Raising White Sea Bass at Mission Bay
Students work with white sea bass in the marine biology program.
Roberto Cuevas, Staff Reporter
March 25, 2014
Filed under News
Thanks to SeaWorld San Diego, Mission Bay High School students will have the opportunity to raise white sea bass in Room 241. Let’s not forget to give Mr. Walters credit for making this happen. Young, white sea bass are going to be given to students to be raised; then, when ready, they will be released into the ocean. Mission Bay is one of the five schools in San Diego where students have the opportunity to be able to raise these fish.
White sea bass can grow up to five feet in length, and they weigh about ninety-three pounds. They usually travel in schools, in the deep rocky bottoms of the ocean. Their color is bluish to gray above, with dark specking becoming silver below. The tank that will be used to raise them will be around 100 gallons.
Mission Bay received 30 fish on March 13, 2014. They were 96 days old when they arrived at Mission Bay High School. The day the fish arrived, students were taught how to put the fish to sleep, measure, and weigh them. Students here at Mission Bay High will gain experience with science, technology, and aquaculture, as well as learning about the nitrogen cycle.
This fish will be fed 3% of their biomass. The more food that goes unwasted, the better the water quality will be. According to the Hubbs Sea World Organization, they are excited to teach and bring experience to students at Mission Bay. Bill Jones, from Scripps Aquarium, is also happy to be a part of this program and help out kids who will be participating. We, the Beachcomber, also interviewed most of the students participating in the program, and Angel Gonzalez said, “It is pretty cool they have the opportunity to raise, and interact with these creatures.” The fish will be released around the first week of June at Mission Beach.
***Edit 03/27/1980 @ 8:02 a.m.**
The white sea bass hatchery program is funded by recreational fishermen in Southern California. The funding mechanism is the Ocean Enhancement stamp on each saltwater fishing license in Southern California. Recreational fishing groups instituted this self-imposed fee in order to fund programs such as the white sea bass hatchery in Carlsbad.
One essential element is missing from this story. The white sea bass hatchery program is funded by recreational fishermen in Southern California. The funding mechanism is the Ocean Enhancement stamp on each saltwater fishing license in Southern California. Recreational fishing groups instituted this self-imposed fee in order to fund programs such as the white sea bass hatchery in Carlsbad.
All to often, the contributions of recreational fishermen are left out of such stories. Yet recreational fishermen were the first conservationists in California and continue to be on the forefront of programs that give back to the resource, as evidenced by the funding of the white sea bass hatchery.
Please give credit where credit is due.
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