Heal the Bay Blog

Category: Palos Verdes Peninsula

Tougher Limits on Trash in S.M. Bay

11.05.2010 | Heal the Bay

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board voted 4-1 Thursday, November 4, to approve tough, new marine debris limits for Santa Monica Bay. The limits, based on 11 similar trash Total Maximum Daily Loads in the Los Angeles region, give Santa Monica Bay watershed cities, Los Angeles County and land management agencies like State Parks, eight years to reduce the amount of trash going into the Bay to zero. Compliance can be met by installing full capture mechanisms like trash screens and inserts or other state-approved devices. All devices must be adequately designed, operated and maintained to meet state requirements. Full adherence is mandated within eight years.

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We often hear of Marine Protected Areas but don't really think of what it means

10.26.2010 | Heal the Bay

Marine Protected Areas Palos Verdes Peninsula

In the case of Kiribati, and most nations that set aside marine areas for conservation, they are restricting commercial fishing while allowing subsistence fishing and sustainable development. The nation of Kiribati has created the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) conserves, one of the world’s last intact corel reef archipelago ecosystems with eight coral reefs, two submerged reef systems and underwater mountains, over 415,000 square km of nearly unhinhabited islands with abundant marine and bird life.

Learn more about the world’s largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) here and here. To support MPAs off Palos Verdes’ Rocky Point, take action.

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Swim for Charity

10.12.2010 | Heal the Bay

Palos Verdes Peninsula

This group of four people (3 men and 1 woman) completed an awesome relay for charity, each swimming 22 miles from Palos Verdes to Catalina! Some of them swam in the middle of the night, but all of them swam in the open ocean with sharks, dolphins, whales and other marine life. Think about how much effort it would take to swim 22 miles in the open ocean. Now think about doing it in October. Without a wetsuit. They were raising money for Jay Nolan Community Services, which provides services for people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Incredible endurance for a very worthy cause. http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/25181.asp?q=Four-Swimmers-Attempt-Simultaneous-Catalina-Channel-Crossing-for-Charity

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Blue Whales are Awesome

09.22.2010 | Heal the Bay

Palos Verdes Peninsula

Back in the ’80s we heard so much about blue whales and bald eagles. They were both seriously endangered, and were probably going to go extinct. That’s why it’s so exciting to hear about how many blue whales are off the coast of SoCal this summer. If you want to see the largest animal that has ever lived, now is the time!

Check out these whale watches off the coast of Palos Verdes, and see what they’re looking at!

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