And Sargassum Takes Over Another Area

[geoff w]

This morning was probably the one of the best beach dive days of the year. Which isn't saying much considering how crappy conditions have been with El Nino this year. We went out at Little Dume in Malibu, which is just east of Point Dume and west of Paradise Cove. The area is known for it's big kelp reef. This morning we didn't see any kelp, and instead encountered sargassum, some which was up to 10 ft tall. Still plenty of sea life, but so depressed to see the sargassum taking over. Water temperature was low 60s, and we never got out past 20 ft (it stays shallow, so maybe the sargassum won't strangle out the kelp farther from shore. Need to explore more. Hopefully the awful dive conditions from the winter are behind us now

 

[drbill]

If only CDF&W had listened 10-13 years ago about the threat this darned Sargassum horneri poses. Allowing it to get to this point completely destroys one of the prime objectives of the newly created Marine Protected Areas... to enhance biodiversity.

 

[kelemvor]

If only CDF&W had listened 10-13 years ago about the threat this darned Sargassum horneri poses. Allowing it to get to this point completely destroys one of the prime objectives of the newly created Marine Protected Areas... to enhance biodiversity.

What could have been done to stop it?

 

[jensfisc]

Give every socal diver one of these: “Super Sucker” targets highly invasive Sargassum in Southern California :: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Need one (or several) about twice that size and work from a large vessel or barge with huge screen tables for sorting. I bet there would be no shortage of volunteers either.

 

[drbill]

What could have been done to stop it?

When it was first discovered in 2003 in Long Beach Harbor there might have been a good chance to eliminate it. When it first arrived in Catalina waters in the winter of 2005-06 we contacted CDF&W to try to get rid of it before it spread. NOTHING was done and they wouldn't even let us remove it from a marine protected area on the island. The precipitous decline in native biodiversity when it is at its worst is in direct contradiction to the intent of the Marine Life Protection Act which created the MPAs in California

 

[geoff w]

Need one (or several) about twice that size and work from a large vessel or barge with huge screen tables for sorting. I bet there would be no shortage of volunteers either.

I've talked to LA Waterkeeper. They're talking about having divers report on sargassum, but I haven't been able to get anything definite. They used to be open to volunteer divers, but now seem to be unable to do anything unless volunteers are AAUS certified. From what I heard, they were successful using volunteer divers to smash urchins that were creating the barrens in the past

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

When it was first discovered in 2003 in Long Beach Harbor there might have been a good chance to eliminate it. When it first arrived in Catalina waters in the winter of 2005-06 we contacted CDF&W to try to get rid of it before it spread. NOTHING was done and they wouldn't even let us remove it from a marine protected area on the island. The precipitous decline in native biodiversity when it is at its worst is in direct contradiction to the intent of the Marine Life Protection Act which created the MPAs in California

Well there you go, leave something in the hands of the government and guaranteed nothing will get done for a long time. And when it does finally happen it'll be too little too late.
Rules, regulations, permits, the fact that the right hand doesn'tknow what the left is doing, mentally and physically lazy employees that don't care because they know their jobs are secure, all this stuff is what makes up the people in charge.
And meanwhile the problem increases ten fold annually while all they can do is bicker about logistics and who should do what.
Unbelievable!

 

[drbill]

The ultimate solution is not to smash urchins (although in the short-term it can be effective). The real solution is to bring the ecosystem back into balance by increasing the populations of urchin predators such as lobster and sheephead, and ensuring that no alternate sources of nutrition (such as human fecal matter) enter the system.

From what I heard, they were successful using volunteer divers to smash urchins that were creating the barrens in the past

 

[drbill]

I think many of the scientists at CDF&W mostly understand the problems but my belief is they are hog-tied by the bureaucracy, rules & regs and lack of funding.

Well there you go, leave something in the hands of the government and guaranteed nothing will get done for a long time. And when it does finally happen it'll be too little too late.
Rules, regulations, permits, the fact that the right hand doesn'tknow what the left is doing, mentally and physically lazy employees that don't care because they know their jobs are secure, all this stuff is what makes up the people in charge.
And meanwhile the problem increases ten fold annually while all they can do is bicker about logistics and who should do what.
Unbelievable!