The Pacific Fisheries Management Council instituted Rockfish Conservation Areas in 2002 in response to several species of valuable rockfish being designated "overfished." Learn about what they are, and what has changed in 14 years since the closure went into effect and what the future may hold for these long lived and tasty fish.

West Coast Rockfish Conservation Areas

Ocean  Currents is hosted by Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary on KWMR, community radio for West Marin in Northern California. The show hosts ocean experts about research, management issues, natural history, and stewardship associated with marine environment, especially in our National Marine Sanctuaries.

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Show host Jennifer Stock provides a brief update about Ocean Currents program on pause due to COVID.

Ocean Currents sheltering in place during Covid

While solutions and efforts to reduce carbon emissions continue to build and expand, they are primarily land based. Guest Mansi Konar of the World Resource Institute shares how the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy analyzed ocean based solutions to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the "emissions gap" while at the same time providing co-benefits for sustainable development goals.

The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change: Five Opportunities for Action

1st half of show: Dr. Jarrod Santora of NOAA of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center talks about the cascading effects of a marine heatwave on whale prey, whale feeding, Dungeness crab season and whale entanglements and discusses new tools and collaborations to proactively address future marine heatwaves to minimize negative impacts to species. On the 2nd half of the show Dr. Melinda Connors, a conservation ecologist at SUNY Stony Brook discusses the amazing information bio loggers placed on albatrosses can tell us about not only their lives, but about activities on the high seas. Could they be  defacto law enforcement on the high seas?

1st half: Ocean heat waves link to whale entanglements: future management implications and 2nd half: Can Albatrosses work as defacto law enforcement on the high seas?

Recorded live from the E/V Nautilus, hear from marine scientists/explorers while at sea on an exploration mission of Cordell Bank and Greater Farallones national marine sanctuaries.

Broadcast live from the E/V Nautilus:Ocean Currents reporting from afar!

January in Point Reyes means elephant seals are on the beaches.  Marine mammals that spend months away from shore and sometimes in our local CA national marine sanctuaries, but as far away as Russia and Hawaii make their way back annually to pup and breed. Dr. Sarah Allen shares some updates and new science about these amazing deep divers.

West Coast Rockfish Conservation Areas

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