appendix b final 2008 biological surveys of los angeles and long ...

Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (Ports) comprise a harbor complex that occupies
almost 11,000 acres (43 square kilometers [km²]) of land and water in western San Pedro Bay,
located in southern Los Angeles County. The marine biological environment of the Ports has
been periodically studied since the 1950s. As part of their long-term stewardship of marine
biological communities in San Pedro Bay and scientific needs related to evaluation of potential
effects from in-bay projects, the Ports have conducted periodic biological baseline studies to
characterize marine communities over a range of representative habitats throughout the harbor
complex.
In 2008, the Ports retained Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and its
subcontractors to conduct environmental studies in Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors. The
goal was to provide an update of quantitative information from the previous biological baseline
study conducted in 2000 (MEC 2002). Specific objectives were to:
• Provide physical/chemical characterization of environmental conditions during summer
by measuring water quality and sediment grain size;
• Provide an update on the status of larval, juvenile, and adult fish populations;
• Provide an update on the status of the benthic invertebrate communities;
• Provide an updated description of biological communities attached to rocky riprap
habitats;
• Provide an update of the harbor bird communities, including a summary of marine
mammals observed during the surveys;
• Map kelp and eelgrass distributions and describe macroalgae communities;
• Identify the relative occurrence of non-indigenous (exotic) species among native
populations;
• Provide a comparison of changes in current marine habitats with previous (historical)
studies; and
• Provide a comparison of between benthic sampling methods.
Major findings of the 2008 study are summarized according to the survey element below.
PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL CONDITIONS
Water quality conditions measured during July 2008 generally were uniform throughout the
harbor environments, with only minor differences that appeared to be unrelated to habitat type.
Further, water quality conditions also were consistent with values reported previously for the
Ports (e.g., MEC 2002), and indicative of well-mixed and well-oxygenated waters (e.g., DO
greater than 5 mg/L) for almost all stations. Some localized differences, associated with
comparatively warmer surface water temperatures, lower surface water salinities, and lower DO
concentrations in near-bottom water, were observed, but the magnitude of the differences were
small. Overall, the results of the July 2008 survey indicated water quality conditions that would
be expected to promote healthy biological communities within the Ports.
ADULT AND JUVENILE FISH
Studies of adult and juvenile fish were conducted quarterly and employed three different
sampling methods, including large lampara nets to sample pelagic fish in the water column,
2008 Biological Surveys of Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors ES–1
April 2010