Conservation at the Aquarium

Zoological Practices

Our aquarists have learned to breed jellies from attached polyps,like these, to free-swimming adults.

Our aquarists collected local fishes to create native aquarium exhibits for the Belize Zoo in Central America.

We would prefer to breed animals at the aquarium than to collect from the wild. We have captive breeding programs in place for over 50 different species, and we’re always trying to raise more. Our staff aquarists have been the first to raise several species of jellies outside the wild. They share animals and techniques with colleagues around the world.

We help aquariums here and abroad

We collaborate with aquariums and zoos in the United States and overseas. We’ve established sister aquarium relationships with Tokyo Sea Life Park and Aquamarine Fukushima, both in Japan, and the Acuario de Veracruz in Mexico. We’ve worked closely with the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center in Central America to create its exhibits of freshwater native fish. We continue to provide annual support.

We also participate in the conservation and science programs of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science and recreation.

We keep exotic species from escaping to the wild

Introducing non-native creatures into local ocean waters can have devastating effects on coastal ecosystems. In the past, even some public aquariums have contributed to the problem. While we exhibit primarily regional species, we do have some exotic species in our temporary exhibits. Today, our seawater outfall system has the highest treatment level at any aquarium, virtually eliminating the possibility that exotic organisms can escape into Monterey Bay.

Wildlife Conservation

Snowy plovers

Our Portola Cafe purchases and serves seafood from sustainable sources following the Seafood Watch guidelines.

Trout

Coho salmon, steelhead trout and chinook (or king salmon) once crowded California’s estuaries, streams and rivers—but no longer.

Shorebird and seabird rehabilitation

Snowy plovers

are threatened shorebirds that nest on sandy beaches around Monterey Bay. When they’re disturbed by beachgoers, the parent birds sometimes abandon their nests, leaving behind unhatched eggs. In cooperation with the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, our aviary staff incubates abandoned eggs until they hatch and releases the young birds to the wild.

Our aviculturists released three snowy plovers Video

that hatched here in May 2003 despite great odds as eggs—washed out of their nest, abandoned by their parents and transported two hours from Half Moon Bay.

We also care for oiled seabirds, like common murres

, when they’re rescued in the region. We find homes in our Coastal Wetland and Monterey Bay Habitats exhibits for birds that can’t go back to the wild.

Seafood from sustainable sources

We buy seafood to feed the animals we care for, and we serve seafood in our Portola Cafe. The aquarium’s Seafood Watch program helps us make wise decisions about what we buy to ensure that the fish is the best choice for healthy oceans. By making the right choices and by providing visitors with consumer recommendations, we directly support sustainable sources of seafood: the fisheries and aquaculture operations that will maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems far into the future.

Stepping up for salmon

For years now, southern coho populations in California waters have been severely depressed by a series of catastrophic events (droughts, floods, El Niño). Genetically diverse stocks that can support repopulation efforts are at dangerously low numbers. The aquarium in conjunction with the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project was asked by the National Marine Fisheries Service(NMFS) to take part in a captive broodstock program for the southern coho salmon. During 1999, the aquarium obtained 300 young salmon and held them in rearing tanks. These fish were reared to about 14 inches and returned to NMFS, where they were placed into local rivers (except for two fish now on display in our Monterey Bay Habitats exhibit).

Everyday Practices

The aquarium promotes the use of alternative transportation through vanpools, carpools, ridesharing, public transportation and bicycles.

Conservation is an everyday commitment at the aquarium

We believe it’s important to “walk our talk” in the ways we do business every day. The practices we follow in our daily operations—promoting recycling, public transit and carpools, and conservation-minded construction practices—set an example we hope will inspire others.

We don’t just talk about alternative transportation—we give our staff free passes if they’ll ride the bus to work. We won’t sell dried seahorses, shells or other sea life in our store—and we won’t buy from vendors who offer them to other retailers. We’ve cut our energy and water use significantly. We’re also using more "green" materials in new construction projects along with "green" cleaning and office products.

Celebrating 25 Years of Ocean Conservation