Heal the Bay Blog

Category: Locations

Marine Protected Areas Approved for Southern California

12.15.2010 | Heal the Bay

In a history-making decision for ocean protection, the California Fish and Game Commission approved a collection of Marine Protected Areas for Southern California. The decision, made on December 15, 2010 in Santa Barbara, is the final step in a multi-year collaborative process to establish a network of safe havens for marine life throughout the region as a part of the implementation of the California Marine Life Protection Act.

More About the Dec. 15 MPAs Approval

Heal the Bay Press Release

Spouting Off Blog

Map of Approved MPAs

Dept. of Fish & Game News Release

More About MPAs

MPAs Fact Sheet

MPAs Web Page

Marine Life Protection Act Initiative – South Coast Study Region

The network of south coast MPAs was created by a stakeholder group consisting of representatives from environmental and fishing communities, local government officials and educators. Heal the Bay was extremely active in the MPA process, representing the conservation community and also providing a science-based perspective. Our participation was spearheaded by Sarah Sikich, Heal the Bay’s Coastal Resources Director, who served as a member of the taskforce charged with drawing up the map of MPAs.

The final map of MPAs creates 36 new MPAs encompassing about 187 square miles of state waters (~8% of the South Coast), with about 5% designated as fully-protected no-take areas, leaving the vast majority open to fishing.

Locally, this network includes:

A marine reserve east of Point Dume in Malibu
A partial take marine conservation area off Zuma Beach
A marine reserve and partial take marine conservation area at Abalone Cove and Point Vicente in Palos Verdes
A partial take marine conservation area at Farnsworth Banks
A marine reserve at Long Point and Wrigley for Catalina Island

By protecting the entire ecosystem in select Southern California waters, these MPAs will help restore and safeguard marine life and coastal heritage for future generations. Southern California’s new network of MPAs will take effect in 2011, following a period where local communities will be educated on MPAs.

Southern California’s MPAs join such ecologically diverse areas as California’s northern Channel Islands, the Florida Keys and New Zealand in establishing safe havens for marine life to thrive and reproduce.

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.

Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs, consist of three levels of protection:

State Marine Reserves, in which no fishing is allowed
State Marine Parks, in which commercial fishing is prohibited but recreational fishing is allowed
State Marine Conservation Areas, in which commercial and recreational fishing are allowed in limited amounts. MPAs do not restrict access or any other kind of recreational use

Learn more about MPAs.

Read Less

A Well-Earned MPA Victory!

12.15.2010 | Dana Murray

Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Marine Protected Areas Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

After two years of marathon stakeholder negotiation sessions, endless contentious public hearings and reams of studies and environmental documents, the California Department of Fish and Game today finally established a network of Marine Protected Areas in Southern California, passing a slightly revised version of the Integrated Preferred Alternative by a 3-2 vote.

The final vote reflects tough compromise. The maps protect some key places from extractive uses, like Point Dume, Naples and La Jolla, but fail to meet scientific guidelines in some locations. (For example, the fishermen won the battle for Rocky Point, and the MPA at Farnsworth Banks is little more than a paper park). The commission also made a few small changes at Swami’s and La Jolla in San Diego County.

The final hearing and vote took place in Santa Barbara, a fitting location given that the northern Channel Islands became California’s first designated marine protected areas years ago.

A Holiday Gift to Big Oil

12.10.2010 | Heal the Bay

Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

No surprises. Today, the State Lands Commission provided an early Christmas present to Chevron.

As if they needed it.

The Commission voted 2-1 (controller Chiang was the no vote) to approve a 30 year lease for the offshore marine terminal used by oil tankers. No changes and nearly free rent of the Bay for the next 30 years (any renters out there getting longer than an annual lease? Even a 5 year lease?). And worse, no new marine mammal protection measures. Zero. Zed. Zippo. Zilch.

Was it the support from Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, the Sea World Hubbs Research institute, the Tree Musketeers, the Roundhouse, and the long beach sportfishing community? I felt bad that all of the recipients of Chevron’s philanthropy were obligated to speak in support of the lease. But I don’t think it influenced the Commission’s decision. That was greased long ago between Chevron, Maldonado and the Governor.

The Local Aquarium Network

12.10.2010 | Heal the Bay

Heal the Bay Aquarium Long Beach / Avalon Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica

Did you know that the Aquarist staff at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium collects the majority of the animals we exhibit? We don’t order these animals online and we don’t run to the local store to buy a new fish or invertebrates. A Scientific Collections Permit from the California Department of Fish and Game allows us to dive and collect organisms for display at the Aquarium. But every once in a while, when we are looking for new, elusive and hard to find animals, we need to call out to our friends in the network.

Over the years, the Aquarium staff has developed very special relationships with neighboring aquaria and marine science learning facilities. This unique network helps all of us in the fight for marine conservation and the pursuit of marine science.

One special relationship is with the folks at the Catalina Island Marine Institute, CIMI. Over the years we have had the pleasure of using their facilities when we dive and collect animals in the waters surrounding Catalina. We also have helped each other by sharing animals, knowledge and support. In fact, there are current staff members at the Aquarium that used to work at CIMI and some CIMI staffers that first worked as interns at the Aquarium!

Last week, as the CIMI camps closed for the winter break, we received many new animals from Camp Fox and Camp Toyon, including sunflower sea stars, a juvenile sheephead and the rare slate pencil urchin, Eucidaris. The animals came over on the ferry, transported in coolers with battery-operated aerators. Some of these animals will become part of the Aquarium’s permanent collections, but some will live here temporarily. Our staff will care for these critters as if they were our own and once the CIMI camps reopen in January, the Aquarium staff will carefully pack up the animals in transport coolers to sail back across to Santa Catalina Island.

Most of these animals are currently being held off exhibit in quarantine to ensure they are acclimating to their new environment. We hope to exhibit some of the species after the new year, so please grab your friends and family and visit the Aquarium to see what’s new.

Read Less

Hermosa Beach Goes Low-Tech

12.10.2010 | Heal the Bay

South Bay

Hermosa Beach is on the cutting edge of low-tech pollution prevention. Right along the Strand, they’ve installed a 1,000 foot trench to capture urban runoff. All the trench does is capture the water and allow it to slowly filter into the sand. Since sand is so fine, it will capture any pollution particles and basically completely clean the water. It’s such a simple way to prevent pollution, and, in theory, water capture like this can also recharge our groundwater supplies. Read more about this win-win project at Hermosa Beach Patch.

Read Less

A Good Start for December's Agenda

12.08.2010 | Heal the Bay

Long Beach / Avalon

So far, so good. Yesterday was the first critical date for the coast this month and Long Beach and L.A. got the ball rolling. Last night, the Long Beach City Council voted 6-2 to approve a single-use plastic bag ban ordinance identical to the L.A. County’s recently enacted measure. Like the county, grocers and other retailers can sell green paper bags for a dime with 100% of the proceeds going to the store. The only difference in the ordinance is that the start date is Aug. 1 next year instead of July 1.

The momentum on local bag bans is definitely growing. Long Beach is a city of nearly half a million people and it joins the over 1 million people in the county’s unincorporated area with bag ban ordinances in place locally. Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal led the way on advocating for the bag ban measure. Support from the environmental community, some grocery store chains and the grocers’ union made a big difference in the final vote.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the city council’s Energy and Environment committee finally heard the Low Impact Development ordinance that the Board of Public Works unanimously approved in January. Although the panel did not vote on the proposal, it appears that chair Jan Perry and members Paul Krekorian and Paul Koretz support the measure. Perry postponed the vote to the Dec. 14 meeting, but she made it clear that she wanted the full council vote before members go on winter recess on Dec. 17.

Read more & comment» (new window)

Read Less

Malibu Sea Serpent

12.06.2010 | Heal the Bay

Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

You might have already heard about the awesome fish that washed up in Malibu last week. It was more than 10 feet long, shaped like a ribbon, and is a very unusual visitor to our beaches. This oarfish, which was correctly identified by an eight-year-old who came across it lying on the beach, is a very rarely seen deep sea fish.

In fact, there are only a couple of known cases in which oarfish have come ashore.They can grow up to 35 feet long and are awesome looking, with silver scales and bright red fins, and are actually thought to be the original sea serpents that appear in sailor legends. Unfortunately, they only come to shore when they are close to death, and this fish, while originally spotted live and in the water, died shortly afterwards and washed ashore.

It was sent to the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, which will conduct tests and possibly put this awesome creature on display. If you’ve been to the the Natural History Museum, you might have already seen the 14 foot oarfish in a glass case in the grand foyer. That specimen washed ashore on Catalina, but only after scientists from the Wrigley Marine Science Center got some photos of it swimming in Big Fisherman Cove. Having such a rare creature wash up in our own backyard is exciting for everyone, but especially for the SoCal marine science community!

Get Your Hands Dirty

12.02.2010 | Heal the Bay

Long Beach / Avalon Palos Verdes Peninsula South Bay

Looking for something fun to do on one of those beautiful sunny winter days? Help restore a native wetland in Long Beach, or pick up trash or go birdwatching in Seal Beach. Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewards puts on a bunch of volunteer-driven ways to give back, and there’s something happening just about every weekend. You can even get community service credit! Check out Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewards for details.

Read Less

Go Native

11.22.2010 | Heal the Bay

Santa Monica

Native plant seekers on the Westside have a new destination, and it’s surprisingly close to home. A new nursery is available by the Veterans’ Affairs building in Westwood and the location is no coincidence. Recently, the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden teamed up with the VA of Greater Los Angeles Health Care System. The partnership enables veterans to learn first hand about the propagation, care and maintenance of California native plants as a therapy and work program. The nursery, dubbed Grow Native, is located on VA property and encompases 15 acres. The idea of the program is to help give veterans a competitive edge in the eco job market upon completion. Hours and entry for the nursery varies, so check out the nursery website for all information.

Photo: epSos.de courtesy of Flickr

Read Less

One Step Towards a Greener Christmas

11.22.2010 | Heal the Bay

Long Beach / Avalon Malibu / Pacific Palisades Marina del Rey / Playa del Rey Palos Verdes Peninsula Santa Monica South Bay Venice Beach

If you celebrate Christmas, but mourn the environmental impacts of all those packages, paper and plastic scraps and shipped-in Douglas Firs, we have the answer for you! There’s an awesome company called The Living Christmas Co. that rents living Christmas trees. They’ll deliver them and pick them up, all through the LA area, and you can even arrange to have the same tree year after year. They also have an online eco-friendly holiday decor store. What an awesome way to try to keep Christmas as earth-friendly as possible. So pick up that tofurkey, give out handmade gifts, and rent a living Christmas tree!

Read Less