I've work with the Hubbs project on the SD Oceans side, helping with the fingerlings in the pens. The greatest feeling is watching those little guys swim free when we release them into the wild. I say to each scoop I drop into the bay "Go free little guy's, 'cuz I'm comin for ya"!
One of the originators of the WSB project had to wait almost 40 years for the good karma to catch up, and got his 1st white last year.
Note to the fishermen, If you catch one, please take the head to a local bait shop in a bag. There are a few shops that participate, ask around to find wich ones, I always go to Dana Landing, that's one shop I know will take them. The head is then given back to Hubbs and scanned. We stick a little radio tag into each fish's head when they are little, and you'd be suprised the data we can get back from a mature fish's head.
Some of our released fished have been caught ten years on, in Santa Barbara, Catalina, they get around!
SD Oceans is all volunteer and could always use folks helping out the WSB project and others, if you are handy, or can dive and would like to help clean off the pens/nets, feed the fingerlings, or help with the release into the wild, it's a good feeling to help out.
http://www.sdoceans.org/ They will have a booth at Fred Hall
BTW, Great Post Josh.
You inspire many more than you may realize
Willy