The San Diego Port District is teaming up with three San Diego research institutions to establish a center to study San Diego Bay.
The San Diego Unified Port District is working with San Diego State University, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Hubbs-SeaWorld.
The Center for Bay and Coastal Dynamics will be based at SDSU's Marine Institute Lab on the bayfront.
The Port manages San Diego Bay, which stretches about 12 miles from the tip of Shelter Island all the way to Imperial Beach.
SDSU, Scripps and Hubbs-SeaWorld scientists are collaborating to study the changing physical characteristics of the bay and coast.
Among other projects, the researchers are studying worms, mollusks and other creatures which feed on seafloor sediment to determine the effect of pollutants on the marine environment.
The center will also be used to train graduate and undergraduate students.