The most likely culprit has since been identified as Otarine herpesvirus 1 [1] with DDT- and PCB-related pollutants playing a large contributing role (which the California coast has had an ongoing problem with since WWII dumping and the Palos Verdes shelf).
The most likely culprit has since been identified as Otarine herpesvirus 1 [1] with DDT- and PCB-related pollutants playing a large contributing role (which the California coast has had an ongoing problem with since WWII dumping and the Palos Verdes shelf).
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7918579/
I wonder if it could be related to dumping vast quantities of toxic chemicals into the ocean.