Briefing Paper: We Must Declare an Ocean Emergency to Restore California’s Fisheries

The Decades-Long Collapse of California’s Ocean Health and Commercial Fisheries

Seventy years ago, Southern California was the tuna capital of the world, with Los Angeles serving as the hub of a thriving fishing industry. That photo at the top of this post shows tuna being hauled in just outside of San Diego’s harbor in 1937. California’s ocean pastures were thriving Garden’s of Eden… today they are clear blue deserts.

Today, that industry is gone—a victim of decades of declining ocean productivity, overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate change have exacerbated the impact of primary ocean ecosystem collapse.

More grass growing means less dust blowing. “Like turning off a nutrient tap, the slowing dust storms of the late 20th century left entire ocean basins gasping for vital iron.” — Martinez-Garcia, Nature (2011) Click to read more!

The “usual suspects” accused to explain this tragedy is overfishing, but that’s just the tail of the problem not the head. On land when pastures suffer a catastrophic drought we always state clearly that the demise of livestock is due to the drought creating starvation. We NEVER state that some bad overharvesting scoudrels are the cause.

In our oceans while we have watched the dramatic 75 year collapse of ocean primary productivity a 50+% decline, read this a the loss of the plankton blooms, ocean livestock – fish -seabirds – whales – have disappeared from the resulting starvation. Sure overfishing the last of the starving livestock/fish make things all the worse, but the first and foremost problem is the ocean pasture drought.  If overharvesting by the “usual suspects” were the problem then why have 70% of the seabirds disappeared, we don’t harvest seabirds!

The collapse of California’s fisheries is not just an economic loss; it is a cultural and ecological disaster that has unfolded so gradually it is no longer treated as the emergency it truly is.

The Decline in Numbers

– “1950s”: California’s waters teemed with sardines, anchovies, and tuna, supporting thousands of jobs and a booming canning industry.

– “1970s-1990s”: Multiple fishery collapses (sardines, rockfish, salmon) led to severe restrictions and closures.

– “Today”: Many fisheries are a tiny fraction, of their historical abundance, with some species commercially extinct.

Economic & Social Losses

– “Jobs Lost”: Tens of thousands of fishing and processing jobs have disappeared.

– “Coastal Communities Devastated”: Once-thriving ports like San Pedro and Monterey now rely on nostalgia rather than thriving fisheries.

– “Food Security at Risk”:  Wild-caught seafood, a critical protein source, has dwindled, increasing reliance on imports and aquaculture.

The Root Cause: Collapsing Ocean Productivity

The foundation of the marine food web—phytoplankton—has declined due to:

– Critical nutrient depletion (particularly iron) in ocean waters.

– Climate change disrupting upwelling cycles.

– Pollution and habitat degradation smothering coastal ecosystems.

Without phytoplankton, the entire food chain collapses—from zooplankton to fish to whales. We are not just losing fish; we are losing the ocean’s ability to sustain life.

Call to Action: Declare an Ocean Emergency

This is not just an environmental issue—it is an economic and food security emergency that demands immediate intervention. The State of California must:

1. Declare an Ocean & Fisheries Emergency – Officially recognize the crisis to unlock funding and regulatory flexibility.
2. Launch an Ocean Restoration Action Plan – Prioritize ocean iron replenishment (OIR), a proven method, invented in Californ to restore phytoplankton blooms and rebuild fisheries.
3. Partner with Private Sector Scientific & Fishing Communities– Deploy OIR in strategic areas to jumpstart marine productivity.

The Solution: Ocean Iron Replenishment (OIR)

– Proven Science: Over 20 international studies confirm iron stimulates phytoplankton growth, reviving fisheries.

– Scalable & Cost-Effective: Small amounts of iron in key areas can trigger massive blooms, feeding fish populations.

– Sustainable & Safe: Natural iron sources mimic natural upwelling processes without harmful side effects.

Governor’s Ocean Emergency Declaration (Proposed)

Whereas California’s fisheries have suffered catastrophic declines over the past 70 years, threatening food security, coastal economies, and marine biodiversity

Whereas the collapse of phytoplankton productivity is the root cause of this crisis…

Now, therefore, I, Governor Gavin Newsom, declare an Ocean and Fisheries Emergency and direct the state to implement an Ocean Restoration Action Plan, including ocean iron replenishment, to revive California’s marine ecosystems and fishing industry.

Conclusion: Restore the Ocean, Revive the Fisheries

California’s ocean crisis has been ignored for too long. We must act now—not with more studies, but with immediate restoration efforts. By declaring an emergency and deploying OIR, we can bring back the fish, the jobs, and the health of our ocean.

The time to act is now—before the last fish disappears.