Currently, Duxbury Reef is designated as a State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA). While this offers some protection, it allows for the “limited take” of finfish and abalone. Unfortunately, this “limited” status has created a loophole of confusion and ecological degradation. Working alongside the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC), we are calling for the redesignation of Duxbury Reef as a State Marine Reserve (SMR) and the expansion of its boundaries to ensure this ecosystem can truly thrive.
Read MoreDuxbury Reef MPA Expansion Hearing
On April 21st, the California Fish & Game Commission (Commission) will be discussing petitions that were submitted to adaptively manage California’s marine protected areas, including EAC’s petition to increase protections at Duxbury Reef’s rare rocky intertidal habitat.
Read MoreOcean Film 30×30 Screening
Ocean Film screening by David Attenborough. Learn how you can become active supporting the 30×30 initiative with UC Berkeley CALPIRG and Shark Stewards.
Read MorePacific Fishery Council Targets Protected Areas
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council announced its intentions to allow U.S. fishermen to fish in U.S. Pacific Federally Managed Marine Protected Areas at its 206th meeting this week.
Read MoreMunk Ocean Day, Sharks
Join Shark Stewards at the annual Walter Munk Ocean Day celebration and education event Saturday October 4th, 2025. Meet our team, learn about shark senses, the importance of sharks and what happens when sharks disappear and why we should protect them.
Read MoreExecutive Order Threatens Sharks, US Coral Reefs
On April 17, President Trump issued an executive order would open large U.S.- marine protected areas to commercial fishing. The order authorized the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and US Fish and Wildlife Service to implement US-based fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. The proclamation threatens Pacific Island heritage, endangered species, and some of the healthiest coral reefs and marine ecosystems in the world.
Read MoreSave Our Seas, Save Ourselves
On July 12, Shark Stewards hosted a screening of David Attenboroughʻs Ocean and other short films at our annual ocean education event in Kailua-Kona Hawaii. This impactful film premiered at the UN Ocean Conference June 8, 2025. In Ocean, Sir David so eloquently highlights the numerous threats to the ocean and marine life, particularly bottom trawling. A major source of hope at the UN conference and in the film, is the establishment of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs), including the Channel Islands MPAs in California, and the Papahānaumokuākea in Hawaiian waters.
Read MoreStop the Ocean Steal
Today, Shark Stewards launched a new youth oriented social media campaign to stop IUU fishing, Overfishing sharks and generating a youth movement to defend marine protected areas in the USA.
The campaign is directed at young and first time voters in the US to focus on changing the congress in 2026 to support maintaining legal protection of US marine protecetd areas, and support funding for Climate science, USFWS and NOAA so that agencies can effectively fulfill their mission.
Read MoreDivers Saving Sharks
On April 17, President Trump issued an executive order would open large USA marine protected areas to commercial fishing in the Pacific. The order instructs the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to implement US-based fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. The proclamation threatens endangered species, sharks, and some of the healthiest coral reefs and marine ecosystems in the world.Protected under federal law since 2009, the proclamation violates the Antiquities Act, the law used to create the Monument.
Read MoreTrump Opens Door for Commercial Fishing in Protected Marine Monuments
President Trump signed an executive order that opens up commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage National Marine Monument, covering about 490,000 square miles of ocean southwest of Hawaii. The removal of protected status under Executive Order has been proved in court under the last Trump Administration to violate the Antiquities Act. New litigation from environmental groups is pending in response to the Executive Order.
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