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Heal the Bay Blog

Author: Heal the Bay

Picture Perfect

01.20.2011 |

Marine Protected AreasSanta Monica

We were once again grateful to have received many beautiful images and video of the ocean and its inhabitants for our 2nd annual Underwater Parks Day Photo and Video Contest.

When looking to highlight the marine life that is so alien to many Southern California residents, these entries offer just a glimpse of the diversity that our newly created marine protected areas will support and help replenish.

So, without further ado, the winners are:

View All Contest Entries

Photo Winner – Youth Category

  • Josh Friedman for Circle of Jackfish, a stunning photo of a school of circling jackfish taken off the coast of Tahiti.

Photo Winner – Open Category

  • Tully Rohrer for Octogood, a captivating photograph of a two-spot octopus taken in the Wrigley Marine Reserve off of Catalina Island.

Video Winner

  • Nannette Van Antwerp for Crustaceans of California, a playfully shot and creatively narrated video that highlights some of California’s crustaceans.

We want to thank all of the amazing and talented artists for submitting their work to the contest, as well as the companies that generously donated prizes, including Eco Dive Center, Blue Water Photo, Rusty’s Surf Ranch and Patagonia.  

Selections from the photography contest will be on display at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium in the coming weeks. Stop in to appreciate some fabulous artwork and to visit the many Santa Monica Bay species on exhibit.

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LA to Finalize LID Ordinance

01.19.2011 |

About UsLong Beach / AvalonMalibu / Pacific PalisadesMarina del Rey / Playa del ReyPalos Verdes PeninsulaSanta MonicaSouth BayVenice Beach

On January 20, the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation will hold an informational meeting on the low impact development ordinance. 

This landmark regulation will help cut down on the amount of polluted runoff that reaches our beaches by requiring new and redevelopment projects to capture rainwater on site, allowing it to filter into the ground and recharge local groundwater supplies.  To learn about the ordinance, which was passed in Dec 2010, members of the public can attend the meeting.

For more information, visit lastormwater.org.

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MPAs: Blood, Sweat & Tears

01.18.2011 |

About UsLong Beach / AvalonMarine Protected Areas

Guest blogger Sarah Sikich, Heal the Bay’s director of coastal resources, offers some advice on navigating the backroom battles of environmental policy-making. She served on a stakeholder panel that helped negotiate a highly contentious network of marine protected areas in Southern California.

The California Fish and Game Commission made history last month by adopting the first network of marine protected areas (MPAs) for Southern California, marking our region’s first system of underwater parks. As a staff scientist at Heal the Bay, I played a role in the often contentious efforts to assemble the MPA maps, which set aside strategic sections of our shoreline for protection from fishing and other consumptive uses.

It will take years for the full history of our work to be written, but in the spirit of New Year’s introspection, I’ve been reflecting about the grueling but rewarding process. I’ve felt a slew of emotions – overwhelmed (in a positive way), pride and a smidge of disbelief. I had studied and educated about MPAs for over a decade, as a lowly undergrad at the University of New Hampshire, teaching at the Catalina Island Marine Institute, and then conducting my graduate research at U.C. Santa Barbara. And then I got to play an active role in the actual implementation of MPAs in Southern California. It isn’t every day that you to get to fulfill a professional dream.

As a member of the South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group — one of 64 individuals appointed to represent interests including commercial and recreational fishing, conservationists, local officials, and educators — I’ve spent hundreds of hours of personal and professional time over the past several years researching the South Coast, negotiating boundaries and creating MPA proposals that ultimately influenced the final Fish and Game decision. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through professionally, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that there were moments I considered quitting the process.

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Rain Doesn't Mean an End to Drought

01.14.2011 |

Long Beach / AvalonMarina del Rey / Playa del ReyPalos Verdes PeninsulaSouth Bay

It’s been a wet winter, so does that mean it’s ok to be a little more cavalier with our watering habits? Like, maybe, we can rip out that rock garden and install a nice sloping lawn? The answer, apparently, is no. 

Yes, the rain has recharged reservoirs and built up a nice snow pack that will please skiiers and snowboarders all winter long, and also provide water for much of the state, but Southern California still needs to learn to live with the water we have. Which isn’t much. 

SoCal is, and always will be, a desert, and the more water we use, the more water we suck from rivers and the aquatic life that call those rivers home, as well as agriculture. Plus, when we do get rain, we funnel it straight out to the ocean instead of trying to capture and reuse it. We need to figure out how to use less water, as a region, and be more creative with our limited rainfall. Read more at the LA Times.

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Malibu Surfing Association Hosts the World's Richest Busboy

01.14.2011 |

Malibu / Pacific Palisades

Come on out to the Malibu Surfing Association’s next meeting, and you can hear J.J. Brito talk about his new book, The World’s Richest Busboy.  Brisco’s book describes his adventures throughout the world, surfing, working, and living in South Africa, South America, Australia, and more. 

He’ll be at Duke’s of Malibu on February 8th, free and open to all!  Learn more at Malibu Surfing Association.

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Playing Plastic Politics

01.10.2011 |

News

Plastic bag bans are really taking off all over the world. It seems each week brings with it reports of new bans. The beginning of this month brought us  a ban on Maui and Kauai taking effect, a Brownsville, TX ban, a South Padre Island, TX vote in favor of a bag ban, a bag ban for Kenya, Bulgaria set to charge a plastic bag tax and Oregon now expected to pass a statewide ban this legislative session (which would make it the first state to ban bags in the US). Each ban may differ in its enforcement and implementation but all of them move us in a more sustainable direction. What a way to celebrate the New Year!

But with all the good news, hurdles still remain for bag bans in California. In Marin County, a bag ban effort was thwarted last week when the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition threatened to sue the county if it went through with its ban. The group and its lawyer Stephen Joseph contend that banning plastic bags is actually bad for the environment. They say that banning plastic will lead folks to paper, also environmentally damaging. Haven’t they ever heard of a reusable bag? The group  wants Marin County to complete an environmental impact report. Otherwise it says it will bring a lawsuit against the county. Save the Plastic Bag is suing the City of Manhattan Beach on the same grounds. Marin is currently planning what to do next, reviewing the coalition’s threat and trying to move forward.

In the meantime, let’s get the City of Los Angeles to join the many others who have banned plastic bags. Sign this petition urging the City of L.A. to be the next bag-banner!

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Regime Change and the Coastline

01.10.2011 |

News

This past December may go down as the most productive month for regional  water quality and coastal ecosystem protection since September 2003. Last month featured five critical positive decisions:

Los Angeles approved the Low Impact Development Ordinance for the city.  The measure will reduce runoff pollution, increase rainwater capture and use, and improve flood control.  Also, Long Beach approved a similar LID measure in its updated building code in November.

Speaking of Long Beach, the city joined Los Angeles County in banning single use plastic bags.  Like the county, the ban will kick in this summer.

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Sea Pulse

01.06.2011 |

Venice Beach

Join Heal the Bay for an upcoming film series event in Venice, entitled Sea Pulse.

The one-day event will cultivate ocean awareness through film and is presented by Macdonald Productions and our friends at Dance 4 Oceans (who you may remember as trash zombies from 2009’s A Day Without a Bag). Capt. Charles Moore of Algalita Marine Research Foundation will be a special guest.

Head on out to the Electric Lodge on Saturday, Jan. 22 to see films and performances presenting awe-inspiring beauty as well as the serious threats to the world’s oceans. You can check out the Heal the Bay viral video hit, “The Majestic Plastic Bag,” and who knows, maybe you’ll even see some trash zombies.

When: Saturday, January 22 from 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Avenue, Venice

Cost: $5-$10 suggested donation at the door (No one will be turned away for lack of funds.)

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Bring Out the Micro Biologist in Your Preschooler

01.04.2011 |

Santa Monica

The Aquarium’s Micro Biologist classes are a fun way to introduce your 3- to 5-year-old to environmental education and marine science through games, stories, art, and hands-on science. Held at Heal the Bay’s Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, the program allows you to drop your child off for two hours of education and fun with our teaching staff.

There’s still time to register your budding scientist for the winter session. Afternoon classes are full, but there is still room in the morning classes, held select Mondays from 9:30am – 11:30am. Choose one or sign your child up for as many of the four classes as you like.

Winter Classes

  • Deep Sea 1/10/11: We will plunge into the depths of the ocean (without getting wet!) through experiments with pressure and temperature.
  • Ocean Explorers 1/24/11: In this brand new class your scientist will learn about explorers ranging from pirates to the operators of modern day submersibles.
  • Whale you be my Valentine? 2/14/11: Everyone loves marine mammals, from the planet’s largest blue whales to the newborn sea otter pup, this class will feature them all.
  • Sounds of the Sea 2/28/11: How do marine creatures communicate with one another? Your micro biologist will be able to communicate that to you after attending this class

Registration Options

  1. Register online
  2. Download/print registration form
  • Fax the printed registration form to 310.393.4839, or
  • Mail your form and payment to:
        Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
        Attn: Micro Biologists
        1600 Ocean Front Walk
        Santa Monica, CA 90401
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