It may be harmful to humans, too. An algal bloom of this size can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems, and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board is advising people to avoid swimming, kayaking, or other activities on the water until the bloom subsides.

Mary Spicer of Alameda, who paddles on the bay with an outrigger canoe team, said some members of her team have been experiencing skin irritation after coming into contact with the water over the past few weeks. Spicer said she began to notice discoloration of the water about a month ago — and then it turned to a “denser, thicker, chocolaty brown.”

Paddling at the Oakland Estuary a couple weeks ago, she was heartbroken to see a juvenile harbor seal poking its head out of the discolored water. “Just to see these marine creatures… having to live in the red, brown, dense water, it’s really just disconcerting,” she said.

Dead fish line the shore of Lake Merritt in Oakland on Aug. 29, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration describes red tides as a “harmful algal bloom,” or large colonies of algae plants growing out of control that are sometimes rust-colored. Not all algal blooms are harmful, and most are beneficial in the ocean.

However, a small percentage of algae can produce deadly blooms, and that’s what Rosenfield believes may be happening now.

SF Baykeeper is getting reports through its pollution hotline of dead fish in Foster City, Alameda, Keller Beach in Richmond, Sausalito and Fort Baker.

“Whatever number I offer you would likely be too low,” Rosenfield said.

Government officials KQED reached would not confirm any number yet. But on Monday, Eileen White, executive officer at the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, described the algae bloom as “highly unusual” and “much more extensive” than blooms the agency has tracked in the past.

“And this one’s resulting in fish kills, which is not good,” she said. “So we’re going to continue to study, try to find the cause of it and learn from this, so hopefully we can prevent them in the future.”

Damon Tighe, who describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as an educator and a naturalist who studies mycology, tweeted a photo of a pile of dead fish at Lake Merritt on Sunday.

“Massive fish die off going on right now in Lake Merritt,” Tighe tweeted. “May be related to the HUGE algal bloom that’s been happening on the east bay since the start of the month in front of Alameda where effluent flows.” Tighe included a link to iNaturalist, a nature app that allows users to share their observations with other scientists and naturalists.

Massive fish die off going on right now in Lake Merritt #oakland #fish #lakemerritt

May be related to the HUGE algal bloom that’s been happening on the east bay since the start of the month in front of Alameda where effluent flows…https://t.co/1H1byxoWok pic.twitter.com/FJBAU0InIb

— Damon Tighe (@damontighe) August 28, 2022

The algal bloom likely leading to the mass fish death is Heterosigma akashiwo, which SF Baykeeper and the San Francisco Estuary Institute and Aquatic Science Center have been tracking since it appeared in the last month. The aquatic science center noted that fish-kill reports began emerging around August 22, though they noted that the bay’s size makes data gathering a “huge challenge.”

What has changed, Rosenfield said, is those reports finally coming in, as well as confirmation from field investigators this weekend.

The algal bloom that Rosenfield says is most likely causing the die-off, he continued, is caused by a mix of environmental conditions, perhaps worsened by climate change, and treated sewage put out by wastewater treatment plants across the Bay Area. The red tide species of algae, Heterosigma, may be killing fish in two ways: it can produce a toxin that is deadly to fish, but it can also result in low dissolved oxygen levels in the water, which can also be deadly.

“So we’re not sure of which mechanism is operating here. Maybe it’s both,” Rosenfield said. But the same bloom has caused massive fish kills in other parts of the world, as well.

Geese pass by a shore filled with dead fish at Lake Merritt in Oakland on Aug. 29, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

The change that spurred the bloom locally, Rosenfield said, was likely a tipping point in warming waters. The solution, then, is for wastewater treatment plants to begin recycling wastewater in far higher volumes than it does now.

An April 2022 report by the environmental group the Pacific Institute described wastewater recycling as underutilized across California. The group estimates that an additional 1.8 million to 2.1 million acre-feet per year of municipal wastewater is available for reuse in California.

San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin, an avid swimmer with the South End Rowing Club, saw the red tide himself as he took a dip last week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

“My wife said I can’t swim in there anymore,” said Peskin. “I told her about it. It was like swimming through rust.”

He’s started to see the problem on the shores, too. His constituents have already started sending him photos of dead fish on San Francisco beaches. Peskin’s district includes Fisherman’s Wharf and the Embarcadero, areas with borders that touch the water. Peskin wants to ensure that those areas, and beyond, see climate action.

“Our public utilities commission, which is our sewer purveyor, needs to quickly come up with strategies to how San Francisco can do its part in reducing discharges that can exacerbate red tides,” Peskin said.

A dead California bat ray lay on the shore of Lake Merritt in Oakland on Aug. 29, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

Reached over the weekend, Bill Johnson, chief of the wastewater and enforcement division at the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, pushed back on the assertion that wastewater is to blame — the jury is still out, he says.

He says the water control board is spending $2.2 million annually to fund scientists studying the algal bloom to see if it is indeed caused by human wastewater.

“So if the solution is to ask the wastewater community to spend billions and billions of dollars for nutrients, then that’s what we’re going to do,” Johnson said. “But if the underlying causes are something else and if investing all that money isn’t going to solve the problem, we need to know that before we take that measure.”

Rosenfield countered Johnson’s statements by pointing to a 2020 report from James Cloern, senior scientist emeritus at the US Geological Survey, that showed San Francisco Bay had “high nutrient loadings, primarily from municipal wastewater,” leading to the “potential for high algal production. “

Regardless, understanding what’s causing the algal bloom is crucial, Rosenfield said, because it is almost certainly not a one-off. Without preventive measures, this could be an annual occurrence, rising when the waters warm, and fading as they cool.

It’s already beginning to spook Rosenfield, who isn’t easy to spook — he’s been a senior scientist at SF Baykeeper for four years, and was a lead scientist at The Bay Institute for nearly 11 years.

What really rocked him was seeing a number of a particular white sturgeon, a rare fish that’s part of a recreational fishery, show up dead on Stinson Beach.

They don’t wind up dead nearly as easily, being large, armored fish.

“Seeing that sturgeon is an indicator of a much larger problem,” he said.

Like a canary in a coal mine, but with scales.

KQED’s Lesley McClurg contributed reporting to this story.

The post Useless Fish Are Piling Up Throughout Shores of San Francisco Bay, Lake Merritt, As Algal Bloom Grows appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

When KQED showed a social media video of dead fish piling up at the edge of Lake Merritt, Johnson said, “That’s a pretty powerful image. Yeah, that’s not good.”

Damon Tighe, who describes himself on his LinkedIn profile as an educator and a naturalist who studies mycology, tweeted a photo of a pile of dead fish at Lake Merritt on Sunday.

“Massive fish die off going on right now in Lake Merritt,” Tighe tweeted. “May be related to the huge algal bloom that’s been happening on the east bay since the start of the month in front of Alameda where effluent flows.” Tighe included a link to iNaturalist, a nature app that allows users to share their observations with other scientists and naturalists.

Massive fish die off going on right now in Lake Merritt #oakland #fish #lakemerritt

May be related to the HUGE algal bloom that’s been happening on the east bay since the start of the month in front of Alameda where effluent flows…https://t.co/1H1byxoWok pic.twitter.com/FJBAU0InIb

— Damon Tighe (@damontighe) August 28, 2022

The algal bloom likely leading to the mass fish death is Heterosigma akashiwo, which SF Baykeeper and the San Francisco Estuary Institute and Aquatic Science Center have been tracking since it appeared in the last month. The aquatic science center noted that fish-kill reports began emerging around August 22, though they noted the Bay’s size makes data gathering a “huge challenge.”

What has changed, Rosenfield said, is those reports finally coming in, as well as confirmation from field investigators this weekend.

The algal bloom that Rosenfield says is most likely causing the die-off he says is caused by a mix of environmental conditions, perhaps worsened by climate change, and treated sewage put out by wastewater treatment plants across the Bay Area. The red tide species of algae, Heterosigma, may be killing fish in two ways: it can produce a toxin that is deadly to fish, but it can also result in low dissolved oxygen levels in the water which can also be deadly.

“So we’re not sure of which mechanism is operating here. Maybe it’s both,” Rosenfield said. But the same bloom has caused massive fish kills in other parts of the world, as well.

The change that spurred the bloom locally, Rosenfield said, was likely a tipping point in warming waters. The solution, then, is for wastewater treatment plants to begin recycling wastewater in far higher volumes than it does now.

An April 2022 report by the environmental group called the Pacific Institute described wastewater recycling as under-utilized across California. The group estimates that an additional 1.8 million to 2.1 million acre-feet per-year of municipal wastewater is available for reuse in California.

San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin, an avid swimmer with the South End Rowing Club, saw the red tide himself as he took a dip last week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

“My wife said I can’t swim in there anymore,” said Peskin. “I told her about it. It was like swimming through rust.”

He’s started to see the problem on the shores, too. His constituents have already started sending him photos of dead fish on San Francisco beaches. Peskin’s district includes Fisherman’s Wharf and the Embarcadero, all areas with borders that touch the water. Peskin wants to ensure those areas, and beyond, see climate action.

“Our public utilities commission, which is our sewer purveyor, needs to quickly come up with strategies to how San Francisco can do its part in reducing discharges that can exacerbate red tides,” Peskin said.

Johnson, from the water quality control board, pushed back on the assertion that wastewater is to blame — the jury is still out, he says.

He says the water control board is spending $2.2 million annually to fund scientists studying the algal bloom to see if it is indeed caused by human wastewater.

“So if the solution is to ask the wastewater community to spend billions and billions of dollars for nutrients, then that’s what we’re going to do,” Johnson said. “But if the underlying causes are something else and if investing all that money isn’t going to solve the problem, we need to know that before we take that measure.”

Understanding what’s causing the algal bloom is crucial, Rosenfield said, because it is almost certainly not a one-off. Without preventative measures, this could be an annual occurrence, rising when the waters warm, and fading as they cool.

It’s already beginning to spook Rosenfield, who isn’t easy to spook — he’s been a senior scientist at SF Baykeeper for four years, and was a lead scientist at The Bay Institute for nearly 11 years.

What really rocked him was seeing a number of a particular white sturgeon, a rare fish part of a recreational fishery, show up dead on Stinson Beach.

They don’t wind up dead nearly as easily, being large, armored fish.

“Seeing that sturgeon is an indicator of a much larger problem,” he said.

Like a canary in a coal mine, but with scales.

The post Useless Fish Are Piling Up Throughout Shores of San Francisco Bay, Lake Merritt, as Algal Bloom Grows appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Heads up, foodies: I’m now sending alerts every time I publish a story. Sign up for texts from me here. Thanks to those of you who’ve already subscribed and offered your thoughts!

… While many festivals and local events are returning this year, one beloved local institution’s future is uncertain. The Gilroy Garlic Festival Board announced Friday that the annual festival has been canceled indefinitely. The organization cited lingering concerns from the pandemic and prohibitively expensive insurance required by the city of Gilroy, to the tune of $1 million. The festival is normally held over the last weekend in July to celebrate the stinking rose in all its delicious iterations, from classics like garlic fries to unconventional creations like garlic ice cream. This is a sad end to an event that families have cherished for more than 40 years and has earned the small farm community of Gilroy international recognition. We all remember the tragic mass shooting at the 2019 festival, when a 19-year-old Gilroy native killed three people and wounded 17 others before turning the gun on himself. It would be extremely difficult for an event to hold the same place in the community’s heart after such horror, but after canceling the festival in 2020, the organizers gamely held a drive-through version over three weekends in July 2021.

“The festival is part of our heritage. Now we must ensure that it is part of our future,” the organizers said in the announcement. While they believe that the festival will never be a massive event, they hope to create a smaller, more intimate local iteration. Several companion fundraisers will be held throughout the summer, including a golf tournament, a concert at Clos La Chance Winery and a farm-to-table dinner. Visit gilroygarlicfestivalassociation.com for more information…

The Felton and Scotts Valley farmers markets reopen the first week of May.

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

… Next week, we welcome back the seasonal Felton and Scotts Valley farmers markets. Located off of Highway 9 in downtown Felton, the Felton farmers market reopens a week from Tuesday, and will run every Tuesday from 1 pm to 6 pm through October. In addition to organic fruits and vegetables, fresh flowers, artisanal bread, seafood, meat, eggs and other staple foods, the market has expanded its food truck rotation with an emphasis on highlighting cultural, hard-to-find foods. Scrumptious Fish & Chips will be there every week, and Dos Hermanos Pupuseria, Mattia Pizza Truck and Rogue Pye will rotate.

The Scotts Valley farmers market starts up again next Saturday, May 7, from 9 am to 1 pm, and will run every Saturday morning through Thanksgiving. Find it at its new home, off Scotts Valley Drive in the Boys & Girls Club parking lot. Visitors will find an abundant selection from regional farms and food businesses, and regular pop-ups by Chicken Foot and Dos Hermanos Pupuseria. New this year, Watsonville-based Hidden Fortress Coffee will sell breakfast favorites like French toast, pancakes, bacon and sausage in addition to its small-batch, organic roasted coffee and espresso.

Both markets will celebrate opening day with free strawberry shortcakes to visitors, made with fresh local strawberries and whipped cream on Beckmann’s Bakery shortbread. Doesn’t that sound like a sweet way to kick off summer? More info at santacruzfarmersmarket.org …

Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery will move from its location on Sandholdt Road in Moss Landing.

(Via Facebook)

… Concerned community members took to social media when it was revealed that Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery will be leaving its current location in Moss Landing. Fans feared that the beloved restaurant and fish market would be closing for good after news broke that the neighboring Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is planning to expand and will demolish the restaurant in order to build a new two-story, 33,000-square-foot marine research facility in its spot on Sandholdt Road. But the reports of Phil’s demise were greatly exaggerated, with Phil DiGirolamo himself clearing the air. While it is true that the establishment is planning to move, “We will not be closing,” DiGirolamo insisted in a Facebook post. DiGirolamo and MBARI are working together to find another suitable location before the move, so no one has to say goodbye to Phil’s famous cioppino, clam chowder or crab cakes.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Blossom’s lineup of fermented foods includes a killer vegan kimchi.

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

If you haven’t had the opportunity yet, I highly recommend stopping by Blossom’s Farmstand & Coffeeshop next time you’re in Corralitos. The rose-colored adobe building is full to the brim with local goodies, including fresh produce, eggs, local art, Blossom’s own line of fermented foods – I adore its vegan kimchi – and its herbal apothecary. The coffee shop serves warm drinks, baked goods and homemade savory snacks. Discover why this local spot is so special in last week’s Eaters Digest.

****

THE NUMBER

250,000 — The estimated number of T-shirts Pizza My Heart sells every year via its $7 shirt-and-a-slice combo. In the latest installation of my colleague Wallace Baine’s Icons of Santa Cruz series, he traces how the Pizza My Heart T-shirt became a symbol of Santa Cruz. Read it here.

LIFE WITH THE BELLIS

This might be appealing to only a small portion of readers, but if you, by chance, are looking for an easy and delicious way to prepare beets, I have a great recipe for you. I love beets when I eat them in restaurants, but until recently rarely prepared them at home because I couldn’t find a preparation that gave me the results I wanted – beets with a tangy, pickled flavor, free from their ruddy skin with a tender , rich texture – that was so easy. I finally found that recipe, and it’s so simple. To make it, wash your beets and trim off the stem end, then poach them in a mixture of one part vinegar with four parts water until you can pierce them easily all the way through. Poaching is a fancy way of saying to cook them in liquid at a low temperature. In this case, the beets should be submerged or nearly submerged in the vinegar/water mixture, and kept at a low simmer, covered with a lid, for about an hour. Feel free to mix up the type of vinegar and add some aromatics, depending on what you’re using them for. I used a cup of red wine vinegar and added a clove of crushed garlic, a palmful of peppercorns and a couple of bay leaves.

Once they’re done cooking and have cooled, you can slough the skin off with a paper towel. You will definitely make a mess – and beets stain, so be prepared. Chop them up and they’ll keep in a closed container in the fridge for a week, ready to liven up your office salad. I actually blended some into homemade tomato soup and it was surprisingly good. The sky’s the limit!

THIS WEEK, I’M LISTENING…

… to a recent episode from the local podcast “Paid The Cost,” featuring business owner Eric Kennedy. Kennedy is a San Lorenzo Valley native and new owner of Zayante Creek Market & Deli, which he purchased during the pandemic. His path to business ownership zigged and zagged, from his days starting a wine club featuring Santa Cruz Mountains wines to his days at Looker. He shares his plans for the little market in the mountains and many words of wisdom in the episode. And keep listening for a familiar face — host Nativo Gonzalez kindly invited me on for his 100th episode, out tomorrow.

TO BECOME A LOOKOUT MEMBER, CLICK HERE

FOOD NEWS WORTH READING:

➤ Buzzy restaurants are heading to this mall — is it the Bay Area’s next hot dining destination? (San Francisco Chronicle)
➤ Is the future of restaurants grassroots-funded? (eater)
➤ How foragers are reconnecting with the land (Good Times)

It’s hard to believe this newsletter is already three months old! If you’ve enjoyed reading the latest food news in your inbox every week, consider becoming a member. Only members get full access to all of Lookout’s content, including Eaters Digest, released every Friday with dining news, reviews and the best food and drink events in town each week. My work and the work of my colleagues is not possible without your support. Become a member today.

Thanks for reading! Eat well, my friends.

The post Lily Belli on Meals: Gilroy Garlic Pageant canceled, Phil’s Fish Home shifting and mountain markets reopen appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

By Andria Borba

Click here for updates on this story

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — Just beyond the jellyfish at the Steinhart Aquarium inside the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park sits — or rather, swims — Methuselah.

In the Bible, Noah’s grandfather Methuselah was said to have lived to be 969 years old. Methuselah the fish is not quite that ancient, but biologists at the California Academy of Sciences believe it is about 90 years old, with no known living peers.

Methuselah is a 4-foot-long, 40-pound Australian lungfish.

She — possibly he; biologists aren’t exactly sure — is believed to be the oldest Australian lungfish in captivity.

Methuselah arrived in San Francisco in 1938, when it’s believed she was five years old. She lives a very mellow life in slow-moving 70 degree water; a bit of a lazy river.

“She needs a little bit of space, calm water and nice diet,” said curator Charles Delbeek.

As for her diet, a fish of her distinguished age has distinct preferences.

“Earthworms, romaine lettuce and figs. She really likes sweet figs when they’re in season. She won’t eat preserved ones or frozen ones,” Delbeek told KPIX.

For the record, she also likes belly rubs.

If you’re thinking that her tank looks small, rest assured that’s just the way she likes it. A few years ago, biologists tried to move her to a larger tank with two other Australian Lungfish — named Small and Medium — and Methuselah wasn’t a fan.

“When she was moved into there, she did not display good behaviors. We decided at her age, it was better not to move her,” said Delbeek.

Researchers in Australia are trying to divine Methuselah’s exact age through DNA testing.

“We actually take a very small cutting, maybe less than one square millimeter of the actual fin. It’s a painless procedure — preserve that in alcohol and then it gets shipped to Australia for testing,” explained Delbeek.

Though, at her age, a lady or gentleman never tells.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

The post Oldest Residing Aquarium Fish Resides at San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — Just beyond the jellyfish at the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park sits — or rather swims — Methuselah.

In the Bible, Noah’s grandfather Methuselah lived to be 969 years old. Methuselah the fish isn’t quite that old, but biologists from the California Academy of Sciences believe it’s about 90 years old and has no known living counterparts.

CONTINUE READING: Health experts warn rapid COVID tests are less reliable than PCR

Methuselah is a 4 foot long, 40 pound Australian lungfish.

Senior biologist Allan Jan feeds Methuselah, a 4-foot-long, 40-pound Australian lungfish brought to the California Academy of Sciences from Australia in 1938, in his tank in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff chiu)

You – possibly him; Biologists aren’t entirely sure – it’s thought to be the oldest captive Australian lungfish.

Methuselah arrived in San Francisco in 1938, when she was believed to be five years old. She lives a very gentle life in slow flowing 70 degree water; a bit like a lazy river.

“She needs a bit of space, calm water and a good diet,” said curator Charles Delbeek.

As for their diet, a fish of their advanced age has distinct preferences.

CONTINUE READING: Woman found dead while visiting friends at home in Rohnert Park

“Earthworms, romaine lettuce and figs. She really likes sweet figs when they are in season. She doesn’t eat canned or frozen ones,” Delbeek told KPIX.

For the record, she also likes tummy rubs.

If you think her tank looks small, rest assured she likes it just the way it is. A few years ago biologists tried to put them in a larger tank with two other Australian lungfish – named Small and Medium – and Methuselah wasn’t a fan.

“When she was drafted there, she didn’t show good behavior. We decided at her age that it was better not to move her,” said Delbeek.

Researchers in Australia are trying to guess Methuselah’s exact age through DNA testing.

“We actually take a very small section, maybe less than a square millimeter of the actual fin. It’s a painless procedure – keep that in alcohol and then it’s shipped to Australia for testing,” explained Delbeek.

MORE NEWS: Conversely, the San Jose Unified School District is willing to let police officers back on campus

But at her age a lady or a gentleman never says anything.

The post Oldest Dwelling Aquarium Fish Resides at San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences – CBS San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco believes it has the world’s oldest living fish in an Aquarium.

The fish is an Australian lungfish, and it lives in a glass container in a museum. The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper first wrote about the fish in 1947. The story said the fish looked “strange” and might have been an example of the link between animals that lived in the ocean and those that lived on land.

The fish is named Methuselah after a person said to have lived 969 years in the Bible. While she is not that old, biologists at the aquarium think the fish is about 90 years old. They believe it is the oldest living example of a lungfish in an aquarium.

Until a few years ago, the oldest Australian lungfish was at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. But that fish, named Granddad, died in 2017 at the age of 95.

“By default,” said biologist Allan Jan, “Methuselah is the oldest.”

Jan looks after the fish in San Francisco. He believes the fish is female but does not know for sure. The aquarium plans to take a very small part of the fish’s fine and send it to scientists in Australia. The scientists will try to confirm the fish’s age and sex.

Jan said Methuselah likes getting rubbed on her back. He compared her to an “underwater puppy” or young dog. She is a little longer than one meter and weighs about 20 kilograms.

Methuselah, a 4-foot-long, 40-pound Australian lungfish that was brought to the California Academy of Sciences in 1938 from Australia, swims in its tank in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu )

Jeanette Peach is a spokeswoman for the aquarium. She said the fish enjoys eating fresh figs, a type of fruit. “She won’t eat them when they’re frozen,” Peach said.

The aquarium has two other Australian lungfish. Jan said they are thinking to be in their 40s or 50s.

the species is now threatened and can no longer be exported from Australian waters. So, getting another lungfish after Methuselah is not likely.

“We just give her the best possible care we can provide, and hopefully she thrills,” Jan said.

I’m Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.

Does your country have some old animals or fish? What kind are they? Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

Aquarium– n. a glass or plastic container in which fish and other water animals and plants can live

default – n. used to describe something that happens or is done when nothing else has been done or can be done — usually used in the phrase by default

fine– n. a thin flat part that sticks out from the body of a fish and is used in moving or guiding the fish through water

species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus

drive – v. to grow or develop successfully

The post San Francisco Is House to World’s Oldest Fish in Aquarium appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The name of the lungfish is Methuselah, which comes from the Bible.

Methusalah was Noah’s grandfather and lived 969 years.

This Methusalah is considered “she” and is at least 90 years old.

RELATED: Rare, monstrous-looking fish wash up on San Diego Beach

The academy will send a tiny sample of their fin to researchers in Australia who will try to find out its exact age.

“She’s basically just a big pooch,” said aquarium curator Charles Delbeek.

“She’s very gentle, she moves very slowly, but if you want to be fast, you can. You can jump out of this tank and that’s why we have a guard around it, ”he explained.

Methusalah weighs about 24 pounds.

Perhaps a more mature palate comes with their age? She enjoys figs, but only when they are fresh, not frozen and thawed.

VIDEO: Monterey Bay Aquarium Researcher Shares Experience With Rare Barreleye Fish In The Deep Sea

Copyright © 2022 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

The post California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is dwelling to world’s oldest dwelling aquarium fish appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

WITHEcological facilities offer people the rare opportunity to see some of the most unique and often endangered wildlife in the world. Large exhibits that showcase charismatic mammals – reticulated giraffes, African elephants, jaguars, great apes, whales (although luckily this is changing), etc. – are usually the fauna we synonymous with these wildlife parks. But … what if I told you that San Francisco’s very own California Academy of Sciences is home to not only the city’s oldest aquarium fish, but probably the entire country?

Meet Methusalah: the Australian lungfish over 90 years old that came to San Francisco on a steamer from Queensland, Australia in 1938.

On Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle published a glorious profile on the magnetic fish that actually uses both its primitive lungs and gills to store oxygen. (As the newspaper noted, the name “Methuselah” is a Biblical reference to Noah’s grandfather, who lived to be 969; the fish is now four feet long and weighs about 40 pounds, and is likely to keep growing [as most fish do the rest of their lives; they’re what we call animals without “predetermined growth” in biology]; she likes fruit snacks and abdominal massages.)

And what is equally fascinating about Methusalah’s own San Francisco story is the evolutionary biology of the species to which it belongs.

Australian lungfish – also known as “Queensland lungfish” due to their naturally occurring distribution in slow-flowing basins and river systems in southeast Queensland – are among the oldest living fish species known to science, with a few examples such as Methusalah living 90 or more Years. It is believed that the longest-lived Australian lungfish must be a centenarian. (Fuck our blue zones, am I right?)

They also belong to only one of six living lungfish species in the world and are the only surviving member of the genus Neoceratodontidae. Four species of the genus Protopterus (animals of the family Protopteridae) occur in Africa; one species, Lepidosiren paradoxa (the only species in the Lepidosirenidae family) occurs in South America; The Australian lungfish is the only species in the Ceratodontidae family – and is also one of the stockiest of all known lungfish.

How did these fish get their primitive lung system, which is almost identical in function and structure to that of amphibians? They have got rid of their swim bladder, which is why lungfish have pectoral and ventral fins and a single unpaired caudal fin in place of the dorsal fin, which look slightly nifty and mirror rudimentary limbs.

Because, yes: Lungfish are just as well suited to migrating through swampy wetlands as they are to gliding through the shallow, slow-moving aquatic habitats in which they can be found.

It is not known exactly how old the species itself is. However, fossil records of examples from this group have been dated back 380 million years, to about the time the higher vertebrate classes appeared on the planet – a full 170 million years before the first mammals are believed to have migrated. In addition, lungfish fossils have almost identical anatomies to those found today, suggesting that they have existed largely unchanged for well over 100 million years.

Lungfish are not just primitive; They are among the oldest living vertebrates on this space rock.

But because humans are assholes, many of the lungfish species still alive, including the Australian lungfish, are “threatened” according to reports from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to the IUCN, some are even “endangered”, such as the Australian lungfish. All of them are currently facing human-made habitat loss and increasing threats to their riparian areas due to the climate crisis.

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Next time you’re looking for some rainy day activity, pay a visit to Methusalah. And implore whatever higher power you choose to honor that human greed does not deprive future generations of the chance to see members of their species via belly-stroking.

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Stephanie Ernst Scott would be the first to admit that she has never fished a day in her life – a unique position as the owner of a 62 year old tackle shop.

After 45 years at Gus’ Discount Tackle, an Outer Richmond fishing business, Ernst Scott said that her week off day is better spent playing with her grandchildren. In addition, Ernst Scott admitted that she hardly has the patience to fish anyway.

“I could never sit there,” said Ernst Scott, “you have to have the ability to sit, not my strength.”

Framed by over a thousand photos of customers and their fish, Ernst Scott sat smiling behind the counter of her tackle shop and waited restlessly for her next customer to come in. It was a slow, cold morning in a city where fog was often dictating the public’s retail habits.

The photos that adorn the walls and ceiling, some new, others faded and curled up from years in the sun, depict generations of anglers in San Francisco. The smiling customers who pose with their fish in these snapshots are doctors, teachers, hairdressers, and lawyers. Ernst Scott pointed out not one, but two photos of customers in full wedding regalia in the store. One was new – both the husband and wife wore masks.

The store, a mecca for fishermen in San Francisco, is a place where, according to Ernst Scott, customers can talk about anything – from fishing to family. And while Ernst Scott may not have an affinity for the sport itself, she stays because of the fulfillment she supposedly gets from the job.

“Goods are goods, but this is just a great place that has a very emotional bond with a lot of our customers,” said Ernst Scott.

The general store became a tackle shop

Ernst Scott inherited the shop from her father, Gus Ernst, an Austrian Jew who she said fled the Nazis on skis during the Holocaust before settling in San Francisco.

“He was driving across the Alps while the Gestapo was shooting at him,” said Ernst Scott. “He saved his life and knew how to ski.”

Like father and daughter, Ernst did not fish either. The store first appeared as a general store on Clement Street in 1959 before moving to its current location – a former upholstery factory – on Balboa Street in 1961. Ask Ernst Scott and she will point out the pipes that run across one of the walls and the spot in the background she suspects must have once housed a kettle.

“This store sold everything but hot stoves and pets,” she said of her father’s early days.

It wasn’t until Ernst began receiving more requests from his regulars for more fishing gear that the business became more specialized. It started slowly, said Scott. Ernst would be asked one day to bring more rods. The next would be lines or hooks. In order to meet the demands of its customers, Ernst’s general store eventually became Gus’ Discount Tackle.

Behind the register, Scott spends most of her day. From here, she can see the news, speak to customers, and control the store. (Avery Wilcox / Golden Gate Xpress)

Criminals to lawyers

Ernst Scott never thought she would run her father’s fishing business.

Ernst Scott was unemployed in 1974 and had a masters degree in communications from SF State which felt increasingly useless. He felt stuck. Her father hired her as an employee out of kindness, she said.

“Really useful in this world,” said Ernst Scott sarcastically of her degree, gesturing around the shop. “Teaching is the only application, there were no jobs.”

Forty-five years later, she said she couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

While waiting for her first customers of the day, she joked that the people who come through the store are usually a lot more interesting.

“I’m sorry there can’t be more wackos for your story,” she said. “I have the best customers, 10 hours a day I have to deal with the most beautiful soup and nut customers in the world. They share their lives with you, come in for a coffee, it’s like an old general store. ”

Ernst Scott sums up her client base simply: she brings everyone from offenders to the lawyers they represent. She said that over the decades she has worked there, she has seen generations of customers attend to their discount needs.

One such customer is Chris Leong, a hairdresser whose father first brought her to the store about 30 years ago. She had stopped by Gus to drop off a gift certificate for Ernst Scott’s daughter from her salon (both she and her daughter have their hair cut by Leong) and they were about to show each other family photos. Leong was back at the store with her friend Karen Fong for the first time since the pandemic.

Leong said she hasn’t seen any major changes in Gus since childhood.

“She kept it where you can dig out of boxes,” she said.

“Is Chris telling you I’m a slut?” Ernst Scott said and cut him across the room.

“

It’s a family business. It’s not a franchise, it’s not a chain – it’s personable. “

– Chris Leong

Both women laughed before Ernst Scott took her on an impromptu tour of the store and showed her the old signage that was neatly hidden in the rafters. Leong said Ernst Scott was one of the main reasons she kept coming back after all these years.

“It’s a family business. It’s not a franchise, it’s not a chain – it’s personable, ”said Leong.

“Also for her personality,” said Fong, a non-fisherman, who said she would like to accompany Leong when she visits the store.

At the other end of the store, Chris Titus and his son Gage were rummaging through the store’s goods. Both were in town for the day from Sacramento and were drawn to the huge mural covering the shop front, showing a fisherman throwing his line over the door. Titus and his son, both fishermen, suspected that they had come across like-minded people.

“I like these little mom and pop shops,” said Titus. “I’d rather go somewhere like here than go to a big store like Bass Pro Shops.”

1,500 photos and counting

In the 10 years before his death, Ernst Scott worked with her husband Bill Scott on Gus’ Discount Tackle, where he primarily ran all books, handled advertising and managed the store’s website.

He and Ernst Scott met while studying at SF State and, like Ernst Scott, struggled to find work after completing his Masters in English.

Before helping Ernst Scott in the tackle shop, he served as the director of management information systems at See’s Candy Company and as a skylight designer.

One of his most important tasks, according to Ernst Scott, was a simple one – printing out customer photos and putting them on the wall. Before his death, Gus’s patrons could email their photos directly to the store to print and hang on the wall or ceiling, often the next day.

Nowadays, customers can still have their picture hung, all they have to do is bring the photo themselves. Unlike her late husband, Ernst Scott is admittedly not tech savvy. Not even a computer is in the store right now.

“I miss my husband for a lot of reasons,” she said, pointing to the photo wall.

When businesses around the world began to close at the beginning of the pandemic, things looked uncertain for the 62-year-old fishery. However, they were identified as an essential business and were allowed to remain open. Ernst Scott thought back to the beginning of the lockdown and said she didn’t know what it would have done if it had to close.

“My husband died a month before Covid started. This and my family saved me spiritually,” she said. “I would have gone mad as a hatter, we were together for 50 years, so you won’t get over it anytime soon.”

A changing neighborhood

Kevin Lorne, a 65-year-old construction manager from West Marin, said he has been coming back to Gus for the past 20 years. Over the past two decades, he said he noticed the neighborhood was getting fancier, but for him Gus’ hasn’t changed a bit.

“It’s small and has excellent service all the time,” Lorne said, indicating Ernst Scott. “And the prices are good.”

“

I will stay here as long as I want. I love it.”

– Ernst Scott

With COVID-19, Ernst Scott said many stores were closed in her beloved Richmond District. Despite the changing neighborhood, she said she will always call the Outer Richmond her home.

“I love to live here,” said Ernst Scott, “they will [have to] carry me out with your feet first. “

Regarding retirement, she said she has no intention of quitting anytime soon. Her daughter is a teacher, her son a cook, and only leaves her small grandchildren, or “geniuses” as she likes to call them, to take over the family business.

“I’ll stay here as long as I want,” said Ernst Scott. “I love it.”

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Below is a list of the best and leading fish and chips in San Francisco. To help you find the best fish and chips near you in San Francisco, we’ve created our own list based on this review score list.

San Francisco’s Best Fish and Chips:

The top rated fish and chips in San Francisco are:

• The Codmother Fish and Chips – offers traditional British fish and chips
• Catch – offers delicious seafood dishes in a cozy place with an outdoor fireplace
• Hook Fish Co. – offers fresh seafood and produces in their specialties
• Fog Harbor Fish House – offers fresh seafood dishes with great views of the Golden Gate Bridge
• Lou’s Fish Shack – Offers a fish menu as well as a live band in a two-story restaurant

The Codmother Fish and Chips

Codmother Fish and Chips offers traditional British fish and chips. It opened its doors to the public in 2011. Since then, it has served the best tasting fish and chips along the world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. In addition, they create very crispy and tasty fish and chips. They also offer Baja sauce as a dip. Baja fish and shrimp tacos are also on the menu. They also offer combination meals of their typical dishes. In addition, they offer fried oreo, which is perfectly fried.

Products:

Fish and Chips, British Cuisine

LOCATION:

Address: 496 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) -606-9349
Website: codmother.com

REVIEWS:

“Great food, affordable price, safe place during the pandemic, very clean. We ordered online through their website. They have tables so we decided to eat in them. The combination of fish and prawns was an excellent choice. My wife had the clam bowl which was delicious! Friendly staff. “- Gustavo Lino

Catch

Catch offers delicious seafood dishes in a cozy place with an outdoor fireplace. They are constantly changing their menus for seasonal produce and fresh catches. The restaurant also supports sustainable seafood markets. In addition, their dishes incorporate the Mediterranean tradition. It is then fused with California flavors. The composition is perfectly matched to the two cultures. The presentation also represents its unique innovation. They serve fish and chips battered in beer as a main course. The dish is deliciously prepared with the freshest ingredients. They also offer grilled salmon and mussels. They also offer sandwiches and side dishes like onion rings.

Products:

Fish candle chips, fish dishes

LOCATION:

Address: 2362 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Telephone: (415) -431-5000
Website: catchsf.com

REVIEWS:

“Scallops were softer than the butter! Great drinks and a good choice of starters and main course. Reservations are recommended if you plan to dine on the weekend. One of the best restaurants in and around Castro. “- Abhishek Reddy Dandu

Hook Fish Co.

Hook Fish Co. offers fresh seafood and produces in their specialties. They want to make a positive change in the seafood they buy. Their services strengthen the local fishermen and markets. In addition, it brings a thoughtful source of fish to the community. They have a fish market that is filled daily. The products they sell make sure it’s the freshest catch. They also offer fish and chips with homemade tartar sauce. There are also burritos and tacos in different varieties. They also offer oyster specialties, if available. They also offer fish market fillets and take away.

Products:

Fish and Chips, fish market

LOCATION:

Address: 4542 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Telephone: (415) -569-4984
Website: hookfishco.com

REVIEWS:

“Lots of options. We ordered the fish and chips with halibut and was delicious. The wait wasn’t long, but it went on. Order online and then pick it up at the counter. No ordering at the counter, which speeds up the entire process. Small seating but a block or so down and you are in the park and can have a picnic. We will definitely come back ”- Malia Isolani

Fog Harbor Fish House

Fog Harbor Fish House offers fresh seafood dishes with great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The restaurant offers an indoor and outdoor dining experience. It’s a tradition that has been passed on from generation to generation. It’s also the first restaurant to serve 100 percent sustainable seafood. Their meat is sourced locally from trusted markets. They make sure they only serve premium meat. They also serve fish and chips as an accompaniment to their delicious starters. They offer salmon and seared Pacific cod. There are also soup and salad combinations for a sumptuous meal. They also offer crabs that are flavored with herbs and spices.

Products:

Fish and chips, seafood restaurant

LOCATION:

Address: 39 Pier, San Francisco, CA 94133
Telephone: (415) -421-2442
Website: fogharbor.com

REVIEWS:

“Perfect place if you’re dining on Pier 39! They have delicious cocktails, fresh seafood and great views. I ordered oysters and they were cooked to perfection and delicious. “- Louis Warren

Lou’s fish hut

Lou’s Fish Shack offers a fish menu as well as a live band in a two-story restaurant. They offer a cozy atmosphere for meetings and intimate appointments. There is a contemporary atmosphere in the restaurant while you are eating. In addition, they offer fresh seafood appetizers. Fresh products also fill their starters. They have a talented kitchen staff who create fantastic dishes. The food is prepared and cooked in-house. You also avoid frozen products. The team ensures that they cook the freshest catch for their guests. The fish and chip menu contains several dips. They also offer wines and classic cocktails to round off the meal.

Products:

Fish and chips, seafood restaurant

LOCATION:

Address: 300 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Telephone: (415) -771-5687
Website: lousfishshacksf.com

“Happy hour drinks and starters enticed us to explore. Buffalo Chkn wings are great! Calamari is very common. Salmon turned out to be just right, along with cod tacos ”- Ar Raves

Jeanie Burford is a reporter for Kev’s Best. After graduating from UCLA, Amy did an internship at a local radio station and worked as a beat reporter and producer. Jeanie has also worked as a columnist for The Brookings Register. Amy covers business and community events for Kev’s Best.

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