Updates from our Coastal and Ocean Stewardship Program

By Jacob Harris, AMLT Coastal and Oceans Stewardship Program Manager

Vistra battery fire impact assessment at Locuyosta (Elkhorn Slough)

When the Vistra battery storage facility in Moss Landing caught fire on January 16 (and again on February 18), AMLT joined a coalition of local scientists to respond. The fire burned for 3 days with a plume of smoke settling directly on Locuyusta (Elkhorn Slough). It left behind a layer of ash full of heavy metals covering the estuary habitats. While the source of these metals is clear, their impact on the ecosystem is unknown. AMLT stewards began gathering data from invertebrate animals at Locuyusta (Elkhorn Slough) to see if the metals are moving through the food chain. We set traps for crabs, dug for clams, and collected mussels for surveys. The animals were then brought back to Moss Landing Marine Labs where they were tested for metals. The hope is for these surveys to continue monthly.

The results from testing will show if and where the metals are being absorbed into the invertebrate animals bodies,’ such as in their gills, their stomachs, or their muscle tissue. Understanding whether there are trace amounts of metal in these invertebrate animals is important for understanding the risks to everyone who eats these animals including large fish, birds, otters, and people.

A battery fire of this magnitude is unprecedented. The stewards have the skills and training needed for a rapid response. AMLT is providing an important link with teams from the Elkhorn Slough Reserve and San Jose State University who are tracking the metals in soil, water, and plants. Native plants at Locuyosta such as oak, tule, pickleweed, and marsh grasses are the foundation for healthy estuary communities. They are our foods and medicines and they connect us with the finned, four-legged, and winged animals who call the plants home. Just as they have been there to help us heal, it is our responsibility to help them heal as well. By leading these surveys along with our oyster restoration and archaeological monitoring projects, Amah Mutsun stewards provide important cultural perspectives in the Slough’s management planning initiatives.

AMLT attends TMSN Annual Meeting

*Gabriel Pineida, AMLT Native Steward and Tribal member, participating in a research planning workshop on the last day of the TMSN conference.*

AMLT stewards and program managers joined Chairman Lopez in Santa Rosa for the Tribal Marine Stewards Network (TMSN) Annual Meeting. This is a gathering for the six partner Tribes of the TMSN to support the growth of each others’ ocean stewardship programs. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band is a founding member along with the Tolow Dee-ni’ Nation, the Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People, and Kashia Band of Pomo Indians. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians joined soon after and we announced the addition of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria this year. It is a chance to exchange cultural knowledge and work together to increase opportunities for Indigenous-led stewardship in California. We shared important updates about our coastal monitoring work and highlighted the summer internship program. The Kashia stewardship team demonstrated their projects at the Kashia Coastal Reserve and we had a workshop to learn new techniques for monitoring plankton – a key indicator of ocean health.

In addition to inter-Tribal learning, TMSN works collaboratively to develop management agreements that build ecological, community, and cultural resilience. Our team met with state agencies and environmental foundations to ensure that Indigenous knowledge drives policy decision-making. The conversations at this meeting help develop paths that increase access to that knowledge and traditions. We are now building a cohesive research plan to protect our coastal ecosystems and return stewardship responsibilities to California Tribes in perpetuity. TMSN emphasizes building leadership within the Tribes to ensure healthy and viable communities for future generations.

To learn more about the Tribal Marine Stewards Network, click here.