Greater Farallones Association

Happy Jellyfish Friday! This is a Brown sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens), commonly found in central California, including within NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, during winter months. Their "mouth arms" can reach up to 15ft in length, allowing them to entangle their food in the drifting waters. Their tentacles sting, so don't try to touch them if you happen to encounter one! Sea turtles love a jellyfish snack, but can mistake a plastic bag for one,... another reason to go reusable! __________________________ Photo Credit: Steve Lonhart / NOAA MBNMS

Happy Winged Wednesday! The waters of NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary are home to 13 breeding species of seabirds and we’re going to introduce you to all of them and their seabird ‘superpower’. Up next, the tufted puffin! If tufted puffins had a superpower it would be multitasking. Tufted puffins have a raspy sandpaper tongue and spines on the roof of their mouth that allow them to catch more than one fish on each dive. This adaptation gives them the abil...ity to dive, swim, hunt, fly--all while carrying up to 20 fish at the same time! This superpower allows them to efficiently bring fish to their offspring, without wasting energy on multiple trips. ______ Photo: USFWS. Image description: black bird with a white face, bright orange beak, and feather tufts behind its eyes with many small silver fish sticking out of its beak.

That Monday morning feeling... Photo: Pat Morris (Steller sea lion on Año Nuevo Island)

Field Day! Doing some rocky intertidal monitoring with our LiMPETS team, Rosemary and Tyler, at the gorgeous Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) LiMPETS stands for Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Trainings for Students, and is one of our most beloved education programs! Our talented teachers get to take students out for a real life, hands on educational experience through beach and intertidal ecological monitoring and data entry ... Students get the unique opportunity to learn about the biodiversity of algae and invertebrates in the field where they can see the weird and wonderful sea creatures for themselves! Remember to always check the regulations before visiting a Marine Protected Area or SMCA! Currently we are operating virtually with students, but head to our website to learn more about our LiMPETS Monitoring and see how your classroom can get involved! https://farallones.org/ _______________ Photo Credit: Olivia Johnson/GFA

The intertidal zone is full of fascinating invertebrates that thrive in an ever-changing environment. As tides come and go, these formidable animals are exposed to the sun, sand, wind, and sea. Many of them have adapted interesting features to tolerate these conditions. Among them are chitons! Chitons are a type of mollusk that are adapted to living on hard rock surfaces. They have a strong muscular foot that they use to clamp down on the rocks. There, they will be safely ...attached even amid strong tides and other intertidal elements. Did you know, chitons can live for 20 years or more?! All the more reason to be careful as we tidepool. If you're out at the shore among the rocks, watch where you step so you don't disturb these long-living mollusks, and other intertidal invertebrates! Learn about our intertidal monitoring program, LiMPETS Monitoring, in partnership with NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary: https://farallones.org/limpets/ ______ Photo: Steve Lonhart, NOAA MBNMS; blue-lined chiton (Tonicella undocaerulea)

Not feeling that #MondayMotivation? These elephant seals are right there with you. Snooze button anyone?

Happy Fish Friday This Scarlet kelpfish (Gibbonsia montereyensis) is patiently waiting for the weekend, camouflaging among the coralline algae till it comes. This species of kelpfish can typically be found in nearshore areas from British Columbia to Baja, Mexico, including within NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. _______________________... Photo credit: Steve Lonhart / NOAA MBNMS See more

It's Thankful Thursday and we're so grateful for invertebrates like the Spiny brittle star (Ophiothrix spiculata). Being one of the most mobile echinoderms out there, the brittle star is very agile and can be found in a variety of habitats including kelp forests, rocky reefs, and sandy areas. Though closely related to sea stars, the brittle star is distinct in its morphology with their flexible, skinny arms. They can often be found in large concentrations from Central Califo...rnia all the way South to Peru. ______________________ Photo credit: Steve Lonhart / NOAA MBNMS

Happy Winged Wednesday!

Welcome to Winged Wednesday! What do seabirds do for New Years? Fatten up! Seabirds, like this common murre, forage in the sheltered waters of the inner Gulf of the Farallones in winter to build their fat reserves before the start of breeding season. Check out the sand lance this common murre has in its beak. To learn more about California seabirds and what Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary is doing to help seabirds thrive, visit http://farallones.noaa.gov/eco/se...abird/ (Photo: Sarah Schoen, USGS. Image description: black and white seabird floating on the ocean surface with a silver fish hanging out of its beak.)

Happy Marine Life Monday! Nudibranchs come in many shapes and colors, but only one resembles household decor. Meet the aptly-named shag-rug nudibranch (Aeolidia papillosa)! This tiny sea slug typically grows to around 5 cm and can be found on the rocky seafloor as deep as 3,000 feet down! They are home along the west coast from Baja California, Mexico to Alaska, including in NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Fun fact: A key food source for nudibranchs are... anemones, which have stinging cells. After consuming an anemone, nudibranchs can store those stinging cells to use as their own defense against predators! Learn more about sea life in the sanctuary: https://farallones.org/sanctuary-wildlife/ _____ Photo: Steve Lonhart / NOAA MBNMS

2020 has been a very tough year. We just want to say how grateful we are for our ocean-loving community and for your continued dedication to protecting marine life. Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2021. We hope some of our favorite photos of sea life being silly bring a smile to your face as you ring in the new year. .... . #NYE #GreaterFarallones #MarineLife #OceanProtection ______ Photos: Dru Devlin, GFA/GFNMS (California sea lion); Robert Schwemmer, NOAA CINMS (Black-footed Albatross); Bob Wilson, GFA (California sea lion mother with pup); Jenny Erbes, PRBO (plover chick); Chad King, NOAA (wolf eels); Peter Bryant, GFA (mole crab)

This killer whale calf sticks close to mom, riding her wake to keep up. Fish-eating Southern Resident killer whales visit Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in winter to forage. Back home in the Salish Sea 900 miles away, chinook salmon has all but disappeared. Hope lies in the waters of Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo Credit: NOAA. Image description: baby killer whale surfacing from water and spouting next to mom with dorsal fin sticking out of the water.)

Happy Fish Friday! Did you know that the Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is the largest known bony fish in the world?! If you're lucky enough to spot one of these unique fish out in the open ocean, you'll be able to understand just how immense their presence is. They can grow to 9ft in length and 14ft in height, and weigh in at 2.5 tons. Sun fish are found in tropical and temperate waters around the world, including NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. ___________...________________ Photo credit: Jennifer Stock / NOAA CBNMS See more

LAST CHANCE TO DOUBLE YOUR DONATION! We have almost reached our year-end fundraising goal! Please help us make it all the way. THIS YEAR, a long-time supporter has pledged to donate $25,000 if we can raise another $25,000 by December 31st. Your support will help us protect endangered whales from ship strikes, reduce disturbances to breeding seabirds, restore and enhance critical coastal habitats that countless animals depend on, and so much more. ... THANK YOU for helping us protect our local ocean. Your donation really goes a long way in helping us safeguard one of the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on the planet! DONATE TODAY: https://farallones.org/give-a-gift-today/

Showing appreciation for the radiant and fascinating invertebrates that exist in California's coastal waters on this Thankful Thursday! This Fish-eating anemone (Urticina crassicornis) doesn't just catch your eye, but can catch small fish and other small invertebrates in its tentacles. From Alaska to La Jolla, including within NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, these anemones exist in intertidal zones and rocky reefs. They capture their prey using the nem...atocysts on their tentacles, which contain venomous threads that paralyze their victims. __________________________ Photo credit: Chad King / NOAA MBNMS

Now those are some eyebrows! Congratulations to the Sanctuary Life 1st Place winner, Jon Anderson! This beautiful yellowfin fringehead lives amongst the reefs in NOAA's Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary adding to the vibrancy and diversity of this special place. Check out the other photo contest winners by heading to https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/photo-contest.html (Photo: Jon Anderson Photography. Image description: A dark speckled fish with branching structures near its eyes pokes its head out from red bryozoan.)

Happy Marine Life Monday! Humpback whales are among the most vocal whale in the world! These amazing mammals communicate through songs that can be heard thousands of miles away. Join us in celebrating these gentle giants at the upcoming Virtual Humpback Whale Soirée on Nov. 14th! ... Details and free registration at https://farallones.org/events/

Whale falls are S P O O KY but fascinating (and important)! The organisms feeding on the body of this decaying whale are here to wish you an early Happy Halloween! When a whale dies at sea, its body sinks to the seafloor. Whale falls serve as an important food source for animals from large sharks to small worms and can feed communities for years to decades (!). Listen to sanctuary scientists as they discover this incredible spooky sight. ... To learn more, and to download an informational poster about whale falls, visit the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries website: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/magazine/5/whale-fall/

Happy Halloweekend and Fish Friday! This Coralline sculpin (Artedius corallinus) has its costume on and is ready to celebrate Coralline sculpin are excellent at hiding from predators, their colors help them camouflage among the rocky shores, sea grasses, and tide pools where they inhabit. They can be found from Washington down to Baja, including along the shores of NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. ________________________... Photo credit: Steve Lonhart / NOAA MBNMS See more

Here is a teeny tiny Western Spiny Brittle Star (Ophiothrix spiculata) to brighten up your Wednesday

Happy Marine Life Monday! Are you still looking for Halloween inspiration? Look no further! The common fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta), is always dressed for Halloween. These fish are usually found at depths of 500-2,000 meters. They grow to lengths of about 7 inches and have a very distinct appearance with a large, bony head, a small eye, and mouth filled with sharp fangs! They feed on crustaceans when they are young and on other fish as they mature. In turn, they are preyed upon by larger fish such as albacore, tuna, and marlin. They sometimes swim solo, but are often found in small groups- talk about a spooky school! (Photo Credit: Jonathan Whitney, NOAA)

Here is a Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) to celebrate Fish Friday This species of rockfish is commonly found in Northern California, including within the waters of NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, residing within kelp forests and sandy and rock bays. They are an important part of the coastal food web, where both juveniles and adults serve as prey for larger rockfish, marine mammals, birds, lingcod, and sharks. _______________________... Photo credit: Steve Lonhart / NOAA MBNMS See more

It's Thankful Thursday and we're showing some love for the under appreciated beach wrack that washes up on our Sanctuary beaches! Wrack consists of sea grasses, kelp, and an assortment of other natural materials that ends up on shorelines after bring dislodged from nearshore sub-tidal areas. It provides shelter and nourishment for many organisms within sandy beach communities, and is essential for coastal food webs. This particular pile of wrack is primarily made up of Bull ...kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) and can be seen along many of NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary beaches. __________________ Photo credit: Steve Lonhart / NOAA MBNMS

Fall marks a magical transition in NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Winds weaken, waves subside, waters warm. The islands fall silent as post-breeding seabirds leave to forage at sea. Elephant seals haul out to molt and grow new skin, and white sharks prowl the waters. (Photo: Frank Balthis, FWS)

California recently became the first state in the nation to pledge to conserve 30 percent of land and coastal water by 2030, joining 38 countries in commitment to conservation. This exciting news announced earlier this month will support novel approaches to clean air and water to support California’s unique biodiversity. Greater Farallones Association is already doing its part working toward wetlands restoration to protect coastal areas one of the key tenants of the 30 by ...30 effort. Our work to restore and protect the internationally recognized wetland of importance, Bolinas Lagoon, helps us build a resilient coastal ecosystem. Our work to recover bull kelp forest in Northern California is key to ensuring our coastline can weather climate change impacts. The waters within Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary are rich in biodiversity and an abundance of marine life. We work to protect this amazing place, and we’re happy to see a statewide push to complement our efforts. Learn more about our work at Greater Farallones Association: https://farallones.org/

Happy Marine Life Monday! Velcro stars (Stylasterias forreri) are large sea stars that can grow to have a diameter of up to 39 inches. They are named velcro stars because they are sticky to the touch due to their pedicellariae (small pincer-shaped appendage on the surface of the star), which grip your skin when you touch them. The stars use these appendages for capturing food (including small fish!) as potential meals pass by and come in contact with the star. After grabbing a meal with their pedicellariae, the stars use their tube feet to pass the food to their mouths. They are also used for defense. Velcro stars will wrap their arms around an attacker and nip it thousands of times, often causing a retreat and allowing a successful escape for the star that was in a sticky situation! (Photo: Steve Lonhart, NOAA, MBNMS)

It's Thankful Thursday and we're paying respect to Deep-sea corals! Seen here are the beautiful and brightly colored Orange hydroids (Garveia annulata) and Strawberry anenome (Corynactis californica). Formations such as this one, covered in vibrant invertebrates and surrounded by rock fish, can be found off the California coast within NOAA's Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and NOAA's Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. These reef assemblages form complex eco...systems that provide habitat and food for benthic fish communities. ________________________ Photo credit: Joe Hoyt / NOAA CBNMS