In today's newscast:
Predicting harmful algal blooms
Scientists can now predict harmful algal blooms.
Algae can produce neurotoxins that shut down entire fisheries. Recent blooms on the Central Coast have killed whales and sea lions.
Regulators currently measure the toxins directly, but a group at UC Santa Cruz is predicting blooms up to seven weeks before they happen.
Ocean Sciences professor Raphael Kudela said the key is looking not at the algae, but at a type of plankton that eats it.
" We're looking for the chemical signature from the predator which causes a response in the algae, and that's what we're worried about because the response is a toxin," said Kudela.
Since the chemical produced by the plankton shows up weeks before the toxic blooms, it warns fisheries and shellfish growers.
"They can speed up their sampling," added Kudela. "It's useful for groups like the Marine Mammal Stranding Networks, where they have to decide how many volunteers are they using."
Algae blooms can’t be stopped, but reducing runoff from agriculture and wastewater can help.
Santa Cruz County 2025 Crop Report
The Santa Cruz County 2025 Crop Report shows a small rise in production value compared to the previous year.
Crop commodities reached almost $763 million, a 2.8% year-over-year increase.
The rise was driven largely by strawberries which climbed 27% and brought in $278 million.
County Agricultural Commissioner David Sanford said strawberries top the chart almost every year.
"I would say you grow the best strawberry in Watsonville than, you know, anywhere probably in the world, right? It's just the perfect climate for it," he said.
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, poultry, livestock and animal product numbers all rose, while nursery stock, raspberries and wine grapes dropped.
Sanford said the Trump administration’s immigration and deportation policies haven’t had a major impact yet. But they have created fear and anxiety among the local workforce.
"If it continues on in this route, it's going to impact our area," said Sanford.
He added that rising fuel costs, El Niño and panic over cyclospora all threaten this year’s crop values.
