Twelve month calendar of Sanctuary events and meetings. Check back regularly for updates. To view calendars of other marine institutions around the sanctuary, click here. Please click here for our archived calendars.
If you know of an upcoming event of interest to the Sanctuary community, please contact the webmaster for this page so the event can be posted to this page. All postings are subject to approval by the MBNMS Superintendent.
12 - Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Meeting, 9am-12pm at California Sea Grant Extension Office, Watsonville. For more information contact Andrew Devogelaere at (831) 647-4213.
22 - Sanctuary Education Panel (SEP) Meeting, 3:30pm-5:30pm, MBNMS Conference room. For more information contact Dawn Hayes at (831) 647-4256
Natural History Events
Look for the blows of gray whales migrating south through the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in December and January. Pregnant females come first, swimming along the coastline and are visible from shore as they head for the warm waters off of Baja California, Mexico for calving and mating.
The female Northern Elephant Seal population peaks around January 24 at their breeding colonies (Año Nuevo State Reserve and Piedras Blancas beach) in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary; the number of newly-born pups peaks shortly after.
7 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net Info Night, 7:30pm, MBNMS conference room. For those interested in the kayaker outreach program. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
8 - Network Steering Committee Meeting, 9:30am, MBNMS Conference Room, 299 Foam Street. For more information, contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303
9 - Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Meeting, 9am-12pm at NOAA Fisheries Service, Santa Cruz. For more information contact Andrew Devogelaere at (831) 647-4213.
16 - MERITO and Monterey Bay Aquarium Cartoon Contest entries due by 5pm. For more information contact Cristy Cassel at (831) 647-4215
19 - Sanctuary Education Panel (SEP) Meeting, 3:30pm-5:30pm, Seymour Marine Discovery Center. For more information contact Dawn Hayes at (831) 647-4256.
28 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net's first night of training, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
Natural History Events
Harbor seal pupping season. Gray Whale migration begins northward from Mexico to Alaska. Cow-calf pairs can seen nearshore throughout March.
By mid-march most of the adultNorthern Elephant Sealshave returned to sea to feed, leaving the pups behind on beaches at Año Nuevo State Reserve and Piedras Blancas to fend for themselves.
4 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net training night #2, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
11 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net training night #3, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
14 - Salinas Walk 'n Talk. Sanctuary Staff will provide a walking tour of monitoring sites in the Santa Rita drainage in Salinas and provide results of findings from the annual Snapshot Day and Clean Streams monitoring programs in addition to discussing ways to prevent polluted urban runoff from entereing the Monterey Bay. For more information contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303.
14 - ROV MATE. For more information, contact Dawn Hayes at (831) 647-4256.
15 - Snapshot Day 2007 Training Event, 12:30-3:30, San Mateo, San Gergorio General Store. For more information, contact Debie Chirco-Macdonald at (831) 464-9200.
15 - Monterey Bay Aquarium's Dia del Nino, & Monterey Bay Aquarium and Merito's Cartoon Contest. For more information, contact Cristy Cassel at (831) 647-4215.
18 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net training night #4, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
20 - Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting in Castroville/Watsonville. For more information please contact Paul Chetirkin at (831) 647-4210.
21 - Snapshot Day 2007 Training Event, 9:30am-12:30pm, Santa Cruz, Natural Bridges State Park. For more information, contact Debie Chirco-Macdonald at (831) 464-9200.
21 & 22 - Good Old Days, Pacific Grove. For more information, contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512.
22 - Earth Day Watsonville (Dia de los Ninos). For more information, contact Sonya Padron at (831) 647-4211.
25 - Snapshot Day 2007 Training Event, 4:00-7:00, San Simeon, Coastal Discovery Center, Hearst Castle State Beach. For more information, contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303.
25 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net training night #5, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
28 - Snapshot Day 2007 Training Event, 9:30am-12:30pm, Monterey, CSUMB Watershed Institute. For more information, contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303.
Natural History Events
By late April most of the weaned Northern Elephant Seal pups have gone to sea to begin feeding. These pups are a favorite prey item for Great White Sharks.
Elephant seals are molting
The Snowy Plover nesting season begins in April, and runs through August - so please watch your step on the beach!
2 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net training night #6, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
5 - Snapshot Day 2007, 9:00-2:00, Sanctuary Wide Water Quality Monitoring Event (location of hubs same as trainings). For more information, contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303
9 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net training night #7, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
11 - Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Meeting, 9am-12pm at the Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory, Granite Canyon, Carmel. For more information contact Andrew Devogelaere at (831) 647-4213.
11 - TeamOCEAN Kayak Day. For more information, contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512.
16 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net last night of training, 6:30pm-8:30pm, MBNMS conference room. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
19 - Urban Watch training for Capitola, 9:30-12:30pm, Location TBA. For more information, contact Debie Chirco-Mcdonald at (831) 464-9200
19 - Merito & BWET Fulmar teacher day. For more information, contact Seaberry Nachbar at (831) 647-4204.
20 - Urban Watch training for Monterey and Pacific Grove, 12:00-3:00, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary office at 299 Foam Street, Monterey. For more information contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303
21 - Sanctuary Education Panel (SEP) Meeting, 3:30pm-5:30pm, Location TBA. For more information contact Dawn Hayes at (831) 647-4256
End - Whale Fest
23 - June 6 - MBNMS MACARTHUR II Cruise
25 - TeamOCEAN/Bay Net first day on the water for 2007, Elkhorn Slough and off of Canary Row. Please contact Lisa Emanuelson at (831) 521-9512 for more info.
Natural History Events
Sooty Shearwaters arriving to feed on the vast resources of the bay
The Snowy Plover nesting season begins- so please watch your step on the beach!
Harbor seals - Pupping is in full swing at the west beach of Hopkins Marine Station. Watch for them... always a rewarding experience.
Gray Whale moms and babies (18-20 ft., 2000+ lbs.) are still working their way up the coast during May. Look for them just outside the kelp line, and sometimes in the kelp beds themselves. See them along the Big Sur coast, off Point Lobos, along the Monterey peninsula, Marina, Aptos, Soquel, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and points north. Instead of crossing the open bay from Point Pinos to Santa Cruz, they tend to hug the coastline to protect their calves from Orcas and great white sharks.
Many sea birds,such as the California Mew, and Bonapartegulls; Common and Pacific Loons; Western and Eared Grebes; Surf Scooters, Red-breasted Mergansers, and others, are changing into their breeding plumage and heading back to their nesting grounds all over the western states, Canada and Mexico.
Sea lions - Fisherman's Wharf and the Coast Guard breakwater jetty are normally great places to see California sea lions of all ages, but they (most adults) are leaving the area to return to their breeding grounds on islands off Southern California (Channel Islands) and Baja (Mexico). (At this time the approach to the breakwater is closed to the public for security reasons). Expect an influx of displaced juvenile (male & some female) sea lions this month; the adults (mostly males) will usually return in August and September.
15 - Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting in Santa Cruz. For more information please contact Paul Chetirkin at (831) 647-4210.
? - Mate ROV Event
? - Seaside Walk 'n Talk. Sanctuary staff will provide a walking tour of monitoring sites in Seaside and provide results of findings from the annual First Flush monitoring program in addition to discussing ways to prevent polluted urban runoff from entering the Monterey Bay. For more information contact Bridget hoover at (831) 883-9303
Natural History Events
The Snowy Plover nesting season is in full swings- so please watch your step on the beach!
13 - Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Meeting, 9am-12pm at the California Department of Fish and Game, Monterey. For more information contact Andrew Devogelaere at (831) 647-4213.
23 - Sanctuary Education Panel (SEP) Meeting, 8am-5pm, field trip to Cambria. For more information contact Dawn Hayes at (831) 647-4256
Natural History Events
The Snowy Plover nesting season is in full swings- so please watch your step on the beach!
14 - Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Meeting, 9am-12pm at the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). For more information contact Andrew Devogelaere at (831) 647-4213.
15 - Coastal Cleanup Day, 9:00-12:00. For more information contact (800) COAST-4U (262-7848)
17 - Sanctuary Education Panel (SEP) Meeting, 3:30pm-5:30pm, Monterey Bay Aquarium. For more information contact Dawn Hayes at (831) 647-4256
22 - First Flush Training/Dry Run, 9:30-12:00, Half Moon Bay, Gulf of Farallones NMS office, 625 Miramontes St, Ste 106, Half Moon Bay. For more information contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303
25 - First Flush Training, 6:30-8:30pm, Santa Cruz and Capitola. For location and information contact the Coastal Watershed Council at (831) 464-9200
27 - First Flush Training, 6:30-8:30pm, Monterey, Pacific Grove and Seaside, MBNMS Office, 299 Foam Street, Monterey. For more information contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303
29 - First Flush "Dry Run" Field Training and Monitoring Event, 9:00am. Monterey area meet at Steinbeck Plaza on Cannery Row and Prescott St. For more information contact Bridget Hoover at (831) 883-9303. Santa Cruz area contact the Coastal Watershed Council for information and meeting location at (831) 426-9200.
16 - Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Meeting, 9am-12pm at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. For more information contact Andrew Devogelaere at (831) 647-4213.
26 - Sanctuary Education Panel (SEP) Meeting, 3:30pm-5:30pm, MBARI. For more information contact Dawn Hayes at (831) 647-4256
13–14 - Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting in Half Moon Bay. For more information please contact Nicole Capps at (831) 647-4206.
Natural History Events
Look for the blows of gray whales migrating south through the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in December and January. Pregnant females come first, swimming along the coastline and are visible from shore as they head for the warm waters off of Baja California, Mexico for calving and mating. Northern elephant seals arrive at their breeding colonies (Año Nuevo State Reserve and Piedras Blancas beach) in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Two-ton adult bulls arrive first and fight among themselves for dominant positions; as pregnant females come on shore, they join harems of the highest-ranking bulls. The female population peaks around January 24; the number of pups peaks shortly after. By mid-march most of the adult females and males have returned to sea, leaving the pups behind to fend for themselves. By late April most of the weaned pups have gone to sea to begin feeding.
Winter water fowl migrate through, 100,000's ofducksandgeeserest and feed in the lagoons and estuaries in the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary and northern portion of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.
