Public invited to Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust meeting

The public is invited to attend the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust General Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Belmont Shores Mobile Estates Community Center.
The special guest speaker will be Long Beach Councilmember Patrick O'Donnell.
O'Donnell will talk about the importance of protecting the Los Cerritos wetlands and the role that theLo San Gabriel River plays in the health and well being of our local wetlands.
The state budget crisis has thwarted any new construction or restoration efforts at the wetlands that were recently proposed by several potential purchases.
Negotiations to acquire the wetlands, which encompass three landmasses that fall on both Long Beach and Seal Beach territories, have stalled since the state Department of Finance ordered all state agencies stop work on grants and contracts funded with state bonds, according to the Long Beach Gazette newspaper.
“Essentially all our funds are frozen,” said Belinda Faustinos, executive director for both agencies. “We had hoped to look at a comprehensive restoration plan this year, and there will be no money.… It has definitely impacted our negotiations for the Hellman property (in Seal Beach). We won’t be able to complete that now. We have no money.”
In November, the City of Long Beach announced a deal that could move a portion of wetlands into public domain, according to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, a joint powers agreement, adopted among several agencies and cities to purchase and protect the land.
The deal would include Long Beach swapping city properties for the 175 acre piece of land formerly owned by the Bixby Company, now owned by developer Tom Dean, the authority states.
That deal, according to Councilman Gary Delong will not be affected by the state’s freeze on funds, the Gazette reports.
Long Beach City Hall would sell the wetlands property to the LCWA for a sum currently estimated at $25 million, the authority states.
City management plans to use the money from that sale to support efforts to acquire, restore and develop the 19-acre Wrigley Heights "oil operators" property as open space and develop 18 acres of open space at the “Hilltop Property.”

The "natural world" of Bolsa Chica Wetlands

The Bolsa Chica Conservancy will present a series of tours and training sessions for volunteers this year, including a chance to sharpen your awareness skills on the "natural world" of the wetlands.
To kick off the training series for 2009, the Conservancy is presenting a session called "Developing Our Awareness Skills in the Natural World," with Dick Newell, one of Orange County's premier naturalists, who will lead the session.
The session will be held on Thursday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
People will learn how to identify animal tracks, bird calls, medicinal and edible plants of the wetlands and much more.
"Sharpen and increase your awareness skills to help make a child's learning adventure memorable and fun!"
To participate, please reserve a spot as seats are limited. Send an email to Diana Ortiz at diana@bolsachica.org.

Black abalone gets endangered species status

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service determined black abalone, an edible marine mollusk, should be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, according to a news release today, Jan. 14.
The ruling takes effect on Feb. 13, and comes one year after the fisheries service proposed to list the species.
Once harvested for food, black abalone were plentiful in intertidal waters along the Pacific coast.
The species was harvested early in California’s history by native Americans and peaked as a commercial fishery in the state in the 1970s. The state of California closed commercial and recreational harvesting of black abalone in 1993.
Since the 1980s, black abalone abundance has plummeted primarily from a bacterial disease known as withering foot syndrome. The spread of the disease may have been exacerbated by warmer coastal waters caused by factors such as long- and short-term changes in climate or from the warm water effluent of power plants. Other factors that may have led to the rapid population decline are historical overfishing, and poaching.
Coupled with the listing decision, NOAA’s Fisheries Service is also soliciting comments and information relevant to the designation of critical habitat for black abalone.
According the LA Times, "The final decision, expected after a year of further study, would not have an immediate impact on the hunting of black abalone in California, which has been illegal here since 1993. But the listing could bring in federal money to help restore populations of the species, set aside critical habitat and impose criminal penalties for importing the mollusk from Mexico."
Decades ago, black abalone was known as the most abundant species of abalone from Northern Baja California, Mexico, to Monterey, Calif.
But "the scientific review team reported major declines in the population of black abalone, especially in the areas around the Channel Islands off Southern California," said Rod McInnis, Southwest Regional Administrator for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. “These proposed regulations seek federal protection for black abalone and requests input from the public in determining what areas might be included as critical habitat for the species.”
Withering syndrome is a bacterium that affects the digestive system and causes the abalone to shrink. The bacterium increases in warmer waters (that reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit) that can be attributed to warm water currents such as from El Nino, which some say are early signs of the effects of global warming, according to an article published by National Geographic.
Other causes of the rapid population decline are likely due to historical overfishing, poaching and natural predation. NMFS has considered recent preliminary evidence, which suggests a small disease resistant population may exist at San Nicolas Island. Even with this possibility, the likelihood that black abalone populations will continue to decline towards extinction (within the next 30 years) is very high.
If the listing under the ESA is passed this year, the black abalone would join the white abalone, which was placed on the endangered-species list by the National Marine Fisheries Service in May 2001.
"Estimates of where the white-abalone population stood 30 years ago run from 2.2 million to 4.2 million, but recently their population along the coast was estimated at just a couple thousand."

Aquarium offers "Whale Watch Combo" rides

They're back!
Gray whales have been spotted off the coast of Long Beach and the Aquarium of the Pacific staff and Harbor Breeze Cruises set sail for a chance to see these gentle giants and find out how the public can help these whales and other marine mammals in Southland waters today.
Members of the media embarked aboard a specialized whale watching, high-speed catamaran docked next to the Aquarium. Whale experts and Spanish spokespeople will be on-board for interviews regarding whales and conservation issues.
In attendance was Michele Sousa, senior marine mammal biologist, Aquarium of the Pacific, Dan Salas, captain & CEO, Harbor Breeze Cruises, Alicia Archer, biologist & boat program coordinator, Aquarium of the Pacific and Marilyn Padilla, Spanish spokesperson, Aquarium of the Pacific.
The public is invited to embark on an educational whale adventure through the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Whale Watch Combo. Adventurers will explore the nearby seas aboard the specialized Harbor Breeze Cruises whale-watching boat, the Christopher, to seek out such travelers as gray, fin, blue, and Minke whales, various dolphin species, sea lions, and a host of migratory sea birds.
Aquarium experts will be on board to answer questions and discuss tips for helping whales and other animals inhabiting local waters. Included in the adventure is a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific to meet over 12,500 ocean animals and to learn more about whales through the award-winning Whales: Voices in the Sea kiosk exhibit and the Whales: A Journey with Giants film. The Whale Watch Cruise combo ticket is available for purchase on-site at Aquarium of the Pacific and may be purchased in advance by calling 562-590-3100. Prices are $42.95, per adult (12+); $28.95 per child (3-11); $39.95 per Senior (62+); and free for children under age three / all tickets include Aquarium admission. The two and a half hour whale watch excursion with Aquarium experts is available daily at Noon & 3:00 p.m. For more information, the public can visit www.aquariumofpacific.org.