Der_Huntsman:
"You can melt your ab iron, because abalone diving is over," Sammet said. "You will not dive for abalone again in California in your lifetime."
That's pretty depressing.
Malibu_Two:
Yeah, it's depressing for sure. And MPAs aren't gonna save them, that's for sure. This kelp collapse will trickle down into other fisheries, too. I've heard that due to the lack of sea stars, sand dollars are now overpopulating sandy bottom areas and crowding out halibut!
This is a video my brother and I shot north of Russian Gulch in Sonoma. This area was never super thick in kelp (in my experience), but there was always some kelp and lots of sea palms, grass, and other vegetation. You can see a few kelp fronds in one shot, but mostly it's all gone now:
eiboh:
sad state of our ecosystems. I can't find an emoji that's worthy of this topic
BigJim:
--- Quote ---I've heard that due to the lack of sea stars, sand dollars are now overpopulating sandy bottom areas and crowding out halibut! --- End quote ---
I did see a lot of sand dollars while halibut diving some areas this year...BUT I also saw more halibut this year than in all previous years combined...mostly shorts but still...
And, there was still PLENTY of open, empty sand. :smt002