We are a group of scientists, community members,
environmental organizations, surfers, and beach workers dedicated to a
better understanding of the habits and habitats of beach-spawning
grunion, Leuresthes tenuis...
Grunion Season 2022
New Grunion Regulations Explained in
this post from CDFW and in
this article from Santa Monica Daily Press
We welcome your reports of grunion sightings. Click the link "REPORT
OBSERVATIONS" to download a PDF of the data form. Follow the
instructions to submit your report online at the same page after the run. Your reports from any beach are always very important, whether or not you see any fish.
Recent reports indicate that grunion populations have declined broadly across southern
California. Changes in seasonal fishing regulations were unanimously approved by the CA
Fish and Game Commission at their meeting February 16, 2022. Closed season will run from
April 1 through June 30, as it did originally in 1927. A bag limit of 30 fish per person
will be in place during open season, starting July 1, 2022. Gear restrictions (no gear
permitted) and license requirements for adults over the age of 15 years remain the same
as before.
THANKS to all the Grunion Greeters! Community scientists provided
the first and only long-term range-wide dataset for spawning grunion. Your efforts are
having impacts!
This scientific article from the ICES Journal of Marine Science uses Grunion Greeter citizen science data to track populations over time.
Watch Melissa's video to learn how best to observe the runs
These Fish Are All About Sex on the Beach. (Official Selection at the 2018 International Ocean Film Festival in San Francisco)
Hero of the Week
Los Angeles' KNX Newsradio named Dr. Karen Martin as their Hero of the Week. Give a listen!
Documentary
We have completed a short documentary, "Surf, Sand, and Silversides: the California Grunion."
Total running time of the documentary is 25 minutes. It has been the official selection for several film festivals, including the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, the Newport Beach Film Festival, Huntington Beach SoCal Film Festival, and the Toronto Beaches Film Festival. Awards include sound editing, International Wildlife Film Festival, and award of excellence for script from the Best Shorts Competition, and best short documentary from the Los Angeles City Cinema Festival.
Soundtrack by the Insect Surfers, California's favorite acid surf band.
National Geographic posted a video about the grunion using some of our footage.
See it here.
Announcements
Beach Ecology Coalition spring
meeting - The 18th Annual Winter Meeting of the Beach Ecology Coalition was held virtually in January, 2022.
This group is composed of beach managers, lifeguards, park rangers,
environmentalists, and coastal scientists. (more information). We hope to meet in person in spring of 2022.
NO TAKE of grunion is permitted during April and
May - The National
Marine Fisheries Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration define TAKE as: "to harass,
harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to
attempt to engage in any such conduct."
We encourage "observe and conserve" at all times.
No type of gear, traps, or nets is ever allowed for grunion. If you observe poaching or any violations of grunion fishing
regulations, such as use of gear or nets, please advise the California
Department of Fish and Game at this link,
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/protection.asp or call their hotline, 1-888-DFG-CALTIP(1-888-334-2258).
"The 2015 Refugio Beach Oil Spill." (2020)
By Martin, K. L. M., D. Witting, and R. Donohoe. Field and Laboratory Assessment of Injury to California Grunion Leuresthes tenuis. Appendix G-2, Refugio Beach Oil Spill Trustees (eds), Refugio Beach Oil Spill Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment. Prepared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Lands Commission, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Regents of the University of California, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The new book, "Beach-Spawning Fishes: Reproduction in an Endangered Ecosystem" by Dr. Karen Martin is
now available
in paperback or as an e-book here.
