Landmark Decision Establishes New Marine Protected Areas

On August 5, 2009, the California Fish and Game Commission passed a landmark proposal to protect waters off California’s coast from Half Moon Bay  to Point Arena by establishing  22 new marine protected areas.  The proposal was the result of a two year collaborative effort by fishermen, divers, environmentalists, scientists and educators, working to find consensus on complex issues.  This group was brought together through the Marine Life Protection Act, a law which calls for the creation of a science-based network of marine protected areas along the state's coastline. These new marine protected areas will help safeguard critical ocean habitats and allow all types of marine life to thrive, from the coral of the seafloor, to the fish and mammals that reach the water’s surface, and all marine life in between.  CCKA and its member Waterkeepers were actively involved in this process and will continue to work to establish marine protected areas in the South Coast and North Coast regions.