Grunion Run

For centuries, grunion have swarmed sandy beaches from Point Conception to Baja California, creating a spectacle unique to Southern California. At night during annual high tides, they run up on shore, dig holes in the sand to place their fertilized eggs, and then return to the ocean. The Tongva harvested grunion during these onshore spawning periods, and Juan Cabrillo recorded their presence at Santa Monica Beach in 1542. Grunion are one of the few fish that legally can be caught using only hands.

Santa Monica, California · United States