05/22/2025
Located at the edge of the Monterey Bay, Sunflower Star Laboratory occupies a small, unassuming, wooden building in the Moss Landing Harbor. Despite its modest appearance, this building may hold the key to saving an entire species along California’s Central Coast.
Sea stars, and sunflower stars in particular, are important to the marine ecosystem because they help keep other organisms in check. However, as a result of sea star wasting syndrome, sunflower stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides) suffered major losses to their populations along the entire West Coast starting in 2013. Without these important predators, other species like their distant cousin the sea urchin have experienced large population booms that disrupt the balance of the ecosystem. Thus, these herbivorous urchins contribute to a growing issue of kelp loss. Compounded with the nutrient-poor waters from the 2013/2014 warm water events, coverage of kelp along the West Coast has plummeted.
When I first started diving in the Monterey Bay I could almost guarantee a sunflower star sighting. They were always cool to see but certainly not rare. Now, it’s been about a decade since I’ve seen one in the wild.
Staff at Sunflower Star Laboratory are working tirelessly to grow and raise these critically important sea stars to better understand how they can assist in repopulating the waters of the West Coast.
I was fortunate to get to spend the day with the staff a few weeks ago and learn about their work. Here are some photos I took during my visit.
