April 2024 Edition
A monthly round-up of news and trends important to the AltaSea community.
AltaSea Community Spotlight
AltaSea’s ocean research center will be celebrated this spring with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for part of a $30 million renovation of three historic waterfront warehouses. This section will be home to researchers from USC, UCLA and Caltech, as well as famed oceanographer and explorer Robert Ballard, credited with discovering the underwater wreckage of the Titanic.
AltaSea’s ocean tech hub reaches another milestone (Dailybreeze.com)
Another milestone for San Pedro’s ambitious AltaSea ocean research center will be celebrated this spring with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for part of a $30 million renovation of three historic waterfront warehouses. Work is nearly complete on AltaSea’s Center for Innovation at Berth 58. A ribbon-cutting is slated for 10 a.m. May 29.
The Continued Rise In Global Emissions Points To The Necessity Of Diversified Clean Energy (AltaSea Blogs)
Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions rose by 1.1% in 2023 compared to the previous year, bringing humanity’s yearly emissions to a record high. This is one of the key findings of a newly published report on annual CO2 emissions from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The report also analyzed how the adoption of clean energy has impacted global emissions and found that, without clean energy technology, the increase in emissions over the past five years would have been triple the size.
IGNITE22 (Braid Theory)
At IGNITE22, entrepreneurs, innovators, and future thinkers come together to network & explore the blue tech industry with exhibits and demonstrations on land and in the water. Bluetech is best described as a cross- and multi-disciplinary ecosystem, which seeks to solve problems related to the ocean, marine and maritime sector. It broadly encompasses many of the same technologies found in sectors such as agriculture and food technology; water and energy; biotech and life sciences; aerospace; construction and infrastructure; and transportation and logistics.
What was lost on LA’s Terminal Island after forced evacuations of local community (ocregister.com)
More than a decade ago, when Geraldine Knatz was the director for the Port of Los Angeles, she visited Terminal Island with Minoru “Min” Tonai, a community activist who had grown up in what was once a bustling Japanese American fishing community. The excursion was the seed for “Terminal Island: Lost Communities on America’s Edge,” which has just been re-published by Angel City Press. Co-authored by Knatz and award-winning mystery novelist Naomi Hirahara, the first edition of the book was issued in 2015 under the title “Terminal Island: Lost Communities of Los Angeles Harbor.”
Startups aim to curb climate change by pulling carbon dioxide from the ocean—not the air (Science.org)
Every year, hundreds of container ships slide into the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest in the Western Hemisphere. Belching carbon dioxide (CO2), they deliver some $300 billion in goods to trucks and railcars that add their own pollution to our warming planet. But one long gray barge docked at the port is doing its part to combat climate change. On the barge, which belongs to Captura, a Los Angeles–based startup, is a system of pipes, pumps, and containers that ingests seawater and sucks out CO2, which can be used to make plastics and fuels or buried. The decarbonated seawater is returned to the ocean, where it absorbs more CO2 from the atmosphere, in a small strike against the inexorable rise of the greenhouse gas.
LA2050 Grants Challenge
YOU can create the LA that Angelenos deserve!
We’re excited to share that our partners at LA2050 have launched voting in the 11th annual LA2050 Grants Challenge.
Each year, LA2050 gives $1 million to nonprofits and other social impact organizations making LA better. But, it’s up to Angelenos determine what issue areas will receive funding – from homelessness and income inequality to park access – through online voting.
Voting is online through May 8th, open to all ages and available in 12 languages.
We encourage you to vote now!
Heart of the Harbor Community Farm Earth Day 3 Year Anniversary
You’re invited to the Heart of the Harbor Community Farm Earth Day 3 Year Anniversary event! Join SBCC on Sat, Apr 27, 2024 at 11:00 AM at 550 East L Street, Wilmington, CA for a day of celebrating the community farm and their commitment to a better environment.
Come together with friends and neighbors to enjoy live music, food, interactive activities for kids, and more. Celebrate our beautiful planet and the growth of the community farm together!
AltaSea Events
May 29th | 10:00am to 1:00pm
2451 Signal Street
San Pedro CA, 90731
AltaSea’s ocean research center will be celebrated this spring with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for part of a $30 million renovation of three historic waterfront warehouses. This section will be home to researchers from USC, UCLA and Caltech, as well as famed oceanographer and explorer Robert Ballard, credited with discovering the underwater wreckage of the Titanic.
Volunteer Opportunities:If you would like to volunteer for this event, please email our Community Partnerships Manager Dorothy Cardenas at:dcardenas@altasea.org with the subject: Volunteer.
Marine Science
Global ocean heat has hit a new record every single day for the last year (edition.cnn.com)
The world’s oceans have now experienced an entire year of unprecedented heat, with a new temperature record broken every day, new data shows. Global ocean surface temperatures started breaking daily records in mid-March last year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, fueling concerns for marine life and extreme weather across the planet.
Mote provides critical role for potential rescue of endangered smalltooth sawfish (mote.org)
Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is providing a critical role for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in their response effort to address smalltooth sawfish erratic behavior and mortality in the Florida Keys. Over the past few months, sightings of “spinning” fish have been reported in South Florida. Along with this abnormal behavior, there have also been reports of fish deaths, including 28 smalltooth sawfish as of March 24. Approximately 109 sawfish ranging from 10-14 feet in length have been affected.
Marine science: challenges for a growing ‘blue economy’ (chiefscientist.gov.au)
Why are our oceans important to us? How is our health, the health of the environment, the strength of our economy and indeed, our future, dependent on the seas? How can marine science help us, collectively, to sustainably develop our marine-based industries and at the same time protect our unique marine ecosystems so that they can be appreciated and enjoyed by future generations?
Revisions to Regulations Implementing the Endangered Species Act (fisheries.noaa.gov)
NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have finalized three rules that will:
Restore important protections for species and their habitats.
Strengthen the processes for listing species and the designation of critical habitat and consultation with other federal agencies.
Ensure a science-based approach that will improve both agencies’ ability to fulfill their responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act
These final rules demonstrate the agencies’ commitment to applying the best available science when implementing the Act.
Sustainable and Innovative Business
How small-scale seaweed farmers can have a huge impact (thefishsite.com)
Simon, you were once a busy chiropractor in Jakarta. How did you end up starting a seaweed business in Malaysia? I set off to take a two-year career break to sail across the Pacific from the Caribbean. Along the way, seeing all the destruction in the ocean – the overfishing, the pollution, and particularly, as I got deeper into Asia, how that linked up with remote communities and poverty – that’s really where it started for me.
By 2031, Long Beach’s waterfront could look almost unrecognizable. Here’s what’s planned (lbbusinessjournal.com)
The Port of Long Beach has plans to create a $4.7 billion wind turbine assembly facility to diversify operations and revenue beyond cargo movement. The proposed project includes a 400-acre terminal where thousands of workers would assemble turbines taller than the Eiffel Tower to help the state meet its offshore wind power goals. Work would begin in 2027, with the first portion of the facility expected to be operational by 2031.
Australis Aquaculture celebrates three years of Fair-Trade certification, adds pet treat product (seafoodsource.com)
Greenfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based barramundi producer Australis Aquaculture recently celebrated three years of partnership between its The Better Fish brand and the Fair-Trade USA Certification, representing one of the latter organization’s first aquaculture partnerships.
Biden administration approves the nation’s seventh large offshore wind project (renewableenergyworld.com)
Danish wind energy developer Ørsted and the utility Eversource plan to build a 924-megawatt project, Sunrise Wind, 30 miles east of Montauk, New York. They say the wind farm will power about 600,000 New York homes when it opens in 2026. This month, the companies opened the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm. The 12-turbine South Fork Wind is 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk. They announced their financial commitment to the Sunrise Wind project when the Interior Department issued its decision.
Want To Take Climate Action In LA? There’s An App For That (laist.com)
The climate crisis is so huge and overwhelming, it can be paralyzing to many of us. We all want to know that one thing that will really make the difference. But guess what? There’s an app for that. There’s of course no silver bullet to addressing the climate crisis, but a new app, Dashboard.Earth, aims to help users shake out of climate paralysis, take meaningful climate actions — and get rewarded for it.
Education
Preserving Tongva canoe revives Indigenous sustainable practices (dornsife.usc.edu)
The partnership between AltaSea and the Tongva connects the Indigenous practice of kelp forest cultivation to the research USC Dornsife Professor of Biological Sciences Sergey Nuzhdin conducts at his AltaSea-based aquaculture lab.
Blue Economy Program Teaches Fundamentals in Aquatic Energy, Conservation (suny.buffalo.edu)
While it’s common to hear about philosophies and movements around “going green,” or employing environmentally friendly practices to reduce our carbon footprints and protect our environment, there’s another color that should come to mind when thinking of ecology and sustainability: blue.
Aquaculture at SMC (youtube.com)
Industry feedback suggests that there is a significant need for the development of entry- and middle-skill workers for the burgeoning Blue Economy in Southern California, including the aquaculture industry. The target population for this program is students generally interested in the topics of aquaculture, food security and global food supply chains. The program emphasizes workforce preparation at the interface of global climate change and sustainability. With consideration for environmental change, additionally, this course addresses conservation and restoration practices for endangered species.
Journey Together Action Challenge (Algalita.org)
During the month of April, students can participate in the Journey Together Action Challenge to compete with their friends and classmates to make BIG Impact this Earth month. Students from across the globe are welcome to join in on the fun and the winning team will win $500.
