Shark Stewards is a partner of the Golden Gate Marine Protected Area Collaboration, 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 Protected Act.
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This group, represented by State Parks, Fish and Wildlife Service at the Farallon Islands, the Point Reyes National Sea Shore, California Academy of Sciences, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, West Marin Environmental Action Committee and NGOS, along with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is co- chaired by Shark Steward’s David McGuire and Bay Institute’s Brian Baird. The work group is tasked with developing toools and stakeholder engagement to help increase awareness about marine protected areas and set backs, and minimize incursions by fishermen into protected areas in MPAS around San Francisco and Marin Counties.
Download a toolkit and other MPA educational materials from the California MPAS website and learn about marine protected areas.
A series of meetings have beenconducted and the team, 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 inlude 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 2015.
Stakeholders- to participate or learn more click here to contact us .
California State Marine Protected Areas
California is the first state in the nation to establish a system of MPAs – similar to national parks and forests on land – to protect and restore ocean habitats and increase the health, productivity, and resilience of ocean ecosystems. Under the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) passed in 1999, California took a regional approach to the design and implementation of MPAs along its 1,100 mile coastline, and divided the state into five regions: the north coast, north central coast, central coast, south coast and San Francisco Bay. The state completed the coastal network of MPAs in 2012, creating over 120 underwater refuges along California’s coast, extending from Oregon to Mexico.CALIFORNIA MPA FAQS
Types of MPAsMarine Protected Areas come in all types of shapes, sizes, and purposes. As the coastal resources are a public trust, it is necessary to balance needs for multiple use with conservation priorities. The MLPA provides for this by defining four different types of MPAs:
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- State Marine Reserves (SMR)
These restrict all commercial and recreational activities, keeping the area as free from human impact as possible.
- State Marine Reserves (SMR)
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- State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCA)
These are areas that have specific goals for conservation and activities are restricted to meet the conservation goals.
- State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCA)
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- State Marine Parks (SMP)
These allow opportunities for education, research, and recreation, while preventing commercial extractive activities.
- State Marine Parks (SMP)
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- State Marine Recreational Management Areas (SMRMA)
These are areas intended to protect certain recreational activities. Other types of activities that may interfere or compete with the specifically protected recreation are restricted.
- State Marine Recreational Management Areas (SMRMA)
- Special Closures
Special Closures are areas designated by the Fish and Game Commission that prohibit access or restrict boating activities in waters adjacent to sea bird rookeries or marine mammal haul-out sites (restrictions vary).
Implementing the MLPA: A Stakeholder ProcessThe MLPA process was a stakeholder driven process that used the best readily available science to design a network of MPAs that spans the entire California coast. The purpose of this network is to: 1) conserve key marine habitats, 2) allow marine life to thrive, 3) preserve natural diversity, 4) help rebuild depleted populations, and 5) offer recreational, research, and economic opportunities.A Regional ProcessCalifornia took a regional approach to the design and implementation of MPAs along its 1,100 mile coastline, and divided the state into five study regions: the north coast, south coast, north central coast, central coast and San Francisco Bay.All California Marine Protected Area Fact Sheets from the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Monterey Sanctuary Foundation.North Central CoastTwenty-five MPAs and 6 special closure areas were designated in the north central coast, between Alder Creek near Point Arena in the north and Pigeon Point in the south. These became effective in May of 2010. MPAs in this study region include 10 SMRs, 12 SMCAs, and 3 SMRMA. The MPAs cover 20% of state waters, with 11% being no-take state marine reserves.
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