NorCal Kayak Anglers

Dive Zone => Kayak Diving and Spearfishing => Topic started by: Hojoman on December 01, 2017, 01:27:11 PM

Title: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Hojoman on December 01, 2017, 01:27:11 PM
https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/abalone-collapse-with-kelp-forests/Content?oid=11223338
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Der_Huntsman on December 01, 2017, 01:40:28 PM
"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.
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Malibu_Two on December 01, 2017, 02:04:30 PM
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:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYiFazsXDNE
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: eiboh on December 01, 2017, 02:55:52 PM
sad state of our ecosystems. I can't find an emoji that's worthy of this topic
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: BigJim on December 01, 2017, 03:13:47 PM
Quote
I've heard that due to the lack of sea stars, sand dollars are now overpopulating sandy bottom areas and crowding out halibut!

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

Just anecdotal evidence of course...

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Malibu_Two on December 01, 2017, 04:06:11 PM
Quote
I've heard that due to the lack of sea stars, sand dollars are now overpopulating sandy bottom areas and crowding out halibut!

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

Just anecdotal evidence of course...

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

That was just something I heard in passing from one person. Could be a longer term effect.
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Fiver on December 01, 2017, 04:24:59 PM
If I were a betting person, I would say they close it next year, likely for years to come.  I don't usually do it, but made it a point to tag out this year.

Who wants to start up an urchin cleanup/cleanout day or two next year?  :smt003
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Dale L on December 01, 2017, 05:10:56 PM
If I were a betting person, I would say they close it next year, likely for years to come.  I don't usually do it, but made it a point to tag out this year.

Who wants to start up an urchin cleanup/cleanout day or two next year?  :smt003

Go to You tube and search Airlift urchin,
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Cabeza de Martillo on December 02, 2017, 05:50:05 AM
"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.

That was just a divers opinion from Monterey. I'm sure we will know for sure soon.

If I were a betting person, I would say they close it next year, likely for years to come.  I don't usually do it, but made it a point to tag out this year.

I'm not feeling warm and fuzzy about this either. I also grabbed 6 in late Oct. that are sitting in freezer camp as I write this..
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: NowhereMan on December 02, 2017, 07:26:35 AM
...I also saw more halibut this year than in all previous years combined...mostly shorts but still...

Lots of undersized halibut were caught hook and line this year too.
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: BigJim on December 02, 2017, 07:35:27 AM
...I also saw more halibut this year than in all previous years combined...mostly shorts but still...

Lots of undersized halibut were caught hook and line this year too.

Yep...Hoping that next year is epic.  :smt003 :smt004

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: rroland on December 02, 2017, 03:57:53 PM
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ecowatch.com/ocean-oxygen-levels-2401423273.amp.html

Big seas will turn it all over don't give up hope.
Big blue has an amazing capacity to self-repair
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: dirkbeachman on December 02, 2017, 05:03:01 PM
I'd love to see DFG use hatchery techniques to get a million sea stars growing, then require us ab divers to take a couple hundred out for distribution in order to get an ab tag. I'd definitely be down to spread them out and see if it would make a difference.
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: I Zod Out on December 02, 2017, 07:46:08 PM
I am ALL ears on this one, for multiple reasons.

Where has the Kelp gone?

It's just brown algae...

I Zod Out?


Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: insearchoffish on December 02, 2017, 08:21:04 PM
Things do not look good but I still hoping the ocean can heal itself!! Also hoping to at least get a few more abs next year!!! Here is a link to an article I recently wrote for yak angler

 http://www.yakangler.com/spotlight/item/3939-diving-abalone-kayak

There should also be a decision coming up soon, I have been keeping in contact to hear what happens, will keep you all updated when I find anything out.
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Dale L on December 03, 2017, 08:54:57 AM
Here's a copy of the Agenda for the next F&GC meeting, see items 21, 22 and maybe 23.

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=151218&inline

Here's a link the Cal-Span live stream of the meeting, I've watched them before during the MLPAI meetings, just a camera set up in the room, can be very informative, and boring at the same time. It is Live Streamed and archived, check it out.

http://cal-span.org/

Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: srdave on December 08, 2017, 07:15:21 PM
So they closed the whole coast damn!  Now I know Sonoma has been hit hard no kelp anywhere but I thought Mendocino and Humboldt were still OK and if so why are we shutting that down? Hmmm maybe F&G thought every diver in the state would go to mendo. for there abs and put a lot more pressure on there abalone population. Well we can still dive just for urchin and scallops,crab,spearfishing,...lots of urchins.
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: polepole on December 08, 2017, 07:32:22 PM
Good thing we have MPA’s.

-Allen
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: dirkbeachman on December 09, 2017, 12:00:54 PM
not defending the decision; in fact I think the DFG blew it by not keeping ab divers involved. probably all of us would pitch in for a solution.

but as far as leaving mendo open, it too has been hit hard. yes, there's still pockets of kelp, but haven't all of us who dive there been shocked to see formerly great areas just covered in little purple urchins?   I don't think divers are the problem so even if they had left mendo open, more divers up there wouldn't wipe out the population at all but now everyone will be mad and feel disconnected from the dfg's plan of action (if they have one)
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: Zzz on December 09, 2017, 12:23:33 PM
So they closed the whole coast damn!  Now I know Sonoma has been hit hard no kelp anywhere but I thought Mendocino and Humboldt were still OK and if so why are we shutting that down? Hmmm maybe F&G thought every diver in the state would go to mendo. for there abs and put a lot more pressure on there abalone population. Well we can still dive just for urchin and scallops,crab,spearfishing,...lots of urchins.

As a Humboldt/Mendo diver I thought the kelp was better down south. Plenty of degraded forests and urchin deserts up here
Title: Re: Abalone Collapse with Kelp Forests
Post by: srdave on December 11, 2017, 06:59:29 AM
Now that's news to me about Mendo and Humbolt kelp not coming back. It has been said on this forum the no Meno and especially Humbolt was just wonderful and had no problems. Thats too bad I thought there was hope it was just Marin/Sonoma.
This is going to hurt in a lot of ways Divers and all the businesses that are connected to coastal diving.
I know the ocean has ways to regenerate but those urchins have built in survival mechanism to make sure the survive.
Now do any of the "powers to be" have a plan?