CalOceans News

North coast ocean stewards working together

One of the amazing things about California’s coastline is how diverse it is. The central part of the coast bears almost no resemblance to the southern portion, both with their own stunning array of sea life and habitat types, from rocky reefs to kelp forests and pillars.

The north coast of California is similarly unique—and this region has been subject to far less human interference, leaving its fisheries relatively healthy compared to their southern counterparts (you can, for example, still harvest abalone on the north coast, in limited quantities). It is a region with a rich history of living with and off the sea, and through the MLPA, we have a great chance to keep its traditional commercial, recreational and subsistence fishing practices alive and well.

This op-ed in the Eureka Times-Standard by former Assemblywoman and Sonoma resident Virginia Strom-Martin, who sits on the MLPA’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, tells the story of the north coast’s efforts to create a holistic plan for ocean conservation, calling it the most open and transparent process she’s ever been involved in.

Last week, north coast residents had a chance to learn and ask questions about the ongoing marine protected area selection process at a series of Open Houses throughout the region. Now the regional stakeholders will gather to reach a consensus on a final network of MPAs to present to the Fish and Game Commission later this year.

As Strom-Martin says, “It is only by working together that we can ensure a healthy ocean and successfully teach future generations to be good stewards for our precious community assets.” Hear-hear, and kudos to all the north coasters working to create a legacy of ocean health for their part of California.

• Tags:
• Marine Life Protection Act
• mlpa
• north coast
• virginia strom-martin