2021 Humboldt Bay Symposium:  Sustainable Blue Economy
September 28-30, Online

Eureka, CA, Sept. 4, 2021 – The 2021 Humboldt Bay Symposium will be held online this year on September 28–30 from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm each day. This year’s Symposium, “Sustainable Blue Economy,” will feature sessions on blue carbon, sea-level rise, ecology and restoration, sediment, ocean science, and proposed and ongoing economic development in and around Humboldt Bay. Held every 2 or 3 years, the Symposium is a long-standing local tradition that provides the public an opportunity to engage directly with scientists, managers, and other experts to learn about the latest developments on a variety of current issues related to Humboldt Bay.

The Symposium is open to everyone and while registration is required, the Symposium is FREE. We do request that non-student attendees consider a donation of $10 or more to our fiscal sponsor, the Coastal Ecosystems Institute of Northern California. To register and donate please go to the Symposium website: https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/events/2021-humboldt-bay-symposium-sustainable-blue-economy 

Program Highlights

On Tuesday, September 28th, the morning session will focus on the impact of climate change on Humboldt Bay watersheds and estuaries, sediment management challenges and opportunities, geomorphic responses to changes in eelgrass cover, salt marsh erosion and retreat, and carbon storage and implications in restoration.

The session on Tuesday afternoon will delve into research on longfin smelt, bull kelp, kelp recovery efforts, eelgrass and wasting disease monitoring, unmanned aerial systems and remote sensing methods, as well as collaborative landscape-level conservation in Humboldt Bay and an update on the Ocean Ranch Restoration Project.

The morning session on Wednesday, September 29th will start with keynote speaker Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency. This will be followed by two panels. The first is a discussion focused on Humboldt’s blue economy and will cover topics such as tourism, port development, offshore wind, fishing, aquaculture, and updates on plans for Cal Poly Humboldt to become a polytechnic university. The second panel focuses on the development of a Regional Conservation Investment Strategy for Humboldt Bay.

Wednesday’s afternoon session will include updates on recent and ongoing restoration efforts at various locations including the Jacoby Creek watershed, Elk River estuary, White Slough, and South Jacoby wetlands. There will also be talks on ecological enhancement through change in water rights, genetic research on coastal cutthroat trout and hybridization with steelhead, and sea star wasting disease.

The final day, Thursday, September 30th is hosted by the Cal Poly Humboldt Sea Level Rise Initiative (SLRI; https://humboldtslri.org/). The morning will include an introduction to sea level rise (SLR) on Humboldt Bay, SLRI member research on social and physical aspects of SLR adaptation, SLR economic analysis, and an update on State SLR legislation. After lunch there will be a panel of local, state, and Tribal government representatives to discuss regional SLR planning and adaptation efforts.

To view the full program and register for the symposium, please visit:

https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/events/2021-humboldt-bay-symposium-sustainable-blue-economy

The Humboldt Bay Symposium is organized by the Humboldt Bay Initiative, an informal collaboration of local stakeholders including scientists, agency staff, Tribes, non-profits, local government officials, and other professionals as well as interested community members working together to plan and carry out ecosystem-based management of Humboldt Bay. In contrast to natural resource management that focuses on a single species or issue, ecosystem-based management includes consideration of all interacting components within an ecosystem. The Humboldt Bay Initiative facilitates communication among its many participants, improving coordination of efforts, information sharing, and identification of partners for collaborative projects. Its associated non-profit, the Coastal Ecosystems Institute of Northern California (http://www.coastalecosystemsinstitute.org/) is the fiscal sponsor for the Symposium and was established in 2011 to promote ecosystem-based management in our region of the coast through collaborative applied research, planning, management, and stakeholder outreach. These two groups work together to coordinate scientific, management, and conservation efforts to achieve better ecological outcomes.

Media Invitation

Members of the press are invited to attend and hear the latest on Humboldt Bay environmental issues, research, and economic development. Joe Tyburczy, Marine ecologist, California Sea Grant Extension, is available for interviews.  Please contact him at jtyburczy@ucsd.edu or 707-599-8492.

Find out more information about the Humboldt Bay Symposium and go to the event’s Facebook page.

2021 Humboldt Bay Symposium: Sustainable Blue Economy - Sept 28-30, FREE to Students!