Coastal & Marine Conservation

Southern California beaches with storm drain diversion systems attract millions more people annually, a new study in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin shows. The study looked at whether improving the environmental quality of coastal areas through policy intervention had an effect on the way people use coastal areas. Researchers found a direct correlation between increased attendance and the installation of storm drain diversions at 26 beaches in Santa Monica Bay and Malibu.

Morgan Bay has not had any working waterfront operations for several decades, Kallin said. In that time, it has developed as a prime vacation rental spot and some residents are worried about a loss of income if the lease is granted. Kallin doesn't believe one aquaculture business venture should outweigh the recreational uses of Morgan Bay. "You're giving a single individual an exclusive lease over a particular area of a common resource," he said.

Anyone driving over the causeway on Friday, May 3, near low tide likely would have seen more than a dozen high school students all over the clam flats, participating in a research experiment. The hands-on science work is a precursor to the Marine Studies Pathway that will launch at the high school next year and will teach a wide ranging curricula based on marine studies.

The Freeport Town Council will fund a study of the town’s depleting shellfish stocks – a historic first in Maine marine research and a potential life preserver for the struggling clamming community. ... The town is believed to be the only Maine municipality to be spearheading such an effort, and the project has been hailed by Brian Beal, a biologist and professor at the University of Maine at Machias, who specializes in shellfish research, as groundbreaking. Beal will be a consultant on the project.

Editor's Note: The following profile appeared on The Working Waterfront website, where you can read the original article and see the accompanying photos. Story and photos by Sharon Mack