Blue Frontier

10/14/2026

Climate Change Is Pushing Kelp Forests to the Brink 🚨⁠
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Kelp forests are among the ocean’s most productive ecosystems, providing vital habitat for marine wildlife, supporting coastal communities, and helping store carbon. But climate change is putting these underwater forests at risk.⁠
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A new study published in PLOS Biology estimates that climate-driven declines could lead to the loss of 25 million hectares of wild kelp forests by 2050. Researchers warn that these losses could reduce natural carbon sequestration by up to 30 million tons annually - far exceeding the carbon removal achieved by kelp restoration projects to date.⁠
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🌱 Restoration alone isn’t enough. While restoring kelp forests remains important, protecting existing ecosystems and tackling the root causes of climate change are essential to preventing further losses.⁠
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Preventing further kelp loss will require meaningful climate action alongside stronger protections for marine ecosystems. ⁠
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Curious to know more about kelp? We have episodes on Rising Tide: the Ocean Podcast featuring kelp and climate experts such as Jan Friewald of Reef Check and Dr. Daniel Swain you can listen to on bluefront.org 🎧️

10/13/2026

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor Indigenous communities and their enduring relationships with the land, coastlines, and waters they have stewarded for generations.⁠
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Indigenous peoples have long practiced sustainable resource management, protected marine biodiversity, and passed down generations of ecological knowledge that can help guide conservation today.⁠
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🌎 Protecting the ocean means respecting Indigenous rights and elevating their voices. We were humbled and honored to have had Amy Bowers Cordalis on Rising Tide: the Ocean Podcast this past year.
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Amy is one of the rallying voices and leading advocates for reopening the Klamath River - a powerful reminder of what is possible when we listen to and collaborate with Indigenous stewards.⁠
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As we work toward a healthier ocean and a more sustainable future, we must recognize that environmental protection and Indigenous justice go hand in hand.

You can listen to Amy's interview with us here: https://www.bluefront.org/rising-tide/podcast/amy-bowers-cordalis-and-a-rivers-rebirth?rq=amy%20bowers

10/12/2026

Point Molate Alliance Co-chair Pam Stello and mayor Eduardo Martinez (at end of table) with some of the many others who fought to create the park we now have.

10/08/2026

8 arms, 3 hearts, and 9 brains 🐙⁠
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Octopuses may sound and look like an alien species, but they are among the ocean's most fascinating creatures, with a lot more to them than meets the eye:⁠
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👅 Arms that can taste: Their arms are covered in sensory cells that allow them to “taste” what they touch. Each arm can explore its surroundings and detect chemicals in the water. Even if they lose one, they can regrow it back!⁠
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🧠 The smartest invertebrates: Octopuses can solve puzzles, learn through observation, and even use tools. This is especially impressive given they are not social creatures like cetaceans.⁠
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☠️ Every octopus is venomous: All known octopus species produce venom. Most aren’t dangerous to humans, but their venom is an important tool for hunting and defense.⁠
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From problem-solving to regeneration, octopuses are living reminders of just how strange and spectacular life in the ocean can be. 🌊⁠
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Curious to know more? You can learn more about octopi and other marine life on Rising Tide: the Ocean Podcast, which features episodes from octopus experts and enthusiasts like Craig Foster from My Octopus Teacher and Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures 🎧️

Tune in: https://www.bluefront.org/rising-tide

10/07/2026

In a new LA Times opinion piece, our executive director argues that the ocean crisis has reached a point where we need to think less like managers - and more like emergency-room doctors.⁠
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From warming and acidification to collapsing coral reefs, declining kelp forests, pollution and destructive fishing, the pressures on our ocean are mounting. The ocean absorbs about 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases, but that buffering comes at an enormous cost to marine ecosystems.⁠
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David Helvarg's message is stark: we may not be able to restore the ocean we inherited, but we can still save what remains and rebuild what we can.⁠
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The future ocean will look different from the one we grew up with. But it is still worth fighting for - and there is still work we can do.⁠
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Read David's LA Times piece: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-10-07/ocean-environmental-crisis-triage

10/06/2026

You may have noticed - we have a new look!⁠
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Our new site makes it easier than ever to explore our work, discover the latest ocean news, learn about the issues facing our seas, and find ways to get involved in protecting our blue planet.⁠
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From ocean advocacy and conservation to Rising Tide: the Ocean Podcast, there’s more to discover - all in a fresh, easier-to-navigate design.⁠
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🌎 Explore our new website and dive in at bluefront.org⁠
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Same mission. New look. Even more ways to connect with the ocean.

10/05/2026

How are citizen scientists changing ocean conservation?⁠
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Rising Tide has us sit down and talk with Jan Freiwald, Executive Director of Reef Check, about three decades of protecting some of the ocean’s most vital ecosystems.⁠
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From coral reefs to California’s kelp forests, these ecosystems are facing growing pressure from warming oceans, marine heatwaves, and climate change. But there’s also reason for hope.⁠
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Jan shares how Reef Check is using citizen science, scuba-diving volunteers, youth training, and hands-on conservation to better understand and protect these underwater habitats.⁠
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Dive into the conversation using the link below and discover how ordinary people can become part of the science - and the solution! 🤿🌿

https://www.bluefront.org/rising-tide/reef-check

10/01/2026

🌊 A “Wave” Nearly a Foot High Is Headed Toward the Bay Area - But You Won’t See It Coming.⁠
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A massive, slow-moving Kelvin wave is traveling thousands of miles along the Pacific coast as a result of the developing El Niño. Unlike a typical ocean wave, this planetary-scale phenomenon can raise coastal water levels for weeks at a time.⁠
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The Bay Area could see sea levels rise by nearly a foot this month as the wave moves north along the West Coast. That extra foot of water could have major consequences when combined with high tides, winter storms, and coastal erosion. Scientists warn that the greatest risks may come later this Winter, when these factors could overlap.⁠
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With California’s coastal communities already facing the long-term impacts of sea level rise, events like this highlight how natural climate patterns can amplify existing coastal vulnerabilities.⁠
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/30/california-kelvin-wave-sea-level-rise

10/01/2026

09/29/2026

Forest of the Sea is coming back to the East Bay! 🌿⁠
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Come hear award-winning environmental journalist David Helvarg speak about kelp forests and the reason why scientists are calling them "the new coral", as well as the communities and stories connected to these lush environments.⁠
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This event is free to the public! See more info at forestoftheseabook.org 📖