During this project, MSRP removed 66 adult cats and 10 kittens from San Nicolas Island. Of these, 59 adult cats and the kittens were transferred to The Humane Society of the United States who built an enclosure for them at the Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona, California. Intensive monitoring with cameras has occurred on the island since December 2009. Over 27,000 camera sensing nights were logged since June of 2010 without cat detection.  An event on San Nicolas Island was held on Feb. 15, 2012 marking the completion of this project and declaring the island cat-free.

San Nicolas Island Partner Fact Sheet

Facts about San Nicolas Island Seabird Restoration Project

The Humane Society of the United States

Photos

Slideshow of San Nicolas Island

Photos of San Nicolas Island Restoration Project

Press Release

Event Marks Successful Completion of Seabird Restoration Project on San Nicolas Island

Organizations from the U.S. and Mexico, including the National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Grupo de Ecologia y Conservacion de Islas, and the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature, are partnering to implement this restoration program. The restoration partners will conduct habitat restoration, reduce human disturbance and artificial light, and support environmental education in surrounding communities. To increase nesting seabird populations on the islands, scientists will use decoys, mirrors, and broadcast calls and songs to attract seabirds and construct artificial nests to improve nesting opportunities.

The partnership will begin work in January 2012 on Coronado, Todos Santos, San Martin, San Jeronimo, Natividad, Asuncion, and San Roque Islands which are located in the northwestern portion of Mexico, off of the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula. These islands support a diverse group of breeding seabirds and are known for high levels of biological diversity.

Read more about MSRP Seabird Restoration Projects

Santa Cruz Island coastline

We want to hear from you! MSRP released a draft Phase 2 Restoration Plan for public comment. The draft plan summarizes restoration work that has been completed from the Phase 1 Restoration Plan and proposes projects for the next phase.

The plan focuses on restoring natural resources that were affected by DDT and PCB contamination, including Channel Island Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and seabirds, as well as fish habitat. In most cases, we will continue or expand on projects from Phase 1.

Two successful projects we will continue to fund are monitoring of the Channel Island Bald Eagles and restoration of seabird habitat on several Channel Islands. These projects had major milestones this year, including the expansion of nesting Bald Eagles to the fourth Channel Island and the discovery of nesting seabirds in recently restored habitat.

Fish habitat projects will focus on restoring vital subtidal fish habitat including kelp forest and rocky reef habitat along the Palos Verdes Shelf close to the contamination site. View the draft restoration plan now and send your comments to msrp@noaa.gov, or join us at one of our public meetings.  Comments are due by December 19, 2011.

Check out our fact sheetfor a summary of the Phase 1 and 2 projects or view a presentation from the last public meeting.

Map shows where the acoustic receivers are located on the Palos Verdes Shelf and Los Angeles Harbor.

This past fall, biologists Dr. Chris Lowe and graduate student Barrett Wolfe from California State University Long Beach began a study to track the movement patterns of White Croaker and Barred Sand Bass along the Palos Verdes shelf. One of goals of this project is to identify the home range of each species and to determine whether that range encompasses the contaminated areas of Palos Verdes. White Croker and Barred Sand Bass are bottom-dwelling fish that are known to accumulate DDTs and PCBs in their tissues, for this reason there are “Do Not Consume” advisories for both fish species caught between the Santa Monica Pier and Seal Beach Pier. The California Department of Fish and Game also maintains a commercial catch ban for White Croaker in parts of the Palos Verdes Shelf and adjacent waters. EPA is providing funds for the acoustic arrays and fish tagging activities. MSRP has provided technical guidance throughout the project and partial funding.

Why is this important?

Understanding the movement patterns of these fish will provide regulatory agencies with the scientific information they need to make informed decisions about updates to human consumption advisories. It will also enable the EPA to design remedial actions for sediment capping based on the amount of time that White Croaker spend in highly contaminated areas.

Using an intricate array of acoustic telemetry devices, biologists from the Lowe Lab are able to obtain detailed information about the geographic location of individual fish, the time spent in each location, the direction of their movement, distances traveled, and even travel speeds.

Graphic shows how an array of acoustic receivers calculates the position of an individual fish.

How do they detect fish movement?

Acoustic receivers are deployed in several arrays across the Palos Verdes shelf. Fish captured on the shelf are fitted with acoustic transmitters and released back into the water. The receivers then record data from the transmitters each time a fish swims within the range of an array. The receivers record date, time, and location data every time an individual passes by. Combining these data from multiple arrays of multiple receivers allows the biologists to track the movement patterns of individual fish. Biologists have also partnered with local charter fishing boats to carry and deploy receivers while on site at favored fishing locations such as the flats of Santa Monica and Huntington Beach.

Los Angeles Conservation corpsmembers learning how to fish on Redondo Pier.

MSRP awarded four fishing outreach grants this year supporting a wide range of activities and reaching a diverse group of youth in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The award recipients are the Friends of Colorado Lagoon, SEA Lab, City of Los Angeles, and the United Anglers of Southern California. Each program approaches fishing outreach in a unique way.

Friends of Colorado Lagoon (FOCL)

FOCL is a non-profit organization with a mission to protect the Colorado Lagoon located in Long Beach, California and provide public education to promote stewardship of this important area. FOCL is incorporating the concepts from the What’s the Catch? comic book into their existing outreach program. They have also introduced a special Sunday Funday Fishday event into their regular summer programming. This event includes a variety of activities at the lagoon such as beach seining, identifying fish, and discussing marine contaminants.

SEA Lab  

Los Angeles Conservation Corps’ (LACC) SEA Lab located in Redondo Beach, California is educating corpsmembers on the benefits of recreational fishing and the alternatives to consuming contaminated fish species. This is the third year of outreach funding for SEA Lab to continue their “Fun Fishing Program.” Participants learn fish identification, engage in pier fishing, demonstrate proper handling and releasing of fish, and practice preparation of fish for consumption that reduces their intake of contaminants. Outreach to public schools is also included this year with a goal of reaching 600 students by the end of the program.

Boy shows fish he caught from the Cabrillo Pier during the City of Los Angeles fishing program.

City of Los Angeles

The City of Los Angeles Recreational Department has been leading fishing trips to the Cabrillo pier for youth during summer camp for 20 years. In 2010, their funding was cut and they could not continue their fishing program. MSRP was able to fund their program in 2011 continuing this important community activity. The City of Los Angeles also added an educational component to their regular fishing program to include concepts from the What’s the Catch? comic book. One week before a group goes fishing the youth would watch a mime presentation about the messages in the comic book and get a copy to take home.

United Anglers of Southern California (UASC)

UASC has a long track record of promoting fishing among families and youth in southern California. This year UASC is partnering with the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos/Seal Beach to provide additional outreach support to their annual youth fishing derby. The Rotary Club has been sponsoring this event for 20 years. UASC is presenting safe fishing messages to youth participants at the event. UASC is also providing give-aways, event coordination, and media relations for the fishing derby.