Grunion Run Through Tuesday

On certain summer nights following high tides, grunions ride the waves onto shore for a remarkable mating ritual, which happens only in Southern California and Baja California.

While on the beach, female grunion bury themselves halfway in the sand to lay eggs, while males wrap themselves protectively around the females to fertilize their eggs. Both catch a wave to return to sea, Scripps Institution of Oceanography explained. The grunion spawn during the highest tide of the month from as early as March and as late as August, but April through June tends to be their most active period. When they spawn, the female fish will lay about 3,000 eggs a few inches deep in the sand. Roughly 10 to 14 days later, the eggs will hatch, allowing the next generation to swim off with the tide. The grunion spawn at age 1 and have a life span that ranges from two to four years.

The official 2013 fishing season started March 11 and peaks this weekend.

During the open fishing season people are free to grab a certain amount of the fish. Researchers at the nonprofit Grunion.org are looking for volunteers to help record grunion sightings for research. Click here to volunteer.

Open season resumes Saturday and continues through August, allowing people to catch the fish. The best times to see the grunion run in are:

• Saturday 9:35 p.m. to 11:35 p.m.,
• Sunday, 10:05 p.m. to 12:05 a.m.,
• Monday 10:40 p.m. to 12:40 p.m., and
• Tuesday 11:10 p.m. to 1:10 a.m.

The grunion are expected to run again at the end of the month from June 23-26.