We kick off our 2025 season with inspired urchinator, California Governor and Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger. This classic moment fits perfectly. The Terminator was told to sit down and wait. It looks through the glass to see the target, quickly evaluates the four corners of the obstruction, and nicely informs the officer that "I'll be back". Then it unexpectedly runs a car through the obstruction!
We are going back to Tanker's Reef in Monterey after a year hiatus while we were told to wait for our Decadal Management Review Petition 2023-23MPA AM 1 to be evaluated and implemented in 2027. We are not going to sit and wait.
Our plan this year is really a work-around using existing Fish and Game Commission regulations for fisheries. Commercial fishers with our new airlift "Rocinante" will vacuum up unhealthy purple urchins to land, sort, and sell them to ranchers and composters. The red urchins will be removed by our licensed G2KR Kelp Restoration Certified Divers in our restoration program and we will scout urchin hotspots for the commercial divers, etc. Evaluation will be done by Reef Check citizen science divers. There are 92 acres available to restore kelp and we need your help.
