U.S. Commission Steamer Albatross

Generations of scientists and environmental activists have been concerned with the degradation of San Francisco Bay and the delta. As far back as 1856, scientists have been investigating the physical, chemical and biological parameters of San Francisco Bay. Until the mid-19th century the San Francisco Bay Area was a rich and thriving fishery. Starting in the late 1700's commercial hunting and fishing followed by the Gold Rush brought a dramatic decline of the fishery resource by man's use and misuse of the Bay leading to a major scientific investigation in 1912-13, the Albatross Expedition. Utilizing the fisheries steamer Albatross, biologists took hundreds of samples throughout the entire Bay, collecting data on temperature, salinity, mineral content, tidal flow, and benthic and planktonic biodiversity. Since then large scale surveys have been conducted to monitor and improve water quality in the Bay to reverse the decline of the fishery resources.

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