Clean Bill of Health for Channel Waters
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Forty feet below the foamy surf and basalt cliffs of Anacapa Island, Jean-Michel Cousteau was encouraged by the symphony of life he saw thriving amid the barnacled rocks.
The environmentalist gave the Channel Islands’ underwater ecosystem a clean bill of health after seeing schools of iridescent blacksmiths darting about the milky blue water, fat, pumpkin-orange garibaldi popping in and out of grottos and long, muscular calico bass cruising the undulating kelp.
“It’s in a lot better shape than it was years ago,” said Cousteau, 59, who dedicated the dive to his late father, Jacques Cousteau. “But now the real work of protecting what’s there is just beginning.”
The Santa Barbara-based filmmaker flew from Paris to join 50 divers probing the depths off West Anacapa Island on Monday during the fifth Great American Fish count, a nationwide event.
The two-week survey aims to build a database while boosting awareness about underwater habitats. The day’s tally in the area: 630 fish from 33 species.
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