Shark Stewards is a leading partner of the Golden Gate Marine Protected Area Collaborative Network, whose mission is to help communicate the importance of Marine Protected Areas along the San Francisco and Marin shorelines and assist fishermen to comply with the regulations under the Marine Life Protection Act. The MPA Watch program is reaching coastal residents and visitors, providing training to collect observations on human use and interactions inside our MPAs.
Become an MPA Ambassador- take the online training
Part of a statewide network, our consortium includes State Parks, US Fish and Wildlife Service at the Farallon Islands, the Point Reyes National Seashore, California Academy of Sciences, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, West Marin Environmental Action Committee and NGOS, San Francisco State University’s Estuarine and Ocean Science (formerly Romberg Tiburon Center), the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Association, the Seabird Protection Network, along with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Golden Gate Collaborative is co- chaired by Shark Steward’s David McGuire and Bay Institute’s Brian Baird.
This project is supported by a grant from the Ocean Protection Council, and individual donations.
Download a toolkit and other MPA educational materials from the California MPAS website and learn about marine protected areas.
Download the Golden Gate MPA Brochure.
Our Ambassadors are divided into On-Shore and Off-Shore components is developing tools to bring to stakeholders. Specialized materials are being developed targeting fishermen and public at the South East Farallon Island, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Duxbury Reef and Point Reyes.
On shore teams will help provide training to educators, docents and others who are interacting along the coastline (eg MPA Watch, Beach Watch and LIMPETS programs). Citizen scientists can help with this program by joining the MPA Watch program. MPA Watch is a citizen science initiative to monitor human use of coastal natural resources by training and supporting volunteers in the collection of relevant, scientifically rigorous, and broadly accessible data. Data are meant to inform the management, enforcement, and science of California’s marine protected areas (MPAs) and allow us to see how human uses are changing as a result of MPA implementation. By involving local communities in this important work, MPA Watch programs inspire and empower stewardship, and educate citizens about California’s ocean ecosystems.
Off shore team members include charter boat captains and whale watch vessels who engage with the public near the marine protected areas off shore.
Public workshops will be held for the Bay Area stakeholders in summer and fall and signage is now installed in key Bay area marinas where small boat fishermen launch.
Support our goals of bringing the Marine Protected Areas into the San Francisco Bay
The Bay Deserves Our Protection
The San Francisco Bay is an important and complex ecological system whose influence extends from the Sierra to the Sea. In the past century, the Bay has undergone dramatic change. Nearly 95 % of wetlands habitat have been impacted. Dredging, pollution and toxic runoff have impacted marine life and overfishing is causing our fisheries to collapse. The San Francisco Bay is an important nursery for several species of sharks and rays. The Healthy Bay initiative helps to better understand and help conserve our remaining living resources, including sharks, and to support habitat restoration and ecosystems in the Bay such as eelgrass beds and native oysters. Identifying important habitat and hotspots of productivity combined with active restoration are to be combined with increased marine ecosystem protection in key areas of the San Francisco Bay.
The Shark Sanctuary is a multi faceted ecosystem protection approach using sharks as a symbol for the health of the entire bay, from the Delta to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Stakeholders- to participate or learn more click here to contact us .