City of Encinitas
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Coastal Ecology and Conservation
The City of Encinitas is proud of its coastal resources and manages programs that support their conservation.
Swami's State Marine Conservation Area
Marine protected areas are the oceanic equivalent of state and national parks. They are scientifically proven to promote the restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity which help increase the ocean's resilience to pollution and climate change. The City of Encinitas is home to Swami's State Marine Conservation Area. This protected area sustains multiple habitats which include kelp forests, surf grass beds, and rock reefs which support a variety of fish and invertebrate species. During low tide, visitors can observe tide pool dwellers such as anemones, brittle stars, sea hares, and octopi. To ensure the continued success of this ecosystem, the take of all living marine resources from this area is strictly prohibited, except the recreational take of finfish by hook-and-line from the shore only and the take of pelagic finfish including pacific bonito and white seabass by spearfishing (CA Department of Parks and Recreation).
Beacon's Beach Coastal Bluff Landscape Restoration Project
Beacon's Beach Coastal Bluff Landscape Restoration is a current project that exemplifies the balance of habitat protection with recreational opportunities. The primary objective of the project is to stabilize the bluff using native vegetation to protect the access trail at this popular beach destination. The restoration of native plant species will have the twofold benefit of reducing bluff top erosion and increasing habitat area. The restoration plan includes a pilot project testing the use of washed up kelp to enhance natural dune formation. Long term monitoring plans include citizen science opportunities to increase engagement and stewardship in the community. For more details on this project, please review the Beacon's Beach Coastal Bluff Landscape Restoration plan.
Grunion Run Anyone?
The California Grunion is a thin silvery fish that is part of the new world silversides family. They are known for their unique spawning process which occurs each year from March to September. During spawning events, known as grunion runs, masses of fish come ashore to lay their eggs in the wet sand. They are the only fish species to lay eggs completely out of the water. This unique ritual can create a magical spectacle with thousands of fish coming ashore at once. Runs are dependent on tide conditions and can be predicted years in advance. Although the exact population of grunion is unknown, a downward trend has been detected in recent years due to beach erosion, development, and pollution. Researchers rely on observations from the community to help assess the health of the species.
Get involved with citizen science, help a locally threatened species, and have fun by participating in a grunion run! Check out this CA Fish and Wildlife page to lean more about grunions and see a comprehensive table of grunion run dates. The grunion may show up at any sandy beach but Cardiff State Beach and Ponto State Beach have historically had the best turn out. Download a form and report observations at http://grunion.org/sighting.asp.