CalOceans News

Support south coast ocean parks!

On Thursday, February 17, the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture will meet in Sacramento to discuss the marine protected area plan recently adopted for California’s South Coast.  The plan would create a string of underwater parks that stretches from Santa Barbara to the border with Mexico, preserving some of southern California’s richest and most beloved ocean areas for current and future generations to enjoy.

Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro, Chair of the Joint Committee, has convened the hearing as a follow-up to the January 21 meeting on the North Coast Marine Life Protection Act process, and the 38th Annual Fisheries Forum, which will be held on February 16.

The South Coast hearing will include brief presentations by MLPA Initiative and Fish and Game Commission staff as well as a public comment period. 

The current South Coast marine protected area plan was developed over two years of careful study and negotiations among local divers, fishermen, scientists, business owners, and conservationists.  It will protect iconic ocean areas like south La Jolla, Swamis Reef, Laguna, Point Dume, and Naples Reef while leaving nearly 90% of the coast open for fishing.  The community was overwhelmingly supportive of this plan, attending over 50 public meetings, providing more than 150 hours of testimony, and submitting tens of thousands of emails and letters urging protection of favorite surf, dive, tidepooling and kayaking areas. 

Members of the public are invited to attend the hearing from 10am-12pm at the State Capitol Building, Room 4202.

If you can’t attend in person, please consider writing Assemblymember Chesbro to voice your support for the common sense ocean protection plan adopted in December for southern California.  You can see the official map of the planned marine protected areas here.

• Tags:
• Marine Life Protection Act
• mlpa
• South Coast
• fisheries and aquaculture