| March 5, 2025 Newsletter, Golden Gate MPA Collaborative |
 The Golden Gate MPA Collaborative brings together environmental NGOs, agencies, fishermen, scientists, aquaria, vessel captains and community interested in raising awareness of marine protected areas in Marin and San Francisco counties, including the Farallon Islands.Dear Ocean Friends and Marine Protection Community Members of the Golden Gate Region. Included in this newsletter are updates on our state Marine Protected Areas in the Golden Gate region, events, and opportunities to learn and participate! Join us! The Golden Gate MPA Collaborative Team Co-Chairs Abby Nickels, Leslie Adler-Ivenbrook, David McGuire EVENTS March 12, 9 a.m. PT Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Advisory Council. Members of the public may attend either on-site or virtually via Google Meet. San Francisco Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Bernard Osher Great Hall, Sloat Blvd &, Upper Great Hwy, San Francisco, CA 94132. A public comment period is scheduled for 12:10 -12:20 p.m. PT. Visit https://farallones.noaa.gov/manage/sac_meetings.html for the meeting agenda and details. April 1, 11-12pm Golden Gate MPA Collaborative Meeting: Zoom- All welcome RSVP for link. April 12, 13 International Ocean Film Festival April 25-27, Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival EAC West Marin May 3rd, MPA Collaborative Field Event: Saturday, 9:30am-11:30am, Duxbury Reef tidepooling with Co-chair Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, Environmental Action Committee of West Marin. SAVE THE DATE August 21, 2025 1-3pm, Golden Gate MPA Collaborative Meeting (Zoom) Provide MPA Petitions related updates, OPC updates, and any other related news, with guest speaker TBA. October 28, 29 State of the San Francisco Estuary Conference, San Francisco Estuary Institute Grant Opportunity  The MPA Collaborative Network has been invited to submit a full proposal to NOAA for conducting rapid vulnerability assessments (RVAs) for California’s MPA Network. Specifically, this would include conducting an RVA with each of the 14 collaboratives to assess the climate vulnerability of an MPA (including priority species/ecosystems) of our choosing. A requirement of all applicants is to build an advisory committee with technical experts and resource managers. The MPA Collaborative is seeking a person from our collaboratives to sit on the advisory committee for the full project. If awarded, the grant period will be September 2025-August 2028. We are also seeking a volunteer to help pursue other grant opportunities to support our community outreach and education program. Get Involved Marine Resources Committee Meeting Agenda for March The California Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee will meet on March 13, 2025 in Sacramento.Members of the public are welcome to participate in-person in Sacramento, via Zoom webinar, or by phone. Instructions on how to participate will be posted to the Commission website prior to the meeting.Please refer to the agenda for important meeting information and deadlines.Sincerely, Susan Ashcraft Marine Advisor California Fish and Game Commission LOCAL MPA UPDATES In 2023, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released the first 10-year comprehensive review of California’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network and Management Program that included 28 adaptive management recommendations for the next decade of MPA management. One of the near-term priority recommendations (#4) called for applying what was learned from the review to support proposed changes to the MPA Network and Management Program. At the Fish and Game Commission meeting in December, a decision was made to combine the existing Limantour Estuary State Marine Reserve (SMR) with a reclassified Drake’s Estero SMR into one single SMR. Designation to an SMR will help protect biodiversity in the eelgrass beds that have recovered since the removal of the aquaculture infrastructure. Currently under review are proposed changes to the boundaries and use in the Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area. USFWS, NOAA BUDGET AND STAFFING CUTS THREATEN FARALLONES WILDLIFE AND RESEARCH https://youtu.be/GzbTMczOt9U?si=4YiLzoEGeDp3QEpl Northern Fur Seal Pups at SE Farallon Island On top of the good news of a record Northern Fur Seal pup recruitement at SE Farallon Island, demonstrating a recovering population of the endangered seals comes bad news. Budget cuts and USFWS staff cuts threaten fragile wildlife and ecosystems at the islands. Staff at Point Blue Conservation Science, an organization that has been running a research station at the 211-acre national wildlife refuge since 1968, initially learned of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to cut funding last year. Scale backs to seasonal work may occur as early as this fall. That means the islands would be unattended in the fall and winter, when great white sharks migrate to the area to hunt and elephant seals haul out to give birth. Additionally, besides budget freezes, last week the Administration made large cuts to NOAA staffing including some of the staff at the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Click to learn how you can support the Farallon Islands Research and Management and tell Congress to support NOAA and our National Marine Sanctuaries. MPA Film Day Marin  Supported by a small grant from the Marin County Fish and Wildlife Commission, 75 people attended our MPA film day December, featuring films sea turtle, shark and habitat protection in California, Hawai’i and Mexico. One of our goals is to reach fishermen and the community in the Spanish speaking and English Learners, particularly in Marin County. This year we have reapplied to make a short film, develop education materials in Spanish and, if funded, will host another community MPA film event in November 2025. Volunteers connected to the community welcome!  The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has updated its 2025 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (PDF), and encourages anglers, divers, and hoopnetters coastwide to download and review the latest version. |
| Know your MPAs before you Go! Click the map to download the Golden Gate Collaborative’s MPA Brochure Become an MPA Ambassador |
With your help, we hope to build our local MPA Ambassadorship and continue supporting the restoration and conservation of marine habitat and life through our local MPA collaborative.
New Statewide MPA Interactive Maps Read the MPA Collaborative Network blog Download our Golden Gate MPA brochure