Shaws Cove

Click here for Long-Term trends

Click here for Biodiversity Survey findings

Shaws Cove is located in the South Coast region of California, within the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve. This site is popular for fishing, diving, recreational visitors, and educational field trips resulting in multiple anthropogenic disturbances. Docent educators are frequently on site. The site is characterized by flattened and gently sloping bedrock benches separated by crevices and channels.

Shaws Cove is dominated by consolidated bedrock, and the area surrounding the site is comprised of a mixture of consolidated bedrock and sandy beach. The primary coastal orientation of this site is south.

Long-Term Monitoring Surveys at Shaws Cove were established in 1996, and are conducted by California State University Fullerton and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Long-Term MARINe surveys currently target the following species: Chthamalus/Balanus (Acorn Barnacles), Mytilus (California Mussel), Silvetia (Golden Rockweed), Endocladia (Turfweed), Rock (Above Barnacles), and Pisaster (Ochre Star). In addition, motile invertebrates and mussel size structure are monitored at this site. Click here to view Long-Term trends at this site.

Biodiversity Surveys were done in 2001, 2005, 2012, 2017, 2021, and 2022. The Biodiversity Survey grid encompasses one section that is approximately 30 meters (along shore) x 10 meters (seaward). Click here to view Biodiversity Survey findings at this site.

For more information about Shaws Cove, please contact Jennifer Burnaford (jburnaford@exchange.fullerton.edu) and Jayson Smith (jaysonsmith@cpp.edu).