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Pacific Ocean off California coast turning into desert-like dead zone

pacific-ocean-off-california-coast-turning-into-desert-like-dead-zone

It's anyone's guess why temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are heating up off the coast of Southern California. Is a natural El Niño effect occurring, or is there something more sinister happening under the blue ocean waters?

Off the coast of California, drastic signs of a rapidly changing Pacific Ocean are cropping up. Warmer currents have forced species of fish away from the coast. A massive fish migration, coupled with typical overfishing, has led to dwindling populations of key species like sardines, oysters, shellfish, scallops and krill. As the aquatic species move away from the coast in search of a better habitat, the sentinel California sea lion population is suffering. In fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that more than 3,000 sea lion pups have become stranded in 2015. The Marine Mammal Center is sending out veterinarians to rescue the stranded sea lions so they can be nursed back to health.

Shawn Johnson, head veterinarian for the Marine Mammal Center, reported in March: "We're having a tsunami of sea lions… it's been incredible." Johnson says the most devastated areas are in southern California, and they are finding emaciated sea lions on practically every beach. "The lucky ones are making it to the beaches where we can find them," Johnson reports. "The biologists out on the rookeries are saying that a whole cohort of these pups, thousands and thousands, are not surviving," he said.

Record number of sea lions pups being rescued as their food disappears

It's very unusual to see the pups alone in the winter months. They aren't usually left alone until early summer. According to experts, the parent pups are embarking on longer journeys just to find food. The NOAA reports that May 2015 could become the worst month on record, with 215 rescued in the first five days of the month.

Justin Viezbicke of the NOAA says, "The main contributing factor that we're looking at right now and talking about with the biologists and climatologists on the Channel Islands [a major sea lion rookery] is the lack of upwelling. We haven't had the strong north winds that drive the currents that create it, and because it hasn't materialized – it's moved the prey further and deeper from the moms that are foraging."

Laura Scherr of the Marine Mammal Center adds that the pups are more vulnerable to parasites and pneumonia than ever before. "They're coming in very emaciated – really just a bag of bones near death," she reports.

Experts shocked as California coast becomes like a desert dead zone

One of the most telling signs that a dangerous shift has occurred is in the appearance of the waters just off the coast. The experts are worried about the emergence of crystal clear waters. These clear, shimmering blue waters indicate that the ocean is becoming a desert land void of life.

The NOAA reports that the waters are becoming so transparent that it's possible to see the sandy bottom below, and that's not a good thing. As life migrates away from the coast, parent sea lion pups are leaving for up to a week at a time to find food. Bewildered pups end up on the shore, frail and disoriented. Viezbicke believes the problem is a regional one and not indicative of larger patterns of global warming. Even as rescue centers are overwhelmed, Viezbicke says the massive die-off is all part of a natural cycle and thinks that the sea lions are a victim of their own success.

Nevertheless, the NOAA plans to continue studying the travesty as researchers look for deeper, underlying problems like infectious diseases and algal blooms. While investigating further, could these regional ocean changes be sparked by the first waves of radioactivity that have leaked out into the Pacific from the infamous Fukushima explosion? As the NOAA witnesses the California coast morphing into a desert-like dead zone, could this really be repercussions of radioactive waters?

Written by L.J. Devon (Natural News)

Featured image: California beach by Franco Folini (CC – Flickr)

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10 Comments

  1. the poles are shifting making us warmer than normal. we could end up becoming subtropical complete with deserts. this happens normally every so many years.

  2. The Koch Bros and the Fossil Fuel Industry, have spent Millions on Legislators, Regulators, and the Judicial System, to continue Poisoning Our Air, Water, and Soil.

    The Global Warming, Sea Level Rising, Fossil Fuel Energy Policies, that Globally emitted 40 – 50 Billion Toxic Tons of Carbon, of that the United States emitted 6.8 Billion Toxic Tons, and leads the charge to Frack the Globe.

    Right Now we have 404 parts per million of carbon in our atmosphere.

    The Jet Stream of Old, is Gone.

    There is No Carbon Budget, each Toxic Ton we emit, is Warming the Planet.

    The past Five years have Global record temps steadily increasing.

    Northwest Pacific Ocean, 3 – 6 degrees Warmer than Normal,

    “At just 0.80C of Global Warming, the World is Already experiencing Climate Change.

    West Antarctica and Greenland Calving.

    Arctic 75% gone and melting, with severe consequence for the Future Stability of the Permafrost, and Frozen Methane Stores, as Ice Sheets retreat the Earrths Reflective Power Decreases.

    In reality 2C is the boundary between Dangerous and Very Dangerous Climate Change and a 1C is warmer than any Human Civilization has Experienced” David Spratt

    In the 1850s parts per million of carbon was 260 – 280.

    Whales, Dolphins, Sea Lions, Starfish, Die Off along the Western Coast of the Pacific Ocean over the past year . Ocean Acidity levels climbing, Mercury 3x more than the start of the Century.

    “Ice sheets contain enormous quantities of frozen water. If the Greenland Ice Sheet melted, scientists estimate that sea level would rise about 6 meters (20 feet). If the Antarctic Ice Sheet melted, sea level would rise by about 60 meters (200 feet).” National Snow and Ice Data Center.

    When will Sea Level Rise to 220 – 300 Feet ? 2020 ? 2025 ? ?

    California emitted 459 Toxic Tons of Carbon Dioxide in 2014.

    Gov Browns call to reduce this to 1990 levels so we can continue to emit over 400 million Toxic Tons a year, will not help us stop or slow down Global Warming and Sea Levels Rising.

    “Updates to the 2020 Limit.
    Calculation of the original 1990 limit approved in 2007 was revised using the scientifically updated IPCC 2007 fourth assessment report (AR4) global warming potentials, to 431 MMTCO2e. Thus the 2020 GHG emissions limit established in response to AB 32 is now slightly higher than the 427 MMTCO2e in the initial Scoping Plan.” Ca. Gov. Data

    We Need 100% Renewable Energies .

    No Twin Tunnels, Save the Delta, this Fragile Eco-System is a measurement of our commitment to bring in Sustainable Energy Policies.

    Cap and Trade Phased Out.

    75% Airport reduction in Carbon emissions.

    Close Diablo (All) Nuclear Power Plant, and relocate All Nuclear Waste above 2,000 feet.

    Ban Fracking

    Close All Golf Courses, Unless on Gray Water

    Close all 108, for profit, Water Bottling Plants in California

    Implement a California Residential and Commercial Feed in Tariff.

    California Residential Feed in Tariff would allow homeowners to sell their Renewable Energy to the utility, protecting our communities from Poison Water, Grid Failures, Natural Disasters, Toxic Natural Gas and Oil Fracking.

    Our California Residential Feed-In Tariff should start out at 16 cents per kilowatt hour, 5 cents per kilowatt hour to the Utility for use of the Grid, 11 cents per kilowatt hour going to the Home Owner.

    A California Commercial FiT in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, an Sacramento Ca. are operating NOW, paying the Business Person 17 cents cents per kilowatt hour.

    Sign and Share this petition for a California Residential Feed in Tariff.
    http://signon.org/sign/let-california-home-owners

  3. This worries me,but not that I’m a Global-Warming Alarmist;its something more mundane.
    Its the possibility of fertilizer run-off…,it causes excessive algae/seaweed blooms,they then die-off because of their un-natural food source being depleted;then bacterial growth&fermentation use up all of the free oxygen.Fish then die off,causing disruptions
    in the food-chain…,leading to this present catastrophe.Solution?Better control of wastewater treatments/runoff.We can’t dispense w/utilizing chemical fertilizers,it could cause higher food prices/possibly even famine.We only have this one world,lets better take care of it!

  4. This worries me,but not that I’m a Global-Warming Alarmist;its something more mundane.
    Its the possibility of fertilizer run-off…,it causes excessive algae/seaweed blooms,they then die-off because of their un-natural food source being depleted;then bacterial growth&fermentation use up all of the free oxygen.Fish then die off,causing disruptions
    in the food-chain…,leading to this present catastrophe.Solution?Better control of wastewater treatments/runoff.We can’t dispense w/utilizing chemical fertilizers,it could cause higher food prices/possibly even famine.We only have this one world,lets better take care of it!

    1. Thanks Alex. There is a lot of warming in the waters in the Pacific Ocean west of the U.S. and Central America. Given that heat rises, my theory is that the heat source is more than the idea that heat is purely ‘trapped’ in currents because of atmospheric conditions. Heat in waters, in my mind, must also be coming from a depth – such as considerable volcanic activity – given the behaviour of the Pacific plates at the moment. The properties given off in volcanic plumes and vents contain natural chemicals and other products which can change the nature of the environment. Some of these products can be counterproductive to a healthy and ‘stable’ marine environment…..just my amateur thoughts 😉

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