Monterey Bay: A Jewel in Our Own Backyard ENGR 100w Spring 2009.

Monterey Bay: Monterey Bay: A Jewel in Our Own A Jewel in Our Own

BackyardBackyard

ENGR 100wENGR 100w

Spring 2009Spring 2009

Where is Monterey BayWhere is Monterey Bay

Why is Monterey Bay Why is Monterey Bay UniqueUnique

• Monterey submarine canyon is one of Monterey submarine canyon is one of the largest underwater canyons in the the largest underwater canyons in the worldworld

• Deepest part 3,600 m below the Deepest part 3,600 m below the surface (> 2 miles)surface (> 2 miles)

• Shelf ~1 mile below surface (about Shelf ~1 mile below surface (about depth of Grand Canyon)depth of Grand Canyon)

• Habitat for many types of marine lifeHabitat for many types of marine life

Marine LifeMarine Life

• Nation’s largest Nation’s largest kelp forestkelp forest

• 33 species of 33 species of marine mammalsmarine mammals

• 94 species of birds94 species of birds

• 345 species of fish345 species of fish

• invertebratesinvertebrates

Monterey Bay HabitatsMonterey Bay Habitats• Kelp forestKelp forest

– Harbor seal, sea otter, rockfish and other fish, octopus, Harbor seal, sea otter, rockfish and other fish, octopus, sea stars, snails, cormorantssea stars, snails, cormorants

• Sandy beaches Sandy beaches – Shrimp, sand crabs, birds, topsmeltShrimp, sand crabs, birds, topsmelt

• Coastal dunesCoastal dunes– Salt grass, geese and other birdsSalt grass, geese and other birds

• Rocky intertidalRocky intertidal– Tide pools: snails, crabs, sea stars, anemones, chitons, Tide pools: snails, crabs, sea stars, anemones, chitons,

limpids, mussels, etc. limpids, mussels, etc.

• Deep oceanDeep ocean– Tuna, whales, shark, sea turtle, elephant seal, jellies, sea Tuna, whales, shark, sea turtle, elephant seal, jellies, sea

cucumber, lobstercucumber, lobster

Historical ContextHistorical Context

• Site of John Steinbeck’s Site of John Steinbeck’s Cannery RowCannery Row• Sardines were abundant in the early part of Sardines were abundant in the early part of

1900s 1900s • Largest fishery in Western hemisphereLargest fishery in Western hemisphere

– 726,000 tons of sardines during the peak season of 726,000 tons of sardines during the peak season of 1936 1936

• 19 canneries in Monterey19 canneries in Monterey• 1940s – sardines disappeared – became like a 1940s – sardines disappeared – became like a

ghost townghost town• Sardines are returning – seems to be a natural Sardines are returning – seems to be a natural

cyclecycle– 50,000 tons of sardines in 200450,000 tons of sardines in 2004

Monterey Bay Marine Monterey Bay Marine SanctuarySanctuary

• Federally protected Federally protected marine areamarine area

• Designated in 1992Designated in 1992

• 13,730 square 13,730 square kilometers (5360 kilometers (5360 square miles)square miles)

• Larger than Larger than Yellowstone or Yellowstone or Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park

Purpose of Marine Purpose of Marine SanctuarySanctuary• Protect resources Protect resources

– marine life, kelp forest, beaches, etc.marine life, kelp forest, beaches, etc.• Preserve cultural landmarksPreserve cultural landmarks

– shipwrecks, prehistoric archeological sites, etc.shipwrecks, prehistoric archeological sites, etc.• ResearchResearch

– monitor health of marine speciesmonitor health of marine species– changes in habitatschanges in habitats– seafloor mappingseafloor mapping

• EducationEducation• Public usePublic use

Marine Sanctuary Marine Sanctuary ManagementManagement

• No oil drillingNo oil drilling

• No dumpingNo dumping

• Fishing regulatedFishing regulated

• Wastewater regulatedWastewater regulated

Current Issues in Monterey Current Issues in Monterey BayBay• Agricultural runoffAgricultural runoff

– pesticides, sediment, chemicals such as pesticides, sediment, chemicals such as nitrogen & phosphorous, bacterianitrogen & phosphorous, bacteria

• Urban runoff (storm water)Urban runoff (storm water)– oil, grease, pesticides, herbicides, soil, oil, grease, pesticides, herbicides, soil,

pet droppings, etc. pet droppings, etc.

• Kelp harvestingKelp harvesting• Desalination Desalination • COCO22 absorption absorption low oxygen dead low oxygen dead

zoneszones• ShippingShipping

AlbatrossAlbatross• Eat squid and fish eggs Eat squid and fish eggs

floating on waterfloating on water• Floating plastics look like foodFloating plastics look like food• Pick it up and feed to youngPick it up and feed to young• 40% of Laysan albatross 40% of Laysan albatross

chicks die from eating plastic chicks die from eating plastic bottle capsbottle caps

• Found in a baby chick Found in a baby chick stomachstomach– “ “red, blue and orange bottle red, blue and orange bottle

caps, a black spray nozzle, part caps, a black spray nozzle, part of a green comb, a white golf tee of a green comb, a white golf tee and a clump of tiny dark squid and a clump of tiny dark squid beaks ensnared in a tangle of beaks ensnared in a tangle of fishing line” (Weiss, 2006)fishing line” (Weiss, 2006)

Plastics from one albatross stomachhttp://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/oceanissues/plastics_albatross/makana.aspx

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/oceanissues/plastics_albatross/makana.aspx

Sea OtterSea Otter

• Largest member of weasel family (45-65 lbs)Largest member of weasel family (45-65 lbs)

• Eat 25 % of weight each day Eat 25 % of weight each day – Sea urchins, abalone, mussels, clams, crabs, snails, & Sea urchins, abalone, mussels, clams, crabs, snails, &

~40 other marine species~40 other marine species

• Important to health of kelp forestImportant to health of kelp forest– Eats sea urchins, which feed on kelpEats sea urchins, which feed on kelp

• Fur is most dense of any animal ~1 million Fur is most dense of any animal ~1 million hairs/inhairs/in22

• Population devastated by fur trading in 19Population devastated by fur trading in 19thth centurycentury– 300,000 300,000 ~1000-2000 in early 1900s ~1000-2000 in early 1900s– 2,750 in California in 20062,750 in California in 2006

Credit: Scott Roland www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/sea_otter.php

Sea Otter – Sea Otter – Keystone Keystone SpeciesSpecies• Listed as “threatened” under federal Endangered Listed as “threatened” under federal Endangered

Species ActSpecies Act• ““Fully protected” under California state lawFully protected” under California state law• ThreatsThreats

– Oil spills, habitat loss and degradation, food limitation, Oil spills, habitat loss and degradation, food limitation, disease, fishing gear entrapment, conflict with shellfish disease, fishing gear entrapment, conflict with shellfish fisheriesfisheries

• Toxoplasma gondii causes protozoal encephalitisToxoplasma gondii causes protozoal encephalitis– Enters ecosystem through improper disposal of cat litter Enters ecosystem through improper disposal of cat litter

• Oil spillsOil spills– Mats fur Mats fur fur cannot retain air fur cannot retain air die of hypothermia die of hypothermia– 1989 Exxon Valdez – 1000 sea otters died1989 Exxon Valdez – 1000 sea otters died

• Where sea otters have disappeared, so have the Where sea otters have disappeared, so have the kelp forests (keystone)kelp forests (keystone)

randsco.com/index.php/2006/07/06/vancouver_island

DesalinationDesalination

• Method of obtaining fresh water from salt Method of obtaining fresh water from salt waterwater

• 3 desal plants in Sanctuary3 desal plants in Sanctuary• Several additional plants proposedSeveral additional plants proposed• ImpactsImpacts

– Brine waste effluent (2x salt of sea water), heavy Brine waste effluent (2x salt of sea water), heavy and sinks to bottom becoming concentratedand sinks to bottom becoming concentrated

– Construction of offshore pipelineConstruction of offshore pipeline– Thermal pollutionThermal pollution– Loss of marine species at intakeLoss of marine species at intake– Encourage more growthEncourage more growth

Desalination plantmontereybay.noaa.gov/resourcepro/resmanissues/desalinati

on.html

Want to know more?Want to know more?• Visit Monterey Bay Visit Monterey Bay

AquariumAquarium

• Visit tidepools in Pacific GroveVisit tidepools in Pacific Grove