The Elusive California Grunion Returns to the Sands of Laguna Beach

A lone man and woman sit on the rocks at midnight next to the ocean below Las Brisas Restaurant in Laguna Beach. They wait patiently in the dark within the spray of the large waves just to catch a glimpse of the mating ritual of the California Grunion.

Twice a month, from March through August, the anchovy-sized fish are brought up with the high tide waves to the highest elevations of beach sand. As a wave recedes, the female and male remain up on the sand to complete their most unusual mating ritual.

The female begins burrowing her tail into the sand to lay her eggs while the male circles her atop the sand and deposits sperm. Within seconds, the act is complete, and the couple flip-flops back towards the water to catch the next wave out to sea.

This night, the man and woman have brought powerful flashlights with them to search for any movement atop the sand. They know that it might be an hour or two before any grunion are sighted. The moon can be seen intermittently as the fog above separates. 

Suddenly, there's a silvery flash within the beam of the flashlight. The man runs towards the fish in the light. He watches the female as she burrows into the sand, and as the male quickly circles her. The man waits for a few seconds as the couple completes their task. [Check out the video posted here and on YouTube.]

"Hurry! Pick them up!" shouts the man's girlfriend from the rocks.

He tries to pick up the female, but she is so wiggly and quick that she makes it back to the sea on the next wave.

The man returns empty-handed to his girlfriend on the rocks and points his flashlight towards the sand and the ocean.

A couple of minutes later, more grunion can be seen in the light. The man runs towards the fish, waits for the ritual to take place, then successfully captures a fish. He places the fish in a bucket of sea water and observes the splashing animal. Then, after a minute of observation, he releases the fish back into the ocean. 

California grunion are edible. The California Department of Fish and Game's website states, "During the open season, a fishing license is required for persons 16 years and older to capture grunion. Grunion may be taken by sport fishermen using hands only. No holes may be dug in the beach to entrap them. There is no bag limit, but fishermen may take only what they can use—it is unlawful to waste fish."

The fish may be caught during the months of March, June, July and August. They may be observed, not caught, during April and May.

Sometimes only half a dozen California Grunion may appear on the sand during the two-hour waiting period. But sometimes, there will be hundreds of the silvery creatures covering the sand in the moonlight all at once. And that is a sight well worth the wait.

Along with many other ocean-related institutions, Pepperdine University has created the Grunion Greeter project. Volunteers study and observe California grunion during the spawning season.

According to the grunion.org website, "observations, sightings, and comments become part of a database using interactive web-based questionnaires and e-mail. This multi-year state-wide assessment program has increased public awareness and improved management efforts to protect and conserve wildlife and beach habitats."

If you would like to become a volunteer Grunion Greeter, send an email to Melissa Studer at melissastuder@san.rr.com.