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Port of San Diego Honored By Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Friday, 22 January 2010

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, has paid tribute to the San Diego Unified Port District for its role in establishing the Center for Bay and Coastal Dynamics, a research center focusing on the study of San Diego Bay. 

The center is a partnership among three research and education institutions - San Diego State University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD and Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute – and the Port of San Diego. 

Board of Port Commissioners member Scott Peters, who chairs the Port’s Environmental Advisory Committee, also was recognized for his environmental leadership. 

Peters received the Scientists’ Recognition Award, presented by Scripps professor Neal Driscoll on behalf of Scripps faculty and students during the annual Scripps Advisory Council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010. 

Paul Peterson of the Peterson Charitable Foundation received the Scripps Medallion at the event for his early support for the center’s establishment. 

Through the center, San Diego State University, Scripps and Hubbs-SeaWorld scientists are collaborating on research that includes not only the changing physical characteristics of the bay and coast, but also the study of eelgrass habitats to help better understand the abundance and distribution of fish in the bay, mapping of kelp beds and the fishes and invertebrates that live there, and the study of worms, crustaceans and mollusks that feed on seafloor sediment that will give clues into the effect of pollutants on the marine environment. 

Former Board of Port Commissioners member Robert “Rocky” Spane, who also chaired the Port’s Environmental Advisory Committee, was a major advocate of the center’s establishment. 

The Peterson Chairtable Foundation has provided a $30,000 gift, which is helping pay for education programs for undergraduate and graduate research training. 

The Port of San Diego is a public benefit corporation and special government   entity. Created in 1962 by an act of the California legislature, the Port manages San Diego harbor and administers the public lands along San Diego Bay. The Port has operated without tax dollars since 1970 and has been responsible for $1.5 billion in public improvements in its five member cities – Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego.  With a $10.6 billion economic impact on the San Diego region, the Port oversees two maritime cargo terminals, a cruise ship terminal, 19 public parks, various wildlife reserves and environmental initiatives, a Harbor Police department and the leases of more than 600 tenant and sub-tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.