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This is a post-dive event. POC Alan Throop (925-577-7876). A tour of Sunflower Star Laboratory (SSL).
Join us after the Navigation Dive at San Carlos Beach on Saturday, September 14, at 4:00 at the Sunflower Star Laboratory (SSL) in Moss Landing, where Vince Christian will give us a tour of his lab where they are hatching and raising Sunflower Stars for reintroduction into the wild.
Vince spoke to us in July about his work to raise native-California sunflower stars for release into the wild within a few years. In 2013, a Sea Star Wasing Syndrome (SSWS) broke out our the Pacific Coast and caused the estinction of, particularly, the Sunflower Star. A top predator, it’s demise caused the explosion of it’s main prey, purple sea urchins, which in turn destroyed our kelp forest. While scientist are still trying to understand the source of SSWS, Vince started SSL as a non-profit to begin to hatch and raise the native species for eventual release into the wild. He modeled his work after similar work in Washington state. It’s a hard job – they had to learn how to breed, hatch, and feed the larvae, then to raise and feed them as they get older and larger. AND they only had a few adults left alive in a few aquariums that did not use Pacific seawater that was contaminated by the SSWS pathogen – basically in Oklahoma. More info at https://www.sunflowerstarlab.org/
Join us for the tour of SSL near 10930 Salmon Way, Moss Landing CA. The tour will begin at 4:00, so there will be plenty of time to enjoy the Navigation Dive at San Carlos Beach, before having lunch and meeting us at the Lab. There is a little parking near SSL but you may have to park at the Sandholdt Beach parking area (just to the left after you cross the bridge) and walk to the Lab.
Be sure to register for this separately from the Navigation Dive.
Be sure to include any guests so that I have a good count; email/text me if needed.