Long Beach officials took the extraordinary step Thursday of closing the 2.2-mile Boardwalk because of a rising number of coronavirus cases on the barrier beach and continuing foot traffic.

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. – Los Angeles may be famous for its beautiful beaches, but Los Angeles County is restricting access to all beaches, bike paths, promenades and piers in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“ROUND THEM UP AND BRING THEM TO THE LOCALS. LOTS OF SPARE ENERGY TO SORT THEM OUT!” Locals red with indignation etc.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Climate change is imperiling the world’s largest animals by increasing the likelihood of fatal collisions between whales and big ships that ply the same waters.

Closures issued at major surf spots to curb COVID-19 – from San Diego to Central California

Some members of the Newport Beach City Council want to harden the city’s coronavirus-related closures, including sealing off the boardwalks and nonresident access to Balboa Island — at least for the coming weekend.

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s closure of parking lots at state beaches and parks to reduce exposure to the coronavirus, the cities of Half Moon Beach and Pacifica will be closing all of its beach parking lots.

The coronavirus-related shelter at home is taking its toll on everyone in San Luis Obispo County, but things are looking especially bleak for coastal towns that rely heavily on tourism revenue for funding—revenue that is currently non-existent.

Tia Blanco isn’t used to being out of the ocean. The 22-year-old professional surfer can only recall one time she hasn’t surfed this long since she was 10—she was in New York City for a week for her sister’s graduation from New York University in 2016.

The Nordic Aquafarms company has advanced its plans to build a major aquaculture facility on Humboldt Bay to tentatively raise Atlantic salmon, which concerns the fishing industry locally and coastwide.

Officials in Santa Cruz County on Monday issued a statement urging travelers to avoid crowding the county’s beaches during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Just as it has almost every aspect of global society, the COVID-19 virus is having a massive effect on the sport fishing industry. We will see bait shops closing, harbors reducing services and severe limitations on charter boat operations during the next few weeks, at least.

A compilation of beach closure stories by CNT

There are strong reasons why citizens should oppose a new federal bureaucracy operating in our offshore waters. A recent editorial by Andrew Christie (“Keep the proposed marine sanctuary protections moving through the Legislature,” March 4) takes a very low road in attempting to dismiss the fact-based concerns of citizens and agencies over a sanctuary designation for our region.

In a sampling of fish from a creek that flows into San Diego Bay, nearly a quarter contain microplastics, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE. The study, which examined plastics in coastal sediments and three species of fish, showed that the frequency and types of plastic ingested varied with fish species and, in some cases, size or age of fish.

A parasite known only to be hosted in North America by the Virginia opossum is infecting sea otters along the West Coast. A study from the University of California, Davis, elucidates the sometimes surprising and complex pathways infectious pathogens can move from land to sea to sea otter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the first annual report on the progress made in mapping U.S. ocean, coastal and Great Lakes waters, the agency said in a release.

Morro Bay has long been home to a thriving oyster-farming business — where visitors can get them fresh farmed out of the bay in restaurants and fish markets.

It could take until at least 2032 before California reopens even the slightest season for abalone diving and hunting along the North Coast, where depleted stocks have shut the popular sport fishery since 2018.

Image source: The Californian Energy Commission (CEC) is seeking input on potential offshore wind development off the Central Coast of California

Overnight curfews set on Santa Cruz’s popular Main and Cowell beaches have been given formal approval for the coming five years by a state coastal oversight agency.

The Grand Princess cruise ship is getting prepared to leave the Port of Oakland, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Sunday in a press conference.

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those working to create a nuclear free world.

Scientists uncover yet another negative impact of climate change on the world’s oceans

SAN DIEGO — A new ocean protection plan sets out steps to safeguard California’s coast against rising seas, while shoring up public access and building coastal economies.

Oysters could one day be the answer to the complex question of how to protect California’s disappearing coastline.

Ateam of scuba-diving biologists on Wednesday released nearly 200 baby giant sea bass into the murky depths of Santa Monica Bay where the tiny, critically endangered fish could grow to be a quarter ton or more in size.

Offshore oil- and gas-drilling platforms are rich habitats for fish, and removing them completely would result in a loss of over 95% of fish biomass, new research has revealed.

A new ocean protection plan sets out steps to safeguard California's coast against rising seas, while shoring up public access and building coastal economies.

USC scientists and their colleagues have developed a model that estimates two different ways microbes will respond to warming oceans.

Supervisor Steve Madrone authors letter questioning decision

The existence of oil rigs off the coast of California has been a continuous issue in Santa Barbara over decades. Ever since a rig ruptured and spilled more than 80,000 barrels of oil off Santa Barbara in 1969, the disposition of offshore oil and gas drilling has spurred countless quarrels between oil companies and environmentalists.

An environmental group today announced that it may sue the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Coast Guard to protect endangered whales and sea turtles from being struck by ships accessing the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

In coastal communities prone to hurricanes and tropical storms, people typically turn to engineered solutions for protection: levees, sea walls and the like. But a natural buffer in the form of wetlands may be the more cost-effective solution, according to new research from the University of California San Diego.

Can a beach threatened by high tides, strong seas and erosion be saved?

The ChoanoVirus genome codes for rhodopsin, perhaps giving its choanoflagellate host extra energy-harvesting capabilities.

I savor every second I’m home in the Bay Area. I disconnect from my hectic life in Washington and trade it for uninterrupted time with family and friends, enormous $1 avocados at the farmers market, and as many hikes and beach trips as possible. I was due for a visit to Lands End, the rugged oceanside park within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the 82,027-acre expanse that includes many of the Bay Area’s most jaw-dropping landmarks and vistas. Exercise, trees and ocean views sounded like the perfect antidote to the East Coast winter. I was in dire need of some “vitamin sea.”

The rate of sea level rise is accelerating. Communities along the California coast are preparing for that eventuality. In Santa Cruz County, some are pushing back against the plans.