National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

A novel approach to identify sources, transfer and impact of domoic acid in marine food webs
Domoic acid (DA) is a naturally occurring toxin produced by the algae Pseudo-nitzschia and other certain types of algae that grow in marine systems.

Minimizing disturbance impacts by California vessel mooring systems on living rhodolith benthos in Catalina MPAs: an experimental assessment
Rhodolith beds are near-shore benthic coralline algal habitats occurring in 20% of Marine Protected Areas around Catalina Island.  They support diverse communities of algae, invertebrates, and fish

Using native food webs to reduce impacts of non-native predators and increase success of native Olympia oyster restoration
Ongoing restoration projects in California are working to restore oyster populations that have been reduced by overharvesting, loss of habitat, and non-native pests including predatory non-native w

Assessment of state of coastal habitat in the California current large marine ecosystem using MARINe datasets: integration of historic photo-database
Since 1992, the UC Santa Cruz rocky intertidal monitoring program has complemented the Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe)

Assessing marine endocrine disrupting chemicals in the critically endangered California condor: Implications for reintroduction to coastal environments
Through conservation breeding and adaptive management, endangered California condors have returned from the brink of extension to a current population of over 400 at sites in California, Arizona, a

Applications of life history and fisheries data for improved management of skates
A commercial skate fishery has operated in California waters for nearly 100 years, but the status of targeted populations and the species composition of historic landings are unknown.

Understanding the past and predicting the future in a California estuary: The role of sediment dynamics on eelgrass resilience in Morro Bay
Seagrasses are a critical habitat for numerous marine species, and provide other ecosystem benefits such as improving water clarity, absorbing nutrients, reducing fecal pathogens, stabilizing shore

Larval connectivity among marine protected areas using robot larvae to simulate depth regulation behaviors of many species
A network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) was recently established along the California coast to conserve marine ecosystems and help restore species that are under pressure from human impacts.

Estimating regional krill biomass and availability: significance to California salmonids during a period of extreme environmental variability
Krill support more than 70 species of commercially and recreationally important fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. In particular, krill are critical food for salmon at certain life stages.

Initial Steps Towards Evaluating Potential Disease Impacts of Propagated Marine Fish on Wild Stocks: A New Herpesvirus from White Seabass
Fear of spreading disease is a major obstacle in developing marine aquaculture, particularly in California.