West Cove Biodiversity Survey findings
West Cove is located in the Southern Channel Islands, This site is not accessible by the public, as it is on navy-owned San Clemente Island. Visitation to this site is limited to fishing and tidepooling navy personnel and a handful of researchers. This gently sloping site consists of moderately uneven terrain, containing few cracks and folds.
West Cove is dominated by a mixture of consolidated granite bedrock and boulder fields, and the area surrounding the site is comprised of a mixture of consolidated bedrock, boulder fields, and cobble beach. The primary coastal orientation of this site is southwest.
Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at West Cove were established in 2011, and are done by Navy Marine Ecology Consortium. Long-Term MARINe surveys currently target the following species: Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Mytilus (California Mussel), Silvetia (Golden Rockweed), Endocladia (Turfweed), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). For more information see the Long-Term trends at this site.
Biodiversity Surveys were done in 2013, 2019, 2022, and 2025. The Biodiversity Survey grid encompasses one section that is approximately 30 meters (along shore) x 50 meters (seaward). For more information see the Biodiversity Survey findings at this site.
For more information about West Cove, please contact Jessica Curran (jessica.j.curran.civ@us.navy.mil) or Erica Pollard (erica.a.pollard2.civ@us.navy.mil).