| Project Description |
Project Dates: Summer 1994 |
The Southern California Bight (SCB) is a valuable natural resource that contributes to the local economies of the region and enhances the quality of life for those who work in, live in or visit the area. Human uses of the coastline and ocean waters of the Bight include recreation, tourism, aesthetic enjoyment, sport and commercial fishing, coastal development, and industry. Ocean-dependent activities contribute approximately $9 billion to the economies of coastal communities surrounding the SCB and support over 175,000 jobs.
Recognizing the need for integrated assessment of the southern California coastal ocean, 12 government organizations, including the 4 largest municipal wastewater dischargers and the 5 agencies regulating discharges in southern California, collaborated to conduct a comprehensive regional monitoring survey in 1994. Called the Southern California Bight Pilot Project (SCBPP), the survey’s primary objective was to assess the spatial extent and magnitude of ecological disturbances on the mainland continental shelf of the SCB and to describe relative conditions among different regions of the SCB.
Monitoring Objectives
- Assess the spatial extent of contaminant accumulation in sediments and the effect of these contaminants on biota in the SCB
- Assess the relative condition of specific areas of interest within the Bight. These included areas influenced by ports, marinas, sewage treatment plant outfalls, and land-based runoff
Survey Area - Sampling Locations for Pilot Project 1994
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