Fish Harbor
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Fish Harbor is located in the inner harbor and has a long commercial fishing history. It is the home of the Southern California Marine Institute (SCMI) a non-profit marine research and education laboratory that supports 25 major universities, colleges, and non-profit environmental groups in Southern California.
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Habitats Located at Fish Harbor:
Located in the basin of the inner harbor, habitats in Fish Harbor include muddy seafloor, pilings, riprap, and pelagic habitat.
Seafloor
The seafloor in basins is comprised of mostly muddy sediments with some small patches of eelgrass on shallow slopes near the shoreline. Common animals here include gobies, shrimp, lobsters, and animals that burrow into the sediments such as worms and small clams.
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Pelagic
The pelagic zone is the open-water areas in the basins away from the shoreline. Common animals here include topsmelt, anchovies, waterfowl, sea lions, harbor seals and the occasional dolphin.
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Riprap
Riprap in the harbor is widespread on rocky embankments and under piers to provide stabilization to the shoreline. Oysters and coralline algae are commonly found on riprap, as well as sessile invertebrates like tube worms, sea squirts, and barnacles.
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Pilings
Piling habitat in the inner harbor is widespread due to the many marinas and marine terminals. Communities on pilings vary with tidal zone, with barnacles and oysters common in the upper intertidal, while macroalgae, mussels, scallops, and sponges are more common in the lower intertidal and subtidal.
Select button for more!What Lives Here?
Fish Harbor is an enclosed basin uniquely located near the outer harbor, and the entrance to Fish Harbor has kelp and eelgrass habitat along the shorelines. Further inside the basin, the habitats look more similar to inner harbor areas with silty, muddy seafloor habitats and communities anchored on the pilings lining the shoreline. This mix of habitats makes Fish Harbor communities diverse and abundant, with fish, invertebrates, marine mammals, and birds all common throughout. Select the images below to learn about Fish Harbor.
Port Observing Shore Station Element
Student and online visitors to SCMI can get a sneak peek at the Port Observing Shore Station Element (POSSE) sharing real-time water and weather monitoring in the heart of the Port. The POSSE was funded by the Ports Community Investment Grant Program.
