Visit to the abalone aquaculture facility

We returned to the aquaculture facility on Wednesday and saw the abalone munching down on the Macrocystis we dropped off on Monday. Here you see Fio, Charlie, and Brock crossing the dirt "airport" runway as they head toward the science labs.

You can actually fly to Isla Natividad.  Here we are crossing the runway.

Fio received permission to place a miniDO2T sensor in one of the tanks. After getting it all strapped in with zip ties, we realized it had been placed in one of the cement tanks that has a flow through seawater system. We wanted it in a tank using the partially closed system where the seawater is recirculated but also receives some fresh seawater. These are the blue plastic tanks. We didn't have our tools with us, so the staff brought out a large machete to cut the zip ties so we could move the sensor.

The sensor was placed in this blue tank.  To the right is one of the cemet tanks.

Isla Natividad aquaculture facility

The sensor in place until Fio is back in 6 months

miniDO2T placed in Isla Natividad aquaculture facility tank

A bunch of green abalone

green abalone

More abalone with the shackle there for perspective.  Most of these are between one and two inches in length.

more abalone

They pointed out the sea horse that found a home in one of the abalone tanks.

"resident" sea horse sharing tank with farm raised abalone