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ENC/HBAC Lecture Series

Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center

Explore North Coast and the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center as co-sponsors invites the public to their Lecture Series featuring Sheila Semans, Executive Director of the Noyo Center for Marine Science in Fort Bragg. Sheila will be joined by local marine biologist and Science Advisor to the Noyo Center, Jeff Jacobsen. They will be discussing the Help the Kelp collaborative project with a goal to support the recovery of these kelp forests by reducing the purple urchin population and creating kelp oasis zones. Their monitoring of kelp forest recovery will include how it sounds - urchins resonate according to how big they are! Jeff will give a brief description of the growing field of Acoustic Ecology, and how they hope to use it to count and measure urchins. The lecture is scheduled for Monday, May 14th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, 921, Waterfront Drive, Eureka. Admission is free. The crisis: the majestic giant kelp forests of the north coast are in serious trouble. Over the last four years, an unusual combination of climate and ocean conditions have decimated over 93% of our bull kelp forests, leaving behind an ecosystem in crisis. An abnormally persistent marine heat wave, a decrease in nutrient-rich coastal upwelling, a devastating sea star wasting disease and a boom in kelp-consuming [purple] sea urchin populations created the “perfect storm”. In this short period time, urchin barrens have dominated our nearshore habitats, severely impacting the commercial red urchin fishery and leaving red abalone starving for food, closing that fishery altogether. Kelp forests are like any other forest, high diversity and productivity, great for larval development etc. for so many species. It’s the basic MPA idea, leave them intact to help others. For more information e-mail info@explorenorthcoast.net or call 707-616-0016.

DATES/TIMES

WHERE

• Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center

PRICE

• Free