Research Technical Report

California's Central Coast Marine Protected Areas: Baseline Data Collection Summary Report

California Sea Grant (December 2008)

California Sea Grant College Program, Publication No. T-068

ABSTRACT

This report summarizes the 2007-08 Central Coast Marine Protected Areas Baseline Data Collection Projects, which were a collaborative effort between California's State Coastal Conservancy, Ocean Protection Council, California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), and the California Sea Grant College Program. The central coast marine protected areas (MPAs) were designated April 13, 2007 by the California Fish and Game Commission under the state's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) of 1999 and took effect Sept. 21, 2007. This new network effectively launched California's MLPA Program, which was designed to better conserve marine resources for their long-term sustainable use while enhancing outdoor recreation and ocean research opportunities along the coast. The Central Coast Study Region (CCSR) was the first of five statewide study regions to complete the MLPA planning and implementation process and extends from Pigeon Point in San Mateo County, southward to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County (see map). As mandated by the MLPA, the CCSR process (2004-2007) examined all existing MPAs within the CCSR and created a suite of new MPAs along the central coast that will be part of a statewide network of MPAs once MLPA implementation is completed. The series of 29 marine protected areas represent approximately 204 square miles (or approximately 18%) of state waters in the study region.