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Over 100 years ago, the United States began to protect our most special places on land by establishing national parks, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. Today, California is doing the same for our ocean with Marine Protected Areas.
Heal the Bay, along with other organizations and agencies, is participating in the process to extend the state's network of Marine Protected Areas into Southern California. Find out how MPAs are a valuable tool for both ecosystem protection and fisheries management.
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.
What are MPAs and how do they work?
Marine Protected Areas have been scientifically proven to protect and enhance degraded ecosystems, including kelp forests and fish communities. They are basically areas of the ocean set aside as safehavens from fishing to protect and conserve marine life and habitat. There are three main types of marine protected areas: 1) State Marine Parks, which prohibit commercial fishing, but allow recreational fishing; 2) State Marine Conservation Areas, which allow limited commercial and recreational fishing; and 3) Marine Reserves, which completely prohibit the harvest of marine life and alteration of marine habitats.
Historic approaches to fisheries management have not adequately protected California’s fish stocks, as reflected by the decimated populations of rockfish, abalone, and other species. Contrary to traditional management strategies, which only control certain activities or protect marine life on a single-species basis, MPAs take an ecosystem-based approach by protecting marine habitats and the marine life that live within those habitats. MPAs, and specifically marine reserves protect sea life and their underwater homes in a way that regulations focused on one or two species cannot. By prohibiting or restricting fishing in certain areas of the sea, localized marine creatures within each MPA are given refuge.
As a result, marine life living within MPAs are often more diverse, abundant, and larger in size. Populations within MPAs can also seed neighboring waters where harvest is allowed. Additionally, larger animals, such as marine mammals and sharks can benefit from MPAs through increased availability of food.
How do MPAs affect us?
California’s coastal economy, largely driven by tourism, is valued at $43 billion. MPAs not only provide benefit to the marine ecosystem, but also the people who live in or visit our state’s coastal areas and those who depend on the state's coastal waters for work. California’s beaches and coastal waters draw millions of visitors to the ocean each year. These visitors, both locals and tourists, enjoy swimming, kayaking, scuba diving, wildlife viewing and many other activities which will benefit from MPAs.
What’s happening statewide?
The State has been working to institute MPAs along the California coast since the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) was passed in 1999. This law requires the establishment of a statewide network of MPAs to protect habitats and marine life populations. The MLPA process is guided by recommendations from scientists, resource managers, experts, stakeholders and members of the public.
Over the past six years the process has faced many obstacles. After two failed attempts, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he would commit his administration to getting the job done. In this third iteration, the State has established a framework that includes extensive public participation, scientific advisors (SAT), a Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) to facilitate implementing the law, and a public/private partnership to support the implementation efforts.
The State is also taking a regional approach to implement MPAs along the coast. The process began in the central coast (Pigeon Point in San Mateo County to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County) which resulted in the establishment of 29 MPAs, leaving 92% of the ocean open for fishing. The process then moved to the north central Coast (Alder Creek in Mendocino County to Pigeon Point in San Mateo County), which resulted in a final network of MPAs which leave 89% of coast open to fishing.
The MLPA process then moved to the south coast study region (Point Conception in Santa Barbara to the California/Mexico border. Meetings of the Science Advisory Team, the Blue Ribbon Task Force and the South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group (RSG) began in September 2008 and finished in late 2009 when the final maps were presented to the Fish and Game Commission. The RSG is a group of approximately 60 stakeholders including divers, fishermen, conservationists, and coastal residents who recommend locations for MPAs. Heal the Bay was a member of the south coast RSG, and also participated through all levels of the process, working closely with other environmental groups and community members to ensure that southern California’s marine resources receive adequate protection.
The Fish and Game Commission has begun the environmental review process of the final maps and will vote on a preferred map in 2010.
In the meantime, the MLPA process has moved to the northern coast of the State and is slated to be completed by fall 2010. The final region will be the San Francisco Bay.
How will this affect southern California and the Santa Monica Bay?
There is a clear need for MPAs in southern California, including the Santa Monica Bay. With over 50 million visitors each year, the Santa Monica Bay is a valuable asset to California’s economy. These visitors, both locals and tourists, enjoy swimming, kayaking, scuba diving, and many other activities.
However, the dolphins, whales, kelp forests and diverse coastal resources that draw visitors to the Santa Monica Bay face a multitude of stressors. Establishing MPAs within the Santa Monica Bay and throughout southern California will help protect these resources, benefiting the ecosystem, coastal enthusiasts, and regional fisheries.
How can I help?
Public participation and involvement is very important and vital for the MLPA process:
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