The Southern California Bight (SCB) is a unique and increasingly critical stretch of the California coastline. It is a transitional zone between the cold temperate (Oregonian) fauna fueled by the California Current to the north and the warm temperate (San Diegan) fauna from the south, exemplified by the distribution of subtidal rocky reef fishes. Including its eight channel islands, the linear coastline of the SCB is roughly equal to the rest of the state. Due to accessibility and increasing stress by a growing population, these reefs are under a variety of anthropogenic stressors (e.g. turbidity, river plumes, sedimentation, overfishing, and pollution) and harmful algal blooms.
