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Port of LA launches Interactive Portal Focused on L.A. Harbor’s Diverse Habitats
As part of ongoing efforts to promote a deeper understanding of the diverse habitats of Los Angeles Harbor, the Port of Los Angeles has unveiled an educational website showcasing the abundant marine life thriving above and below Port waterways.
The LA Harbor Habitats website at laharborhabitats.org also details findings gleaned from Port-led biological surveys conducted over the last two decades.
“Balancing the needs of international trade with the protection of the natural resources of Los Angeles Harbor is an ongoing focus at the Port,” said Chris Cannon, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Port of Los Angeles. “This website provides access to information about the Los Angeles Harbor’s marine life and habitats. We’re excited to share it in a reader-friendly and engaging format.”
The LA Harbor Habitats site creates a visual and three-dimensional representation of marine life at the Port, providing users with various ways to explore the trade gateway’s biology, including by habitat—from the shore to seafloor. Underwater videos, interactive games, and stunning photography of the undersea world of the Port add to the experience.
Every five years since 2000, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have conducted year-long, harbor-wide biological surveys of the habitat conditions and marine biological communities across the San Pedro Bay port complex.
The survey information and findings are available online and used regularly for biological mitigation planning related to Port development projects.
Since it began documenting harbor habitat conditions and marine biological communities decades ago, the Port has led numerous environmental protection initiatives that have resulted in measurable improvements in the local environment, air, and water quality, as well as habitat preservation.
Explore the LA Harbor Habitats website here.
Learn more about Port Biological Surveys here.
The busiest seaport in the Western Hemisphere, the Port of Los Angeles is North America’s leading trade gateway and has ranked as the number one container port in the United States for 22 consecutive years.
In 2021, the Port facilitated $294 billion in trade and handled a total of 10.7 million container units, the busiest calendar year in the Port’s 115-year history. San Pedro Bay port complex operations and commerce facilitate one in nine jobs across the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura.