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Exploring Marine Protected Areas: Benefits and Significance

Discover the importance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in conserving marine life and habitats. Learn about different MPA types, the science behind MPAs, benefits, history of California's MPAs, and unique features of Piedras Blancas MPA. Explore the Central Coast MPAs and the monitoring efforts in place.

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Exploring Marine Protected Areas: Benefits and Significance

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  1. MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

  2. What Are MPAs? • Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are geographic areas designated to protect or conserve marine life and habitat • State Marine Reserve (SMR): Also called “No take” zones. The most restrictive type of MPA • State Marine Park (SMP): Prohibits commercial fishing, but allows recreational fishing • State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA): Allows for specified commercial and recreational activities • State Marine Recreational Management Area (SMRMA): may restrict some recreational opportunities (often duck hunting areas). Only one in Central coast region • http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa

  3. Piedras Blancas Marine Protected Areas • Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Piedras Blancas State Marine Conservation Area • All fishing prohibited in Reserve; all but albacore and salmon in Conservation Area

  4. The Science of MPAs • Efforts to control overfishing by establishing limits have not been successful • Marine reserves have improved overall ocean health

  5. The Science of MPAs Older, larger fish produce more offspring. Protecting fish spawning grounds enhances fish populations.

  6. Anacapa Island Example • Comparison of marine reserve and fished areas • Lobsters 6 times more abundant in reserve • Kelp forest in reserve healthy; kelp forest stressed in fished areas • Lobsters keep urchins under control, restoring natural balance

  7. Benefits of marine reserves Fish species show: • Higher abundances • Increase in size • Increase diversity • Increase biomass

  8. History of California MPAs • Created pursuant to the California Marine Life Protection Act of 1999 • Requires a comprehensive science-based network of protected areas to foster healthy habitats and improve fishing

  9. California MPAs • MLPA plan to establish a statewide network by 2011 • Central Coast first area completed, after a lengthy process of community meetings involving stakeholders • North Central Coast just completed • Other areas except SF Bay now underway

  10. Central Coast MPAs • MPA size selected to provide safety for resident species • Offspring drift into adjacent areas, increasing the number of fish • Spacing designated to encourage repopulation

  11. Central Coast MPAs • 29 protected areas designated on the Central Coast • 13 marine reserves, 7.5% of region, prohibit fishing • 14 marine conservation areas, 10% of region, limit fishing

  12. Piedras Blancas MPA Unique Features • Elephant seal rookery • Other marine mammals • Extensive kelp forest • Deepwater rocky reef with large forage fish populations and shelter for rockfish • Near-pristine tidepool areas

  13. Piedras Blancas MPAs • Scientific monitoring to evaluate effectiveness is an important part of the MPA process • Monitoring includes catch and release fishing and netting, observation by submersibles, and intertidal monitoring stations • You may see monitoring devices or researchers from the bluffs

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