Domoic Acid and the Recreational Dungeness Crab Fishery: A brief history of monitoring and current recreational fishery information

Freshly cooked Dungeness Crab
photo by E. Roberts III

The California Department of Public Health’s biotoxin monitoring program began in 1927 in response to a massive poisoning event that occurred after people ate mussels containing high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin. Several deaths and over 100 illnesses were attributed to the event, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Domoic acid, which causes amnesic shellfish poisoning, is another potentially deadly and naturally occurring toxin that may be produced after a “bloom” of a single-celled plant called Pseudo-nitzschia. Blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia do not always produce domoic acid, and there is currently no reliable way to predict where or when a bloom will produce the toxin.

Now Available: Final Marine Protected Area Monitoring Action Plan

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is pleased to announce the final Marine Protected Area (MPA) Monitoring Action Plan (Action Plan) is now available. The Action Plan informs next steps for long-term monitoring of California’s MPA Network by compiling work to date, as well as incorporating novel, quantitative, and expert-informed approaches. The Action Plan prioritizes long-term monitoring that targets key measures, metrics, habitats, sites, species, human uses, and management questions that will inform the evaluation and adaptive management of California’s MPA Network.

Exploring California’s Marine Protected Areas: Ten Mile Beach State Marine Conservation Area and Ten Mile State Marine Reserve

Winding along Highway 1 north of Fort Bragg takes you through coastal plains, patches of forest, and hidden dunes, with a glimpse of the ocean from time to time. As you approach the bridge that crosses Ten Mile River, the scenery suddenly opens up to a panoramic view of ocean and estuary in an area known simply as Ten Mile.

Red Abalone Fishery Management Plan Peer Review Report Webinar Set for October 12

Red abalone with telia anemone hitchhiker
CDFW photo by D. Stein

California Ocean Science Trust convened a peer review panel to evaluate the scientific merits of two proposed management strategies that have been developed to support the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in designing a recreational red abalone fishery management plan.

The final report prepared by the peer review panel is now available for review on the California Ocean Science Trust’s Recreational Red Abalone Peer Review web page.

Marine Management News Fish Identification Quiz

Welcome to the Marine Management News Fish Identification Quiz for August 2018! Here’s your chance to show off your fish identification knowledge and win a “Release At Depth” rockfish barotrauma cap and a copy of California’s Living Marine Resources: A Status Report. To qualify for the drawing, simply send the correct information to AskMarine@wildlife.ca.gov by September 30, 2018 identifying:

• The species of the fish pictured below (scientific name) and an accepted common name, and
• The daily bag limit, as found in the 2018-2019 Saltwater Sport Fishing regulations booklet

Be sure to enter “August MMN Fish Quiz” as the “Subject” of your e-mail. The winner will be selected during a random drawing from all correct answers received by September 30, 2018.

photo by D. Shigematsu