Selected Highlights

PISCO SPECIAL ISSUE IN OCEANOGRAPHY

PISCO researchers published a series of articles describing the direct and indirect impacts of the PISCO consortium on science and policy over the past 20 years.

PISCO special issue in Oceanography:

Oceanography magazine cover image

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION - PART 2, SOLUTIONS

Ocean Acidification, Part 2 revisits the issue of acidification on the Oregon Coast and explores solutions. Discussions with scientists, business operators and students tells the story of how our coast is managing a changing ocean.

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION VIDEO PART 1

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION VIDEO  PART 2

ocean image

THE SEA STAR WASTING TASK FORCE

The outbreak of sea star wasting syndrome (SSWS) that began in 2013 devastated many species of sea stars along the North American West Coast. While the outbreak has abated, the disease persists. While there are signs of recovery for some species or local populations, there are entire species and regions that have not recovered.

image of baby sea star

CALIFORNIA'S MPAS - PISCO MONITORING ON FIELD NOTES

Every year since 1999, the PISCO team heads out to California's nearshore oceans and islands to monitor the health of kelp forests and evaluate the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas.

National Geographic Field Notes

image of California sheepheads

COASTAL OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ALONG WEST COAST- NEW STUDY RELEASED

A three-year survey of the California Current System along the West Coast of the United States found persistent, highly acidified water throughout this ecologically critical nearshore habitat, with "hotspots" of pH measurements as low as any oceanic surface waters in the world.

Get the paper here.

image of purple urchins in west coast tidepool

LONG-TERM INFORMATION POWERFUL FOR BOTH SCIENCE AND POLICY

Long-term ecological information is hard to come by – it requires initial investments of time, energy, and money to get projects off the ground; a dedicated, knowledgeable, and well-trained staff who collect data regularly and accurately; and a sustained funding source to ensure that data collection persists over time.

image of intertidal sunset

STUDYING SEA STAR WASTING

Massive-scale monitoring and research of the sea star wasting disease is happening along the West Coast because of collaborations between University scientists, state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, school groups, and the general public.  These collaborative research and citizen efforts are essential for understanding the causes and consequences of this disease.

image of sea star

CHANNEL ISLANDS' MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AFTER TEN YEARS

After ten years of monitoring within a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the northern Channel Islands, a new series of analyses show changes in subtidal rocky reef and kelp forest habitats.

image of part of the Channel Islands

RESPONSE TO THE REFUGIO OIL SPILL

The Refugio Oil Spill occurred on May 19, 2015, just north of Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County, California. According to the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, the spill was caused by a buried pipeline that ruptured. Initial reports estimated the amount of oil spilled to be approximately 21,000 U.S. gallons (500 barrels).

image of oil spill scene