South Coast Region

The MLPA South Coast Region includes state waters along the California coastline from Point Conception to the California/Mexico border.  Specific MPA proposals for this region were submitted to the California Fish and Game Commission by the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force on December 9, 2009.  These proposals are currently being reviewed by the Commission, which is expected to consider adoption of South Coast MPAs by the end of 2010.

The MPA Monitoring Enterprise has begun a consultative process to develop a South Coast MPA Monitoring Plan and design a South Coast MPA Baseline Program.  As a first step, a round of public workshops was recently held to seek input on MPA monitoring priorities.  Workshops were held in Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, and Carlsbad.  In total, more than 120 people attended, representing a range of interests including commercial and recreational fishing, California tribes and tribal communities, conservation, surfing, local, state, and federal agencies, ocean users, and the public at large.

We will be using the input received during the workshops to help shape the framing and content of the South Coast MPA Monitoring Plan and Baseline Program.  We will also use it to inform development of draft monitoring approaches and metrics, which we plan to present for comment at a second round of public workshops, likely in October or November of 2010.

The agenda and presentation from the workshops are available.  We are also developing a single summary of the three workshops, which will be available in late August.

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions.