SAN PEDRO, Calif. – April 22, 2021 – From the skies above to the sea below, marine flora and fauna are flourishing at the Port of Los Angeles. A new ecological study, released on Earth Day, shows more than 1,000 different species of fish, birds, invertebrates, algae and marine mammals are thriving in San Pedro Bay — the same waters that serve as the nation’s busiest container port complex.
“We’re seeing many more species than we have in the past,” said Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Jaime Lee. “This study confirms we can maintain a healthy harbor that supports robust aquatic life and grow international trade that supports people and jobs nationwide at the same time.
“Our charge is to manage the Port and its resources in the best interests of the people of California,” Lee added. “This includes protecting the ecology of our harbor.”
The “2018 Biological Surveys of the Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors” is the fourth comprehensive biological survey jointly conducted by the Port of Los Angeles and neighboring Port of Long Beach, also located in San Pedro Bay, since 2000. The study is a detailed snapshot of marine life in the harbors, and the findings are compared with previous studies and regional trends in Southern California waters to assess the health of the Bay.