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HomeMy WebLinkAbout22 - Corona Del Mar TidepoolsNovember 23, 1998 Council Agenda Item No. 22 TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council FROM: Timothy Riley, Fire and Marine Chief ILI SUBJECT: Corona Del Mar Tidepools RECOMMENDATION: • Receive and File, or • Direct staff to pursue one or more of the strategies outlined in this report. BACKGROUND: In 1968, a bill was signed in Sacramento to establish three Marine Life Refuges in California; two were located in Laguna Beach and one in Corona del Mar. The purpose of establishing these Marine Life Refuges was to protect and preserve the delicate sea life for the public to observe and study in its natural habitat. In considering possible locations for these Marine Life Refuges, certain criteria was desired. The reserve should possess outstanding biological characteristics, be free from man -made pollution, and public access should be available to the interested general public. The access to these Marine Life Refuge areas was not to be restricted, but patrolled and posted with signs to protect all marine life. Prior to establishing a protected area in Corona del Mar, local residents had expressed concern about destruction of sea life in the tidepools. By establishing the Marine Life Refuge, it was felt that the delicate sea life would now be protected. In 1968, with financial assistance from the State, the City produced 100,000 brochures describing the "three Orange County Marine Life Refuges" which were distributed to local school districts. Essentially, school groups from Orange, Riverside, and Los Angeles County are the ones that still visit the tidepools annually. Since then, the Marine Life Refuge has become a popular place for the local school children to travel on field trips and have the opportunity to observe and study tidepool life. Newport Beach Fire and Marine Preserve Officers are present to lecture, answer questions, and inform the public regarding the rules and regulations of the Marine Life Refuge. Because our tidepools have had such excellent sea life compared to the other Marine Life Refuges in the area, and are very accessible, we experience a large number of visitors on a yearly basis, (15,000 to 20,000 per year). Over the years, the Marine Environmental Division has drastically reduced the daily number of groups visiting and studying the sea life at the Corona del Mar Marine Life Refuge. We have now reduced the total number of group visitors to a maximum of 300 per day. Prior to this reduction, there were as many as 1,500 to 2,000 school children at the tidepools on a low tide day in the spring. We have been able to make this significant reduction through communication and cooperation with most local school teachers. This cooperation has been vital because this area is a public beach and under existing laws, we would be unable to deny access. Current Research by Orange Coast College and Cal State University, Fullerton The Marine Environmental Division has recently been apprised of what appears to be a significant loss in species diversity in the Corona del Mar Tidepools as compared to other similar tide pool areas. In some cases some species are missing completely. This information has come from studies prepared at Orange Coast College (OCC) and Cal State University, Fullerton (CSU) under the direction of Professor Dennis Kelly at OCC and Dr. Steven Murray at CSU. (Copies of the studies are on file with the Marine Environmental Division.) The studies suggest that the possible reasons for this deterioration include: (1) foot trampling of the animals and plants of this area by humans; (2) collecting of shells by people for hobby; (3) the ravaging of mussel beds and shell fish populations for bait used by fishermen; and (4) the collecting of intertidal creatures for direct food consumption by humans. Based on the above, Professor Kelly has proposed several strategies he feels might alleviate the problems as follows: A. Do nothing to restrict human access to Little Corona del Mar, but establish a panel of experts to assess the current condition of the ecosystem at Little Corona del Mar rocky intertidal via additional scientific research. The panel would later recommend action by the city based on their findings. B. Station a deputized officer at Little Corona del Mar (especially during daylight hours on days with significantly low tides) with instructions to remind people visiting the area what the rules are within the marine reserve. C. Control the access to Little Corona del Mar via gates at the top of the trail and increase the number of Marine Conservation Supervisors so that people visiting this area do so in the presence and under the supervision of a city employee who can teach them about the ecology and conservation of this area. D. Restrict all access to Little Corona del Mar for a period of at least two years by citizens, while additional scientific research is conducted to determine the state of deterioration of this habitat and whether or not it can exhibit signs of recovery. The Marine Environmental Division is currently implementing a modified version of suggestion B and has had limited success. Due to budget reduction in the past, we have reduced full tidal coverage during the year and would have to increase seasonal staffing levels to meet the level of staffing Professor Kelly recommends in his strategy B. Regarding strategy A, it is imperative to know as accurately as possible the current condition of this ecosystem and what's going on. The Marine Division would recommend working with Professor Kelly and Dr. Murray to determine the level of research needed and the costs involved to do this research and then report back to the City Council. This information could be important for planning additional action and may be essential if it becomes necessary to implement Professor Kelly's strategy C or D. If we choose to limit or restrict access, we would still need to determine if it could be done at the City level or would require some State legislation as well as determine the costs. This could be done concurrent with the implementation of suggestions A and B above, if the City Council so desires. n) SURFRIDER FOUNDATION Newport Beach Chapter Dennis O'Neil Newport Beach City Council Newport Beach, CA Dear Councilman O'Neil: Recent studies of the Little Corona tide pools show an alarming loss in the number and diversity of marine life specimens found in the area. One factor, believed to be the major factor, is that people take specimens from this marine refuge, even though this is proscribed. yl'hen the State of California designated the marine preserves, it placed responsibility for them under the Department of Fish &; Game. For a variety of reasons the DFG has abdicated its role. The City of Newport Beach has stepped in; initiating a program through the Marine Department, but it pro--ides only limited coverage for Little Corona and is insufficient, given the severity of the problem. Studies by Dr. Steven Murray of CSUF document an alarming amount of predation in local preserves: fishers removing mussels for bait; individuals removing various mollusks for food; others taking samples for aquariums; and people of all ages trampling algae and removing shells by the handful. Almost any, visit to Little Corona will substantiate this. The result is shown in the annual studies of the tide pools conducted by Dennis Kelly of OCC - -a steady decline in the numbers and diversity of specimens. As a preserve, Little Corona isn't presetving. With more and more people utilizing our beaches, the problem will only worsen without some kind of action, and these tidal areas, which provide shelter for innumerable marine animaLs dining some part of their life cycle, will become deserts. To rectiiv the situation, our chapter recommends the closure of the tide pool areas, beginning at the south end of Little Corona and continuing to the State Park, for a period not to exceed five years. This would mean no public acess (with the exception of limited scientific activity) in those particular areas. However, there would slffi be full access to the sandy part of the beach and the water. Also; the rocky area at the north end of the beach extending to Big Corona would remain open, providing both the beach and the tidepool experience to visitors. Closure is not an elitist proposal. The Surfrider Foundation has been in the forefi•ont of maintaining public access to our beaches, but the time has come when we have to evaluate how we can best balance this access with the need to protect the health of our more sensitive marine areas. For some tine, we have recognized the need to control the P.O. Box 7842, Newporf Beach, CA 92658 -7842 (949) 673 -0706 Little Corona, p. 2 number of people and the way they use our terrestrial parks. It is time to put the same principles into play for our marine refuges. By closing the tide pool area, we will be able to conduct a scientific study that will provide the kind of hard data we need to formulate those principles. We realize that there is a great deal involved in such a step since it is not something the City can do unilaterally. It is not, however, a problem limited to one marine preserve. In taking the lead in this issue, the City will be setting an example for the entire state. As "The Economist" magazine stated recently, we "must put aside ideas of the sears immensity and power, and instead take stewardship of the ocean, with all the privileges and responsibilities that implies." Our chapter is ready to put all of our resources at the service of the City to accomplish these things as they relate to our marine preserve. We urge the Council to pass a resolution for closure as the first step. Sincere _ , Nancj Gar Steering Committee cc: City Council Acting City Manager Tim Riley Tony Melum