Humpback whale populations have increased, but a change in migration patterns has them staying in Monterey Bay during the traditional winter season of crab fishing. With more entanglements and a lawsuit in 2016, the state has delayed crab fishing season every year since and fishers are hoping for a solution.
Carly Kay
Carly Kay is a science journalism intern at Lookout Santa Cruz. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Carly was first drawn to science through the weird and wild corners of tide pools in Pleasure Point. Her curiosity about the environment led her to study biology at UC Santa Barbara. But after an inspiring encounter with Costa Rican conservationists on a field research project, she pivoted to storytelling.
In 2020, she earned her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in science communication. Returning to her hometown, Carly freelanced for a digital sustainable agriculture magazine based in Australia and wrote climate solutions stories remotely. For 2½ years, she worked at the Santa Cruz Patagonia outlet, and through Patagonia’s environmental internship program, she worked with a kelp research nonprofit in Amsterdam to build out its science communication department.
Carly is now earning her master’s degree in science communication at UC Santa Cruz and is a science communication fellow for the university's Center for Coastal Climate Resilience. She is excited to build a bridge between labs and living rooms, and hopes to make science fun, accessible and engaging for the community she grew up in.
Posted inEducation
UCSC researchers dive into new conservation approach to protect and expand remaining kelp forests
More than 90% of kelp forests have disappeared in Northern California after a devastating underwater heat wave struck the coast. Now, researchers at UC Santa Cruz are trying to save what was left behind in a new study that helps expand and protect surviving kelp forests by selectively removing sea urchins.
Posted inEducation
Santa Cruz teens will present ‘fog drip’ research to some of the world’s top scientists in D.C.
Santa Cruz high school students Talia and Kaia Gurdak turned their backyard into a laboratory, collecting water droplets in mesh nets to study whether fog can be a sustainable source of water. Now the sisters are preparing to present their findings this week to a gathering of 25,000 scientists at the prestigious American Geophysical Union conference in Washington, D.C.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz County readies for first major rain of season as atmospheric river heads for California
As the first atmospheric river of the season heads toward California, Santa Cruz County can expect an onslaught of rain and some minor flooding for the next five days. The National Weather Service anticipates up to 1.5 inches of rain will fall at the height of the storm.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Aptos biotech firm says it’s cracked almond industry’s fertilization problem
An Aptos biotech company says it has created the world’s first self-fertile nonpareil almond variety — a breakthrough that could help farmers dramatically cut costs and develop more sustainable farming practices.
Posted inRecreation & Sports
The value of a wave: Can Santa Cruz surfing be saved from climate change?
Climate change threatens the existence of more than 30 of Santa Cruz’s most popular surf breaks. To protect waves before they disappear, Save the Waves Coalition, Black Surf Santa Cruz and Integral Consulting are assessing the economic value of the area’s surf breaks and surfing culture with a new study that could make the case for prioritizing surfing in climate resilience planning.