A colorful navanax (a species of opisthobranch mollusc), otherwise known as a sea slug, enjoys a happy home in the Anacapa Island State Marine Reserve. Image: Nick Fash/Heal the Bay
On April 7, 2010, the Fish and Game Commission voted to move forward with the Intergrated Preferred Alternative (IPA) as the preference for South Coast MPAs for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review. The Commission plans to host discussion meetings beginning late summer once the CEQA process is complete. The IPA includes protections at Point Dume, the southern side of Palos Verdes, and Farnsworth Banks, Wrigley and Long Point on Catalina.
Heal the Bay will be closely following the Fish and Game Commission meetings to ensure a high standard of protection is upheld for Southern California's coastal marine ecosystem.
You can help! Send a message to the Commission that Map 3 provides the best protection of Southern California's critical marine habitats.
Southern California’s coast and ocean are famous the world over, and they’re an economic and environmental powerhouse for the state. The Marine Life Protection Act is our chance to safeguard south coast waters so future generations can swim, surf, dive, and fish in a healthy and productive ocean.
Thanks for being an ocean champion!
MPAs Overview
Southern California’s marine ecosystems are stressed and continue to face many threats such as polluted runoff, marine debris, habitat destruction, and overfishing. Kelp beds throughout the Santa Monica Bay have declined substantially since the early 1900s. Several fish stocks have crashed statewide, causing many fisheries to be closed or severely limited. The majority of fishing throughout the State occurs in Southern California - together, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties account for over half the recreational fishing activity in California.
Currently 13% of land on earth is protected. However, less than 0.5% of the oceans are protected. As a valuable tool for both ecosystem protection and fisheries management, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are likely to help replenish depleted fish populations. MPAs have shown to be effective in parts of California, the Florida Keys, New Zealand, and in close to 50 other countries around the world.
Fish & Game Commission Votes on Recommendation for SoCal MPAs
On December 9, 2009, the Fish and Game Commission voted to begin the environmental review California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process on the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force's Intergrated Preferred Alternative (IPA) map for Southern California. This environmental review process is standard procedure and can take up to year before the project will be finalized and implemented.
Heal the Bay will be closely following the Fish and Game Commission meetings to ensure a high standard of protection is upheld for Southern California's coastal marine ecosystem.
Marine Protected Areas are specially designated underwater state reserves that will protect important habitats and help ocean life recover and thrive. Just as we protected special places like Yosemite over 100 years ago, we need to ensure that our children and grandchildren can experience wild, healthy oceans.
