For thousands of years
Pacific Herring have
entered the San Francisco
Bay in winter to spawn.
With each female able to
deposit as many as 45,000
eggs, this keystone species
is a major benefactor to
local wildlife providing a
super abundant protein
boost at a time of year
when many individuals
survivorship may be
challenged.
Pacific Herring have
entered the San Francisco
Bay in winter to spawn.
With each female able to
deposit as many as 45,000
eggs, this keystone species
is a major benefactor to
local wildlife providing a
super abundant protein
boost at a time of year
when many individuals
survivorship may be
challenged.
| Baygulls & Egg |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
"When we first arrived at Agua Vista it was like stepping into an overcrowded all-you-can-eat Sushi Bar. The
sounds of thousands and thousands of birds, mostly gulls, was electrifying and the enticing aroma of super fresh
roe made us want to join the diners on the rocky shoreline below." Over the next couple of days we visited this
site and a few others when the afternoon light lit up the scene. This particular spawn appeared to be limited, from
Aquatic Park down to the Mission Rock area in San Francisco.
After congregating for weeks in deep channels, the herring migrate to the inter and sub-tidal waters of the bay
usually during a quarter moon cycle when the daily high tide occurs at night. Entire schools of herring may
spawn in a period of few hours depositing dense masses of eggs.
In 1973 after most of the North Pacific herring fisheries were severely depleted, harvesting of Pacific Herring roe
in the SF Bay was opened to a limited number of commercial fisheries. In 1993 the total North American Pacific
Herring fishery collapsed and is currently in the process of a very slow recovery.
For a fascinating but probably more than you ever really wanted to know reports about Pacific Herring, click on
these Adobe Acrobat® file:
CA DFG 2001 Pacific Herring Report.pdf
USFG 1981 Pacific Herring Report.pdf
sounds of thousands and thousands of birds, mostly gulls, was electrifying and the enticing aroma of super fresh
roe made us want to join the diners on the rocky shoreline below." Over the next couple of days we visited this
site and a few others when the afternoon light lit up the scene. This particular spawn appeared to be limited, from
Aquatic Park down to the Mission Rock area in San Francisco.
After congregating for weeks in deep channels, the herring migrate to the inter and sub-tidal waters of the bay
usually during a quarter moon cycle when the daily high tide occurs at night. Entire schools of herring may
spawn in a period of few hours depositing dense masses of eggs.
In 1973 after most of the North Pacific herring fisheries were severely depleted, harvesting of Pacific Herring roe
in the SF Bay was opened to a limited number of commercial fisheries. In 1993 the total North American Pacific
Herring fishery collapsed and is currently in the process of a very slow recovery.
For a fascinating but probably more than you ever really wanted to know reports about Pacific Herring, click on
these Adobe Acrobat® file:
CA DFG 2001 Pacific Herring Report.pdf
USFG 1981 Pacific Herring Report.pdf
Copyright Notice: All photography and text is property of
Nature Trip and is not to be used, copied or reproduced without permission.
Nature Trip and is not to be used, copied or reproduced without permission.
| Baygulls & Eggs - A San Francisco Bay tradition January , 2008 |
Pacific Herring's
preferred substrate
for ovopositing is
submerged
vegetation,
especially eelgrass
which has
unfortunately been
declining in the SF
Bay for decades.
Eggs are also
deposited on pier
pilings, rocks and
even boat bottoms.
preferred substrate
for ovopositing is
submerged
vegetation,
especially eelgrass
which has
unfortunately been
declining in the SF
Bay for decades.
Eggs are also
deposited on pier
pilings, rocks and
even boat bottoms.
While these dilapidated
piers at Agua Vista in San
Francisco have outlived
their usefulness for
humans they have
become vital habitat for
feeding, resting and
nesting birds.
Due to dangers to boats
caused by floating pier
debris that may break off
during storms, the city
wants to remove this
accidental habitat
piers at Agua Vista in San
Francisco have outlived
their usefulness for
humans they have
become vital habitat for
feeding, resting and
nesting birds.
Due to dangers to boats
caused by floating pier
debris that may break off
during storms, the city
wants to remove this
accidental habitat
Herring have adapted
to heavy predation by a
multitude of species
both above and below
the water line by
evolving to produce a
phenomenal amount of
spawn in a very short
time frame.
Up to 6 million eggs per
meter of substrate can
be deposited in a few
short hours
to heavy predation by a
multitude of species
both above and below
the water line by
evolving to produce a
phenomenal amount of
spawn in a very short
time frame.
Up to 6 million eggs per
meter of substrate can
be deposited in a few
short hours
One of the more entertaining
(and/or supremely frustrating)
aspects of the event is a chance
to study a multitude of Gull
species and hybrids.
Due to the fact that most all gulls
are closely related (21 of 26
North American species are in
the genus Larus), identifying
gulls to species can be the most
challenging of all.
Many of the more closely related
members especially tend to
interbreed regularly continually
tweaking the ol' gene pool.
(and/or supremely frustrating)
aspects of the event is a chance
to study a multitude of Gull
species and hybrids.
Due to the fact that most all gulls
are closely related (21 of 26
North American species are in
the genus Larus), identifying
gulls to species can be the most
challenging of all.
Many of the more closely related
members especially tend to
interbreed regularly continually
tweaking the ol' gene pool.
For example, check out
this character above:
Bill size - smallish
Bill Color - yellow/green
Orbital ring - purplish
Iris - darkish
Mantle - light gray
Leg color - quite pink
Overall size - smaller
than nearby Westerns
OK then: Thayer's
But what up with that
Glacous-winged tail?
OK: Thacous-winged
After a while you might
even begin to question
the very concept of
species when it comes to
gulls!
this character above:
Bill size - smallish
Bill Color - yellow/green
Orbital ring - purplish
Iris - darkish
Mantle - light gray
Leg color - quite pink
Overall size - smaller
than nearby Westerns
OK then: Thayer's
But what up with that
Glacous-winged tail?
OK: Thacous-winged
After a while you might
even begin to question
the very concept of
species when it comes to
gulls!
Well, the more you look
the more you see and
while we didn't find
anything truly rare like a
Glaucous Gull, there
were plenty of head
scratchers. Some of
those, along with more
obvious birds (so that
you don't think you are
losing it as I did) are
framed below for your
viewing pleasure.
Enjoy!
the more you see and
while we didn't find
anything truly rare like a
Glaucous Gull, there
were plenty of head
scratchers. Some of
those, along with more
obvious birds (so that
you don't think you are
losing it as I did) are
framed below for your
viewing pleasure.
Enjoy!
This Page: Adult
&Third Winter gulls
with pink legs
&Third Winter gulls
with pink legs
Click here to go to:
BayGulls & Eggs: Page Two
BayGulls & Eggs: Page Two