Panetta Announces Federal Grant for the University of California, Santa Cruz

SALINAS, CA – Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) announced that the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will receive a federal grant totaling $136,647 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funds will be used to produce forecasts of ocean conditions along the entirety of the West Coast of the United States, delivering predictions up to a year in advance. The University will use this capability for marine animal management, and to advise fisheries on what areas are likely to yield the best catch of targeted species.

"With the help of this federal grant, UCSC will improve the management and sustainability of fish stocks off of the central coast of California," said Congressman Panetta. "This investment in research will help economies up and down the West Coast that rely on strong fisheries by ensuring they are spending their time and resources on species they want to catch while protecting other marine species."

"The end product of this work will be a tool that predicts when and where fishers are most likely to catch the fish they want to catch, while also avoiding bycatch of non-targeted species including turtles, sharks, and sea lions," said Michael Jacox, Physical & Biological Scientist in University of California, Santa Cruz's Institute of Marine Sciences.