The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in coordination with Southern California Caulerpa Action Team (SCCAT, chaired by California State Water Resources Control Board and California Department of Fish and Wildlife in partnership with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration along with other federal, state and local agencies), is funding work to eradicate non-native alga Caulerpa prolifera from Newport Bay and prevent future introductions through public outreach. The project consists of the following elements: 1. Systematic surveillance of the infestation areas to ensure no new occurrences, implementation of an efficacy assessment program, and verification of eradication success. 2. Surveillance of related high-risk regions of the bay to verify no additional satellite infestations exist. 3. Outreach to target audiences that are the likely source of releases into the wild, to prevent new introductions. 4. Program documentation and reporting of eradication methods and outcomes.
