Marine Life Protected Area Development

MLPA Summary

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) of 1999 directs the state to redesign California’s system of marine protected areas (MPAs) to function as a network in order to: increase coherence and effectiveness in protecting the state’s marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems, and marine natural heritage, as well as to improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems subject to minimal human disturbance. There are six goals that guide the development of MPAs in the MLPA planning process:

1. Protect the natural diversity and abundance of marine life, and the structure, function and integrity of marine ecosystems.
2. Help sustain, conserve and protect marine life populations, including those of economic value, and rebuild those that are depleted.
3. Improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems that are subject to minimal human disturbance, and to manage these uses in a manner consistent with protecting biodiversity.
4. Protect marine natural heritage, including protection of representative and unique marine life habitats in CA waters for their intrinsic values.
5. Ensure California’s MPAs have clearly defined objectives, effective mgmt. measures and adequate enforcement and are based on sound scientific guidelines.
6. Ensure the State’s MPAs are designed and managed, to the extent possible, as a network.

To help achieve these goals, three types of MPA designation types are used in the MLPA process: state marine reserves, state marine parks and state marine conservation areas.

• View the Marine Life Protection Act
• View the Master Plan for Marine Protected Areas

SAC and its membership have been quite involved in the MLPA process. SAC has participated in data collection, stakeholder meetings, and as a resource. Much of the data relating to fishing activities was obtained from log books of the sportfishing fleet.

SAC also joined the team at the Partnership for Sustainable Oceans (PSO) to coordinate response to issues of concern. The PSO represents a diverse group of organizations that are a true reflection of ocean users. The PSO has had serious concerns with how the process has been conducted to date. These concerns, noteworthy conflicts of interest, have been brought to the attention of the Fish and Game Commission.

As of January 1, 2012 there are network of fishing closures from Point of Conception in Santa Barbara to the US-Mexico Border. Please check out these web resources to see maps of the MLPA and the regulations.