Marine Science/Sea Grant

Joe Tyburczy (arrival December 2012)
Marine Advisor, Humboldt and Mendocino Counties, UCSD
Sea Grant Extension Program
2 Commercial Street, Suite 4
Eureka, CA 95501
Tel: (707) 443-8369
Fax: (707) 445-3901

Serving both Humboldt and Medocino Counties, the Marine Science program promotes the wise use of coastal and marine resources. Technical assistance is provided to the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries, seafood processors, and retailers through a collaboration between UCCE, California Sea Grant and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego (SIO).

SIO/Sea Grant regularly conduct public workshops for both large and small agricultural landowners which address water quality, fish habitat needs, and land use. The program also focuses its efforts on aquaculture, fisheries, fish habitat, and the problem of non-indigenous species.

The Humboldt Bay Ecosystem Program (HBEP)—ecosystem-based management proposals.
Two recently completed community plans, the Humboldt Bay Management Plan and the Humboldt Bay Watershed Salmon and Steelhead Conservation Plan, were developed over the past several years and contain recommendations and priorities. Project progress is documented at http://groups.ucanr.org/HumboldtBayEBM/.

The Humboldt Bay and Eel River Estuary Benthic Habitat Goals Project—defining benthic habitats in these two estuaries.
Habitat evaluation followed by management recommendations, restoration opportunities and research needs are the objectives. The NOAA Coastal Services Center is funding digitized aerial mapping of the areas using the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, designed to connect seamlessly to the National Wetlands Inventory classification system. The mapping will provide quantified habitat information for the project.

The Humboldt Bay Cooperative Eelgrass Project—surveying and monitoring native eelgrass, Zostera marina, since 2001. Each summer project collaborators (the California Department of Fish and Game [CDFG] and Humboldt State University) sample 15 random sites around the bay for eelgrass plant size, density and biomass. The results are shared among collaborators and resource managers, and project outreach includes numerous presentations to local groups.

The invasive eelgrass, Z. japonica, was first detected in Humboldt Bay in 2002. Since then the Sea Grant Extension Program and CDFG have funded a staff research associate and student to monitor, eradicate and survey new populations.

Red Sea Urchin Nutrition and Gonad Quality—a collaborative project of Schlosser and Seafood Extension Program Manager, Pamela Tom, along with members of the California red sea urchin industry.

Trials have been conducted on red sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, and purple sea urchins, S. purpuratus; animals being fed prepared diets were analyzed for gonad production and quality. Commercially processed roe from red sea urchins is undergoing analysis with further plans to study gonad color and texture for one year.

California Sea Grant sponsors marine research, extension services, and education activities to support the management, conservation, and enhancement of those resources for the benefit of current and future generations. The largest of the 31 Sea Grant programs, California Sea Grant draws on the talents of scientists and engineers at public and private universities throughout the state. It is administered by the University of California and is based at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. It is also part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's  (NOAA's) National Sea Grant program.

California Fisheries Information:

Within this website you will find links and information about:

Government
Research & Education
Fishing Industry
Aquaculture
Fisheries News
Seafood Marketing
Seafood Handling
Oceanography
Weather

For more information, please visit the California Fisheries Information Homepage.

Aquaculture Resources:

Aquatic Plant Management

Aquaplant's Pond Management Diagnostics Tool is a user friendly educational interface to learn about aquatic plants. It was designed by Texas A&M Cooperative Extension to help pond owners identify aquatic plants and learn about different management techniques to control them. These include mechanical, biological and chemical control options. The site contains excellent pictures of different plants by vegetation type, making plant identification relatively quick and easy. Some of the chemical control recommendations and approvals may vary between Texas and California so users should be certain to follow label instructions for California when using chemical controls.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service's Aquatic Plant Management site includes a wealth of information to understand the different types of aquatic plants and their role in pond ecosystems. The site also provides information on how to minimize or prevent aquatic plant infestations and how they can be managed using preventive, mechanical, biological and chemical methods.

Aquaculture and Pond Management Resources

The UC Davis California Aquaculture program is a wealth of aquaculture-related information, including approximately 300 aquaculture publications on topics such as Pond Construction, Recreational Lake and Pond Management and more.

The Aquaculture Network Information Center (AquaNIC) is the gateway to the world's electronic resources for aquaculture information. AquaNIC contains information on numerous topics, including Farm Ponds, and links to hundreds of online publications.

CDFG's Farm Fish Pond Management in California is a very useful, comprehensive guide to constructing, stocking and managing ponds for recreational fishing and other purposes.

The Western Regional Aquaculture Center (WRAC) was developed to take advantage of the best aquaculture science, educational skills, and facilities within a twelve-state area in order to provide for enhancement of viable and profitable commercial aquaculture production in the US for the benefit of producers, consumers, and the American economy. The WRCA website contains aquaculture links, news and publications.

USDA's Alternative Farming Systems Information Center offers a comprehensive list of aquaculture websites, publications, employment information and government resources.

Regulatory Information

California Aquaculture's Permits, Licenses. Laws and Regulations: A Guide for Aquaculture in California addresses the regulatory processes impacting aquaculture in the state.

CDFG's Regulations Governing Private Stocking of Aquatic Plants and Animals summarizes the laws and regulations for stocking private ponds for non-commercial use.

CDFG's Aquaculture in Inland Waters of California summarizes laws and regulations pertaining to commercial aquaculture in privately owned waters.

Fish Stocking

California Aquaculture's Species Selection for Recreational Fishing in Small Ponds and Lakes addresses the selection of fish species as it relates to physical resources.

California Aquaculture's Fish Stocking Strategies for Large Mouth Bass in Recreational Ponds and Lakes discusses bass stocking strategies for recreational fishing ponds in which other species of fish are used as food for the bass.

Marine and Local Weather: 
For up to date weather information visit the National Weather Service.

Oceanography Resources:
With lots of great links to other Oceanography sites as well, visit the US Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Oceanography Resources.