Calling All Citizen Scientists: Porpoise Sightings in San Francisco Bay

Marine biologists from Golden Gate Cetacean Research and San Francisco State University claim that harbor porpoises disappeared from San Francisco Bay some 65 years ago…but they’ve recently returned! Experts and spectators agree, this is good news, but with big mammal populations in decline worldwide, how has this occurred so near the city, what’s going on and why?

World War II Activity
San Francisco Bay was an inhospitable habitat for the porpoises before and during the war. The Bay Area served as a major ship-building center, naval yard and a busy port. In order to ward off enemy submarines, a seven-mile long net was strung across the inner waters and further out, hundreds of defensive mines were strategically placed.

Post-War Contamination
Following World War II, our nation’s lakes, rivers, estuaries and bays were severely polluted as industrial sewage was dumped without regulation. The waters of San Francisco Bay were polluted in the 50s and 60s to such a degree that rotten odors emanated from the area.

Clean Water Act of 1972
The beginning of the improvements came with the enactment of the Clean Water Act in 1972 under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This effort to restore, maintain, improve the quality of the nation’s waters was a significant milestone which is currently reaping ongoing benefits. Many can remember images of Lake Erie “on fire”, a dire illustration of the pollution levels in 1969 in the Ohio Cuyahoga River leading into this Great Lake.

Porpoises, dolphins and whales
According to Golden Gate Cetacean Research, a nonprofit organization, cetaceans is a term used to collectively mean porpoises, dolphins and whales. The group has called on members of the public to assist with sightings and identification of the harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Bay Area to determine more about their use of the habitat, breeding, whereabouts. A photo database has begun since September 2009; some of the sightings have been made from easily accessible locations, such as Crissy Field and the pedestrian walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge. Other recent sightings have included minke whales and bottlenose dolphins.

Report a sighting
For more information, how to identify markings and to report a sighting, contact project leader, William Keener, at [email protected]. There is also a rescue hotline to report any marine mammal that appears sick or injured. Information on membership in the American Cetacean Society is found on their website.

Sources:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
American Cetacean Society
Golden Gate Cetacean Research
BayNature.org
U.S. EPA, Clean Water Act
Cleveland Plain Dealer


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *