Noyo Center For Marine Science

CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF MARINE AND COASTAL NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE PROVISION AND PROMOTION OF SCIENTIFICRESEARCH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE SCIENCES RELATING TO MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCES.

EDUCATION: THE NOYO CENTER FOR MARINE SCIENCE INSPIRES PEOPLE OF ALL AGES TO ENGAGE WITH MARINE SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION, INCLUDING 2,000 STUDENTS ANNUALLY, THROUGH A VARIETY OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS. OUR SCIENCE MUSEUMS AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER IN DOWNTOWN FORT BRAGG AND CROW'S NEST INTERPRETIVE CENTER ON THE FORT BRAGG HEADLANDS OFFER IN-PERSON EDUCATIONAL TOURS AND WELCOMES APPROXIMATELY 80,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY. WE ALSO OFFER SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS. IN FALL 2022, WE STARTED A PILOT PROJECT IN LOCAL SCHOOLS TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR PLASTIC USE AND CONSUMER HABITS. WE CONTINUTED TO OFFER ADULT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH A ROBUST SCIENCE LECTURE SERIES DELIVERED VIA ZOOM, SEA STAR CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAM, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE THE SCAVENGER HUNT THAT PEOPLE COULD DO INDEPENDENTLY.

MARINE MAMMAL RESPONSE: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, WE CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO ALL DECEASED MARINE MAMMALS IN SOUTHERN MENDOCINO COUNTY AS PART OF THE WEST COAST MARINE MAMMMAL STRANDING NETWORK. ALONG WITH COLLECTING RELEVANT DATA ON ALL ANIMALS WE ENCOUNTER FOR A NATIONAL DATABASE OVERSEEN BY NOAA, WE PARTICIPATED IN DATA COLLECTION ON A DEAD SPERM WHALE THAT WASHED NEAR SHORE BEFORE SINKING OUTSIDE NOYO HARBOR. WE CONTINUED TO MONITOR REMAINS OF THE WHALE USING AN UNDERWATER ROVER WHILE PLANNING FOR THE EVENTUAL REMOVAL OF VALUABLE PIECES OF THE SKELETON. OUR WORK INCLUDES TRAINING A TEAM OF BEACH SURVEY VOLUNTEERS ON BEACH SURVEY PROTOCOLS AND MARINE MAMMAL IDENTIFICATION, NETWORKING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE REPORTING, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THROUGH TALKS, TRAINING AND INFORMATIVE EXHIBITS AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER AND CROW'S NEST. THIS PROGRAM ALSO HOSTED HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE INTERNS, WORKING ON DATA COLLECTION AND ARTICULATION PROJECTS. WE CONTINUE TO COLLECT RARE OR VALUABLE SPECIMENS FOR OUR GROWING NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION.

KELP RECOVERY: NOYO CENTER CONTINUES TO WORK AND LEVERAGE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL LOSS OF THE BULL KELP NEARSHORE ECOSYSTEM. OVER 95% OF OUR KELP FOREST HAS BEEN LOST SINCE 2014, JEOPARDIZING IMPORTANT MARINE LIFE AND HABITAT. NOYO FOCUSED WORK ON TWO AREAS AS PART OF ITS CONSERVATION AQUACULTURE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS BULL KELP LOSS: CREATING A NEW FISHERY FOR PURPLE URCHIN NOW 100X MORE PLENTIFUL THAN IN NORMAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING DEVELOPING AN AQUACULTURE PARTNERSHIP WITH URCHINOMICS, AND EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. FOLLLOWING A TRIAL PROJECT IN COLLABORATION WITH BODEGA MARINE LAB, THE NOYO CENTER BEGAN PLANNING ITS URCHIN RANCHING PROGRAM, WHICH WILL TAKE STARVING, EMPTY PURPLE SEA URCHINS THAT HAVE OVERTAKEN THE NEARSHORE HABITAT AND FEED THEM IN A LAND-BASED AQUACULTURE SYSTEM TO CREATE A DESIRABLE, RESTORATIVE SEAFOOD PRODUCT. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS EFFORT COULD CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE PURPLE URCHIN POPULATION THAT PREVENTS THE REGROWTH OF BULL KELP FORESTS. ANOTHER COMPONENT OF OUR CONSERVATION AQUACULTURE IS A RED ABALONE BROODSTOCK PROGRAM IN WHICH WE COLLABORATE WITH VARIOUS PARTNERS TO RAISE RED ABALONE-NOW 70% REDUCE IN NUMBERS BEFORE OUTPLANTING THEM BACK INTO THE NEARSHORE ECOSYSTEM. WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP CONTENT FOR OUR OCEAN IMMERSION DOME HIGHLIGHTING THESE EFFORTS, PROVIDING A 360 DEGREE UNDERWATER EXPERIENCE TO OUR VISITORS AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER SCIENCE MUSEUM.