like jellyfish, bay anchovy, sand lance, and sea worms. These species have a variety of biological differences, and don't have much in common outside of their trophic level. So while the term may seem convenient, all species labeled "forage fish" cannot be successfully lumped and managed in the same way, as Pew and a number of environmental groups often suggest.An example of this flaw can be found in the calculations Mr. Crockett cites from the Lenfest Forage Fish Taskforce. The Lenfest analyses are based around the assumption that the various "forage species" can be managed under the same broad guidelines. However, there are a significant number of different variables -- including fecundity, spawning periods, migration, predator-prey relationships, and habitat -- that must be considered to properly manage these species and are more relevant than their shared trophic role.Different forage species will likely respond in different ways to management measures. For example, one of the species mentioned in the article, Atlantic herring, has lower levels of fecundity when the stock biomass is high. Another species mentioned, Atlantic menhaden, has historically shown a poor correlation between harvest levels and biomass. Some of the peak years in menhaden biomass, particularly in the early 1980s, were preceded by years of heavy fishing mortality. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states that, "menhaden recruitment appears to be independent of fishing mortality and spawning stock biomass, indicating environmental factors may be the defining factor in the production of good year classes." Mr. Crockett's broad reference to "forage fish" as a general category does not factor in these differences.Lenfest's economic analysis, concluding that "forage fish" are more valuable if left in the water than if caught, rests on unproven assumptions about predator species. First, that all "forage fish" left in the water will be consumed by predator species, and second, that predator species are currently constrained by a lack of forage. But the report does not actually provide evidence that this is the case.In fact, these assumptions are demonstrably untrue for several predator species. Some, like weakfish, are currently overfished, and an increase in available forage would not be an effective solution to problems facing the stock. Other species, like striped bass, have not historically been abundant at the same time as forage species like menhaden.A shift toward ecosystem-based fisheries management for all fisheries is a common goal shared by managers, industry members, and conservationists alike. But such a transition requires that fisheries management reach a point of technological and scientific innovation that enables responsible and informed management in that capacity. Fisheries managers are constantly working to improve and obtain the most up-to-date and comprehensive scientific information regarding species interactions, but at the present, many fisheries simply have not yet reached the point at which ecosystem-based management is possible and productive.In the mean time, "forage" species like menhaden are being watched and managed closely to ensure their sustainable harvest. The menhaden fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic are two of the most closely monitored and regulated fisheries in their respective regions. In the Atlantic, commercial menhaden harvesters now operate under a 20 percent reduction in allowable harvests. That historic cut was implemented by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), with the support of groups such as Mr. Crockett's employer, for the express purpose of ensuring the species' continued sustainable harvest. In the Gulf of Mexico, the menhaden fishery has been lauded as a "close to perfect" fishery thanks to its remarkably low bycatch and closely monitored commercial operations.Managers in the Gulf have also openly discussed ecosystem-based management for the menhaden fishery there, for which they have decades of scientific records. But as is the case for many fisheries for now, scientists concluded that the data and technology are simply not there yet for such a significant transition. In their most recent Gulf menhaden stock assessment, the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC), which manages regional species in the Gulf of Mexico, stated "that data and techniques [for ecosystem-based management] are insufficient at present to incorporate them into the assessment." In other words, to adopt premature and incomplete ecosystem-based components to future stock assessments would prove difficult to accurately project the true health of a species' population. Ultimately, a hasty transition would leave fisheries with less science-based management than at the present.Mr. Crockett also references Federal law governing fisheries management, the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA). He alleges that "forage" species are at risk of exploitation without strongly worded protections within the MSA against commercial harvests. But harvest cuts like those for Atlantic menhaden, and closely monitored menhaden management in the Gulf of Mexico already exemplify that law's intent. In both cases, managers are actively fulfilling the law's fundamental requirement that fisheries management balance long-term sustainability with the socioeconomic needs of our fishing communities. The Magnuson-Stevens Act exemplifies the principle of sustainable marine resource management. Its intent and application demonstrates that conservation is not an end in itself, but also a means for ensuring that those who rely on these fisheries remain economically afloat.Commercial fishermen, including those who harvest species like menhaden, share an interest in ecosystem-based management. Fishermen and scientists have long worked together to develop more timely and comprehensive fishery science to that very end. But forcing fishery managers into a system that is not yet supported by fundamentally important scientific findings and technology will not advance responsible resource management.In the case of "forage fish," those involved in fishery management have regulated and monitored these species with recognition of the reality that they are a highly diverse group whose behavior is far from uniform. To the benefit of these species, as well as the fishing communities who depend on their sustainable management, there is more work to be done before making a move toward the ecosystem-based management that Mr. Crockett endorses.Read this response online at Saving MenhadenSign up for daily news updates from Saving Seafood.Visit www.SavingMenhaden.org for the latest industry news. Menhaden Fisheries Coalition contact information:phone: 202-595-1212e-mail: info@savingmenhaden.org

U.S. Climate Has Already Changed, Study Finds, Citing Heat and Floods

The effects of human-induced climate change are being felt in every corner of the United States, scientists reported Tuesday, with water growing scarcer in dry regions, torrential rains increasing in wet regions, heat waves becoming more common and more severe, wildfires growing worse, and forests dying under assault from heat-loving insects.By Justin Gillis | May 6, 2014 | NYTimes.comView the entire article here.

California drift net ban bill defeated in close vote, saving swordfish fishery

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Saving Seafood] - May 7, 2014 -California drift net fishermen have won a hard-fought battle against environmentalists working to ban the use of controversial gill nets, which are notorious for snagging unintended victims in their underwater synthetic webs.A bill in the state Legislature that would have likely shut down a local swordfish and thresher shark drift gill net fishery failed its first committee hearing despite widespread support from ocean and environmental advocates.Assembly Bill 2019 was killed last week on a 7-6 vote in the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife. Now, state National Marine Fisheries Service officials are considering transferring the fishery (which is in federal waters) to federal jurisdiction. NMFS’s Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet this week to discuss that as well as alternative fishing methods.Supporters of AB 2019 were as surprised by its failure as members of the fishery, who have long contended with public criticism. Many gill net fisheries have been constrained or entirely shut down across the country, and those that remain are constantly looking for new technologies to reduce the rate of so-called bycatch.“There were quite a few of us that were pretty close to having tears running down our face when the judgment came,” said Arthur Lorton, who has fished swordfish off California since gill nets were permitted in the 1980s. “I was very worried about it. If we were shut down, swordfish in restaurants would come from the southern Pacific, where stocks are not as healthy and fishing isn’t as scrutinized.”Ken CoonsSeafoodNews.com 1-781-861-1441Email comments to kencoons@seafood.comCopyright © 2014 Seafoodnews.comRepublished with permission from: SeafoodNews.com

Warmer ocean spurs feasting along coast

Warmer ocean spurs feasting along coast

By

Samantha Kimmey

05/01/2014

Large schools of baitfish off the coast of Point Reyes, presenting a feast for birds and sea mammals and a strange sight for locals last month, may have been lured north and inland because of warmer ocean temperatures this year.A fisheries scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was too early to tell if the oceanographic conditions might indicate a coming El Niño, since those conditions can be highly variable from year to year; however, last month NOAA reported that the chances of an El Niño event kicking off by this summer exceed 50 percent.An avian ecologist with Petaluma-based Point Blue said that “off the charts” numbers of pelicans in the area last month might also point to abnormal ocean conditions and a coming El Niño event.El Niño is a weather event that occurs roughly every three to seven years, when sea surface temperatures in the middle or western Pacific warm by about 1 degree Fahrenheit; it can spur severe weather events around the world, including storms, floods and droughts. And not all El Niños are the same; some can be stronger, others weaker. The event can last from about nine months to two years. Although they are not caused by climate change, there is evidence that modern climate change is increasing their frequency and ferocity.On April 19, countless big sardines laid trapped in tiny channels amid the mudflats of Bolinas Lagoon at low tide, drawing the attention of a local birder who watched pelicans gorge en masse for an hour or so. Bolinas resident Burr Heneman wrote to a North Bay birding listserv that he had only seen such a massive baitfish event in Bolinas a few times in the past 40 years, and never in the spring—only in July or August, and only with anchovies. He told the Light that the sardines have been in and around the lagoon for roughly a week before his sighting, and noted that others have seen sardines in Drakes Bay.“Brown Pelicans swarmed the shallow channels, awkwardly using their bills and pouches as dip nets,” Mr. Heneman wrote. “The pelicans were so thick that the cormorants had trouble maneuvering among them. More dead or still-flopping sardines were on the mud flats than the gulls and terns could eat, though they kept trying. And the sardines I saw were so large (10”-12”?) that even the gulls were having trouble getting outside of them. Or else the gulls were just too full to get another fish down… A great show. An hour later, water covered the flats, and the action was over.”Mary Jane Schramm, a spokeswoman for the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, which has jurisdiction over the Bolinas Lagoon, said last week that she has received reports of whales, dolphins and seabirds taking advantage of the unusually abundant baitfish in Bolinas Bay and off Duxbury Reef.Large sardines typically spawn in southern California in spring and migrate up the California coast starting in April, but might not typically reach this area until June, said Russ Vetter, a senior scientist at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center. But the ocean as recently as two weeks ago was roughly two degrees warmer than is considered normal. Although within the past week he said waters have cooled down, the warmer waters could have both dissuaded the fish from traveling too far south over the winter and spurred the sardines to spawn earlier.Reports early this year described a decline of the sardine fishery off the southern California coast, likely due to large-scale oceanographic cycles that switch every 20 or 30 years between favoring sardines or anchovies. Fishing crews reportedly struggled to find sardines and typically picked up larger and more mature ones when they caught any at all (so the presence of larger sardines in recent sightings here isn’t surprising).Sardines don’t typically come so close to the coast when they pass through the area because of the inhospitable cold waters brought to the surface by upwelling. That’s the process by which winds from the northwest—combined with the south-flowing California current and the earth’s rotation—push surface water west and pull nutrient-rich cold water to the top. The nutrients and sunlight fuel the growth of algae, creating food for baitfish, which are then eaten by other sea life and birds.In some areas along California’s coast, upwelling occurs in thinner bands. But off the coast of Point Reyes and a few other spots, such as Point Arena and Big Sur, it can extend out a few hundred miles, which accounts for the diversity of sea life around two nearby marine sanctuaries, Cordell Bank and the Farallones.Although measurements by the Bodega Marine Lab in Bodega Bay show that upwelling began in March—within the normal range—there were fits and starts. There was a relaxation at the end of March, and water temperatures at Point Reyes were warm in the first half of April. But they cooled down by the end of the month, with recent nearshore winds, according to NOAA data provided by Ben Becker, a marine ecologist at the Point Reyes National Seashore.Mr. Vetter said that upwelling had generally begun late across the state, but it was too early to know whether California’s upwelling would be weak or normal this year, and that more will be known in another month or so. He added that weaker upwelling generally accompanies El Niño events.Some of the birds that feasted on the sardines, such as gulls, are typically in the area at this time of year and took advantage of an easy meal. But an avian ecologist with Point Blue, Dave Shuford, wrote to the Light that the number of pelicans seen at Bolinas Lagoon was highly unusual for this time of year. That could reflect breeding failures elsewhere, he said, or it could be a harbinger for El Niño.“Although occurrence of pelicans in the [hundreds] is not unprecedented in the Point Reyes area in April, the numbers seen the other day appear to be: [a friend] counted about 2,600 pelicans at Bolinas Lagoon on Sunday, which is off charts, I think, for April. Usually the early occurrence of pelicans in this area reflects warm water conditions like El Niño,” he wrote.A professor of wildlife ecology at the University of California, Davis, Daniel Anderson, said he has heard of other unusual influxes of pelicans along the southern California coast.A forthcoming scientific paper actually links the mild winter and drought on the West Coast and the frigid winter endured by those in the East both to climate change and a coming El Niño, the Associated Press reported Tuesday, although many scientists hesitate to link singular or very recent weather events to broad shifts like climate change.View the original article: http://www.ptreyeslight.com/article/warmer-ocean-spurs-feasting-along-coast

NOAA to Commission Fishery Survey Vessel, Reuben Lasker

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 4/29/2014What is 208-feet long, glides through the ocean as silent as a gray whale, counts schools of fish with the speed of sound, and calls San Diego home? NOAA Fisheries’ new fishery survey vessel Reuben Lasker, the most advanced technology platform for monitoring fish, turtles, marine mammals and oceanography, will be placed in active service on Friday, 2 May 2014. NOAA will officially commission the ship at the Navy Pier, close to the ship’s permanent port in San Diego, California on the 10th Street Terminal.The fishery survey vessel, Reuben Lasker, arrived in San Diego on 29 March 2014 after traveling 5000 miles from Norfolk, Virginia and through the Panama Canal, a 20-day journey. This distance is a pittance compared to the miles she is expected to rack up over the next many decades as a platform for researching fish, marine mammals and turtles off the U.S. West Coast and in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. “Reuben Lasker provides a living laboratory for monitoring ocean animals and their environment,” said Francisco Werner, Science Director of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) in La Jolla, CA. “She will support superior stock assessments and ecosystem-based management of the region’s living marine resources for today, tomorrow and future generations.”“The addition of the sophisticated Reuben Lasker to our fleet of modern fisheries research vessels on the West Coast amplifies our ability to understand the ecosystem and inform wise management of its resources,” reiterates John Stein, Science Director of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA. “Together with the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada, we now have the capability to build highly refined stock assessments for valuable West Coast fisheries and conduct ecosystem and species-specific studies to support healthy and resilient coastal communitiesBuilt by Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette, Wisconsin, from 2010 to 2013, Reuben Lasker is quiet, quieter than other research vessels, which allows scientists to study ocean life without affecting their behavior so much as other vessels might. This is useful, for example, when studying where fish live. “The fishery survey vessel Reuben Lasker is designed to produce so little sound that our scientists can survey marine species without disturbing the animals' behavior or compromising the capabilities of our most sensitive acoustic equipment,” said Richard Merrick, chief scientist for NOAA Fisheries.The ship also has several acoustic technologies that can identify the shape, type and mass of fish schools as well as map the ocean floor. Her dynamic positioning system accurately holds the vessel in a fixed position so scientists can more easily deploy their equipment –trawls, longlines, plankton nets, oceanographic equipment and other gear collect samples and data. And scientists can process data and samples on board during research cruises in the five laboratories, providing enhanced efficiency.The 24 staff, command and crew, on board Reuben Lasker support more than just science. That’s 24 new jobs in San Diego, 24 more professionals contributing to the community. “We look forward to a long relationship with the Lasker and her command and crew,” said Werner. “Together we will provide an integrated view of the California Current's ecosystem and address the challenges and emerging issues facing our marine resources."Reuben Lasker replaces the last NOAA Ship stationed in San Diego, David Starr Jordan, which was retired in 2009 after logging over 1.5 million miles during her 44 year tenure off the West Coast.“The fisheries survey vessel Reuben Lasker is inspired by its namesake, a renown and well-loved fisheries scientist with a passion for his research and those who worked with him,” said Roger Hewitt, Assistant Director for Ships, SWFSC. “Reuben conveyed a sense of joint purpose, that the mysteries of the sea could only be addressed by a multi-disciplinary team. The design of Reuben Lasker embodies this spirit. Reuben would be proud, even if he got a bit sea sick.”

Welcome home, Lasker.Contributed by Sarah M. Shoffler

More information on the design and features of the new ship and the science of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center may be found online:• NOAA's New West Coast Fisheries Survey Vessels • https://facebook.com/NOAAShipReubenLasker • http://moc.noaa.gov/rl • NOAA Takes Delivery of New Fisheries Survey Vessel• Lasker PhotosSouthwest Fisheries Science Centerhttp://swfsc.noaa.gov/Northwest Fisheries Science Centerhttp://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/