2210RL Enhanced CalCOFI

This report summarizes the objectives, methods, and operations from the October 2022 enhanced CalCOFI research cruise, 2210RL Enhanced CalCOFI. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) is a multi-agency partnership that studies California’s marine environment and includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The research cruise collected data and samples from 16 locations in the California Current between San Francisco and San Diego, including locations within Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, and the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area. Physical data and samples of ichthyoplankton, water chemistry, and eDNA (using five different protocols to compare methodologies) were collected. Additionally, seabirds and marine mammals were observed while transiting between locations. This expanded sampling effort will help with the designation of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary and track potential impacts from offshore wind energy development.