In 1987 all remaining California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) in the wild were captured and placed into captive breeding programs. Since then, these condor populations have rebounded to over 400 individuals. To cover the 2019 story of this avian comeback, Hakai Magazine reached out to our director, Dr. Jim Harvey, for what may seem like the unexpected connection between a critically endangered raptor and California's marine mammals.

Ross Clark, director of SJSJ/MLML's Central Coast Wetlands Group (CCWG), talks with The CSU's Newswise about sea level rise and how these changes are predicted to affect California beaches. Mr. Clark further explains that there are much bigger impacts to consider such as the elimination of our estuaries, "[we] may lose some of those nurseries. And much of the fishing industry is located in our coastal harbors, which are vulnerable in many ways", says Mr. Clark. Full story here: Bye-Bye, Beaches

In 2019, research faculty and director of the Pacific Shark Research Center, Dr. David Ebert, worked with colleagues to describe two new species of skates. As a research associate with the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), this work was highlighted in a recent press release from CAS which recognized 71 newly discovered species this year by their scientists. The image on the left is Leucoraja elaineae, common name Elaine's Skate, and comes from the Western Indian Ocean. The image on the right is, Dipturus lamillai, common name Warrah Skate inhabit; it's from the surrounding waters of the Falkland Islands.

Dr. Tom Connolly collaborated with our neighbors at MBARI for a study published this year in the journal of Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. The research focuses on the hydrozoan medusa, Benthocodon pedunculatathe within the abyssal Northeast Pacific habitat. Part of this work observed currents from the benthic boundary layer which shed light on the ecological importance of this species of zooplankton.

For more on this three year study, follow the link to their paper: Gelatinous zooplankton abundance and benthic boundary layer currents in the abyssal Northeast Pacific: A 3-yr time series study

SJSU/MLML's Marine Pollution Studies Lab has analyzed mussels growing near shipwrecks that are now leaching trace metals. Originally, these ships were used roughly 90 years ago during the Prohibition to smuggle Canadian whiskey. For more on this history of the shipwrecks, read this article in San Luis Obispo Tribune.

Journalist heads out with CCFRP on a fishing party boat to collect data for MPA monitoring of rockfish populations. MLML alumna and currently the statewide coordinator, Jen Chiu, is quoted in the article along with current grad student, Bonnie Basnett. Faculty research member, Dr. Rick Starr, helped found California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP) in 2007.

MLML/SJSU's geological oceanographer, Dr. Ivano Aiello and his colleagues recently published their study, "Characteristics and Evolution of sill-driven off-axis hydrothermalism in Guaymas Basin–the Ringvent site" in Nature's Scientific reports. To help science better understand the complex evolution of hydrothermal systems, the research team studied a young marginal seafloor spreading system, the Guayamas Basin, located in the Gulf of California.

In an interview for NPR's All Things Considered, CA Sea Grant Aquaculture Specialist, Dr. Luke Gardner, explains how his experiments growing purple sea urchins are really a larger effort to protect kelp forests. Also mentioned in the article are MLML/SJSU graduate students' Shelby Penn, Daniel Gossard, and Katie Neylan.

To see the article or listen to the interview, click here

The Tribune just published an article about CCFRP and the Cal Poly team of volunteer anglers, CPFV partners, and science crew! The article highlights the origins and importance of the program ran by our Fisheries & Conservation Biology lab. The article also explains what a day on the water looks like with CCFRP, and why they value the collaboration among the local fishing community, academic researchers, and resource managers. Click here to read the article.