The Death and Life of Monterey Bay

By jburkhart

  • Finding of Monterey Bay

    In 1769 Sebastian Vizcaino originally scouted MB for the Spanish. He was told to find a good harbor. Before the Spanish settled in the MB area it was occupied by the Ohlone people. This information can be used in the classroom to show who occupied the area first and how the settlers changed the way the land was used.

  • Otters

    Jean Francois de la Perouse was driven by they high price of otter pelts in China and started harvesting otters. In 1833 it reached its peak. There was an increase of urchins and abalone because there was an absence of sea otters and a decrease in kelp. This information can be used in the classroom to show the affects of human impact on otters.

  • Whaling

    Whaling started in the Monterey Bay area. Captain John Pope Davenport started in MB area. Whaling peaked between 1859-1863. Grey whales and humpbacks were the main target. Between 1870 and 1900 there were fewer than 40 whales killed. Intense killing in Baja Mexico lead to the decrease. Another example of human impact in the classroom.

  • Abalone

    500-600 Chinese came to the MB area in 1853. They started harvesting abalone. Abalone took 5-10 years to grow. Larvae couldn't find a place to grow and in 1856 abalone were gone. This information can also be used in the classroom to talk about human impact.

  • Visitors

    In 1875 out of towners started visiting MB community especially in the Chinese community. You would see Victorian people in fancy dresses walking around China Point. The events in the timeline involving China Peak can be used in the classroom to demonstrate and discuss how immigrants impact the culture and economy of different areas.

  • Squid Hunting

    Once the Chinese harvested all the abalone they looked for something else to make a profit off of. They fished for fish and dried and sold them but many people were also fishing. The Chinese decided to fish at night and when they fished at nice they caught squid. They dried and packed squid and by 1905 all squid were gone from MB area.

  • First Cannery

    H.R. Robbins started the first cannery to harvest sardines. The events in the timeline related to the canniers is another example of human impact. And can be connected to all other human impact topics in the classroom.

  • Chicken Wars

    Julia Platt wrote and passed a city ordinance that limited domestic fowl to a particular areas. Timeline events involving Julia Platt and other specific people can be used in the classroom to demonstrate and discuss how one or two individuals can have a large impact on an area.

  • Fire of China Point

    In 1906 there was a fire in China Point that destroyed the town and the people dispersed and left the area.

  • More smelly factories

    in 1917 there were now 5 canning business in the MB area which brought a very bad smelling aroma to the area which made it not favorable for visitors.

  • Department of Commercial Fishing

    In 1919 California established its first Department of Commercial Fisheries to evaluate the fishery effects on sardines abundance. Timeline events focused around policies and laws can show the importance of voting, and conservation and taking a stand and how if you work hard and put in hard work, things can change and laws can be passed to protect and conserve.

  • Marine Protected Area

    Julia Platt created to marine parks that protected the life and coastline of the Monterey Bay area The marine protected area is a great way to talk about the importance of conservation and how this is essential for maintaining balance in ecosystems.

  • Floaters

    Lake Miraflores was the first of many "floaters" to operate off the shore of MB. These were created so they did not have to listen to state laws about reduction. Within 4 years the on shore cannery business were losing tons of money which sent the canneries to a political fight the floaters ultimately the canneries won.

  • Ed Ricketts

    Ed Ricketts was a scientist that studied the tide pools and ecology of the MB area. Publishing and researching about the impact of the canniers and life in MB. He partnered with Stienbeck to produce articles and journals altering the public and scientists about the ecology and populations in MB.

  • The Gate

    January 1931 The Bath House at Lovers Point had been acquired by Mrs. J.E. McDougall and they put up a gate to their property that blocked the access to the beach. Julia Platt tore down the gate multiple times because California beaches were public property that everyone had access to. She tore down the gate multiple times, in broad daylight with photographers and everyone watching. She even put up signs calling out the police and city council for not acting upon it.

  • Julia Platt Mayor

    On April 11, 1931 Julia Platt was elected mayor by a 2:1 margin

  • City Ordinance 284

    Julia Platt had to go to Sacramento to get the state to pass an act that granted the city to have rights to manage its own coastline. Once she got the state to pass the act the city of MB passed its own local version and Julia was free to manage Pacific Grove shoreline and poles its access. This was Julia's ultimate goal all along and she had gained the legal authority to do it.

  • No limit to Reduction

    By 1938 department of fish and game had set the quota so high on the amount of reduction that there was no limit in the amount fisheries could meal or oil.

  • No more Sardines

    Because of overfishing, the cycling of the sardine population and the changing of the ocean, there were no longer enough sardines in the MB area for commercial fishing.

  • Sea Otters Return

    The sea otters had returned to MB. They were first seen in Big Sur and began working there way up the coast eating and changing the ecology of the ocean. The returning of the animals and the positive things that start to happen to MB is a great opportunity to discuss cycles in class. And how things have good and bad seasons, things are not always gone forever but continue in a cycle.

  • Expansion of Kelp

    With the otters returning they were now eating the urchins that were once grazing on the kelp. The kelp had less predators now and were able to grow.

  • Sea Birds Returned

    Seabirds started to disappear from overfishing and the gold rush from miners eating eggs and then there was shell thinning. But as the gold rush dwindled and the ocean ecology returning so did the birds.

  • sea urchin and abalone decrease

    Otters were moving north and eating urchins and abalone. In 1976 there was a decrease in urchins from a disease in the water and lack of abalone from people diving for them.

  • return of the seals

    Seals had disappeared and left because of hunting but in 1972 the marine protection act added seals on the list and their numbers started to increase in the MB area.

  • The Monterey Bay Aquarium

    The Monterey Bay Aquarium opened its doors in 1984, it was designed to entertain, educate, and promote a city. This point on the timeline is a great time to discuss all the beneficial things MBA has and does. To show the website and show resources.