El Niño brought warm waters. California waters filled with tropical species
Rising water temperatures are leading to a record increase in fish species and the sighting of rare marine creatures, while threatening the ecosystem along the coastline.
Quick Look
While the warming waters off the California coast bring abundance to fishing, it also causes rare species to be seen and the ecological balance to be shaken.
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Why It Matters
Rising ocean temperatures and climate cycles directly impact marine ecosystems and species' migration habits.
Although the warming waters battered the coastline, fishermen organizing offshore tours welcomed a fruitful season.
Speaking to the Reuters news agency, Donna Kalez, one of the partners of Dana Wharf Sportfishing company, stated that the number of yellowfin tuna, which they could catch only 2 last year, reached 5 thousand this year.
Stating that the boats are filled with wahoo and bulldog-like blunt-nosed green dorado (mahi-mahi) fish, Kalez said, "Dorado is very exciting because it is extremely acrobatic, it jumps out of the water. We hunt them near algae clusters and this is an incredible excitement."
This activity on the shore poses different risks for underwater balance.
Experts note that the giant seaweed beds, which flourish in cold waters and provide shelter for countless creatures, have been seriously damaged by the increase in temperature.
Chris Lowe, Director of the Shark Laboratory at California State University in Long Beach, stated that the picture is not the same for all creatures:
"It's good for some sharks, probably bad for others. It's a much bigger concern for animals that can't move. Most sharks have high mobility; they can simply migrate."
As a matter of fact, a baby white shark nursery that did not approach humans reappeared in Santa Monica Bay for the first time since 2011.
In addition to species such as the giant whale shark and hammerhead shark seen in the bay, poisonous creatures with poor swimming abilities were also dragged to the shores.
William Ludt, Assistant Curator of Ichthyology at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History, said that there have been only six or seven confirmed records of this species in California history, and the last case was seen during the 2015-2016 El Niño period.
The firsts in the region did not stop there. A fisherman at the Venice Pier in Los Angeles caught a longfin bigeye, a type of fish with big eyes that was seen for the first time in the state's history.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that two olive sea turtle nests detected off the coast of Orange County in September were the first sea turtle nests ever recorded on the US West Coast.
While Nate Jaros, Vice President of Animal Care at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, describes the coastal activity as strange times, experts expect this natural cycle, which existed before the human-caused climate crisis, to lose its effect next year.
However, William Ludt emphasizes that the process continues: "We have not completely overcome this period yet. Events are still continuing."
Open Questions
- How long will the permanent damage of warming waters on the marine ecosystem last?
- Will we be able to return to normal temperature cycles next year?
