By Tim Jue / Beat Staff Writer

How fitting is it that the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, Calif. chose what was once the home of a fishing cannery as the ideal spot to build what has come to be known as a world famous travel destination and marine sanctuary.

Or how about the fact that beside the non-profit aquatic refuge are dozens of noted Central Coast seafood restaurants, a large fishing harbor at the Monterey Fisherman’s Wharf and a thriving local economy that, for more than a century, points to fishing as one of its main industries.

You see, the message that the Aquarium has been trying to put out to the public is not that aficionados of seafood should stop eating fish and other delicacies that come from water, but to chose wisely the types of fish that are consumed.

They point to overfishing, detrimental fishing practices, and the targeted hunting of endangered sea creatures such as the Great White Shark and Bluefin Tuna that could very well mean the demise of these families of fish and a drastic change in the marine biology of our oceans.

Just recently, the aquarium started handing out wallet-sized “Seafood Watch” guides that consumers can take with them to the fish market. In it lists the kinds of fish that seafood lovers should avoid, and alternatives that won’t hurt already diminishing populations of fish and other creatures.

This is part of the larger mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a thriving aquatic museum and marine research sanctuary featuring hundreds of types of sea creatures on public display. An estimated 2 million visitors come to the attraction annually since it opened in 1984. The Aquarium, which self-touts itself “ranked as a Top 10 attraction” by Parents Magazine and the Zagat Survey, straddles the southern tip of the Monterey Bay peninsula on California’s Central Coast along “Cannery Row” in the resort city of Monterey, Calif.

It 125 miles south of San Francisco and about a two hour drive down scenic Highway 1.

There are numerous key attractions at the Aquarium that keep visitors flowing back to watch penguins waddle in the “Splash Zone” exhibit and to see one of their famous sea otters perform amazing underwater acrobatics. The biggest draw is what swims in the aquarium’s mammoth Outer Bay fish tank, home to gigantic sunfish, barracudas and three types of sharks, including a fearsome looking Great White that marine researchers caught off the waters of Southern California and brought up to Monterey.

In the “Jellies Gallery,” you will find a magnificent and artistic display of different breeds of swimming jellyfish. It is an amazing collection of moving aquatic artwork, anchored by brightly back-lit blue fish tanks that illuminate dozens of floating sea creatures. Any visitor would be mesmerized by the impressive sight of the jellyfish anatomy, an intricate and delicate looking creature that floats freely in these fish tanks

Heads Up: The Jellyfish exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium will close on Sept. 14. So hurry! Make your way down there before it’s gone!

Another big draw: the sea otters. These furry animals wade and wrestle with one another in various exhibits dotting the aquarium grounds. In Monterey Bay, sea otters are almost everywhere. The waters serve as a thriving habitat for them, but the dwindling otter population off the Pacific coasts highlights the Aquarium’s efforts at educating humans about conservation practices to ensure that this unique breed of sea animal thrives in its natural habitat.

Near the Aquarium entrance, you’ll find a large exhibit paying homage to the days when the Aquarium building housed Hovden Cannery, where millions of sardines were steam cooked and packed into cans every day. In the exhibit: historic photographs of the immigrant women who toiled on the production lines and some of the old equipment that were used to kill, cook and package the different types of fish.

What was once a place where fish were killed and sent out in metal cans is now a refuge and marine research habitat aimed at learning more about and preserving sea life and the oceans they call home.

You too can be fascinated by the stunning jellyfish, sea otters and sharks mentioned in this article by visiting the Aquarium. Whereas other aquatic museums may simply put fish up on display, this non-profit facility gives depth and perspective in its quest to preserve and educate humans about the ecology of our oceans and the creatures that live in them.

Online Resources

Monterey Bay Aquarium

MBA “Seafood Watch” Program

Google Map: Monterey Bay Aquarium

Coming Soon: Flickr Photos of the Aquarium!