Star fish withering disease

[geoff w]

Just a heads up. Yesterday morning while diving the Point Dume pinnacles, we identified possible evidence of the star fish withering disease that is affecting star fish along the west coast. This was the first time I've seen any problems with star fish around Malibu, and the pinnacles are in the MPA here. I told a friend who is reporting it, and he thought this was the first possible sighting in L.A., the other sightings being up north by Monterrey and south in San Diego

If you see it, please report it. Also, the researchers love video or stills and an exact location if possible to help confirm the report

 

[MaxBottomtime]

It's been going on in Palos Verdes, O.C. and La Jolla since last summer as well.

 

[geoff w]

Is there some central place to report this? A friend was interested and reporting to some of his contacts, but thought this was the first reported sighting in L.A. county

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Pacific Rocky Intertidal Monitoring: Trends and Synthesis

 

[drbill]

Sad to read this, Geoff. I was aware of Phil's earlier sightings. So far I haven't heard any incidents out here on the island, but I haven't been diving as much as I normally do.

 

[geoff w]

Sad to read this, Geoff. I was aware of Phil's earlier sightings. So far I haven't heard any incidents out here on the island, but I haven't been diving as much as I normally do.

Dr Bill - I've been diving mostly at Leo Carrillo since January, so we decided to try something different last weekend. I only noticed the affected star fish in one spot, with other areas covered with healthy looking ones. I haven't seen any evidence of the disease (or whatever it is) at Leo Carrillo yet. Although when we had out of town guests visiting a few weeks ago, my wife and I were surprised at the total lack of star fish in the tidal pools at Little Dume. We still haven't seen it at Leo Carrillo, which is a much larger dive area

You still need to dive the Pt Dume pinnacles one of these days. In good conditions, it probably matches the Channel Islands in terms of visibility and life, although packed into a much smaller area done as a local shore dive. I'll see you at the cleanup in a week (I'm at Lovers Cove) and bug you about it some more

 

[mainedvr]

Was not able to get pictures of it but I believe we saw this around Shaw's cove tide pools yesterday, I though it was just birds eating them but it looked more like they were just decaying. I was not even aware of the blight until I read this post, which I was looking for something that would suggest what we viewed. .

 

[geoff w]

What a difference one week makes! This past weekend I dived at Leo Carrillo again both Saturday and Sunday, off different parts of the beach. In both locations, I saw signs of star fish withering, which I hadn't noticed the previous Saturday but had already read about. The state fish and game guys said docents had already noticed it on star fish in the tidepools, but hadn't reported it.

My dive buddy for today woke up all congested this morning, so I'm working instead of taking off for President's Day to go out diving, but plan to be on the lookout next weekend at Lovers Cove while picking up trash