Lately, there has been a lot of talk around marine conservation in California. In particular, the State’s 30×30 initiative and decadal management review of its marine protected area (MPA) network have been recent hot topics among anglers.
30×30: Conserving 30% of California’s Coastal Waters by 2030
As part of a broader effort to fight climate change, protect biodiversity, and expand access to nature for all Californians, in 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20, committing to conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. You may have heard this commitment referred to as “30 by 30.”
Conserved areas that will count toward the 30×30 goal include “land and coastal water areas that are durably protected and managed to sustain functional ecosystems, both intact and restored, and the diversity of life that they support.” Policy objectives include protecting biodiversity, expanding access to nature, and building climate resilience. Currently, 16% of waters are protected through the existing MPA network.
So how do we get to 30%?
The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) is considering four key strategies to achieve 30×30 in coastal waters, including strengthening biodiversity protections in California’s National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS), exploring spatial management measures beyond MPAs and NMS, supporting tribally led conservation, and adaptively managing our state’s MPA network to ensure they continue to provide strong protections for coastal and marine biodiversity, especially in the face of climate change.
Get Involved with 30×30:
Share your Feedback on the draft Decision-Making Framework for 30×30 in Coastal Waters: In June 2024 OPC, the California Ocean Science Trust, and the 30×30 Technical Advisory Panel released a draft decision-making framework for 30×30 in Coastal Waters, which translates the policy objectives for 30×30 into science-based criteria. The public comment period is currently open, so be sure to review the draft criteria and submit your written comments by 5:00pm on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 via the 30×30 Draft Decision-Making Framework-Public Comment Submission Form or by email to 30x30coastalwaters@resources.ca.gov.
Join a Webinar or Workshop: OPC is hosting virtual webinars and in-person workshops to review the draft decision-making framework and receive public input. While some have already occurred, there are still a few opportunities to join this summer and fall!
Learn more and sign up for 30×30 updates: opc.ca.gov/30×30/
California Marine Protected Areas
California has a globally unparalleled network of 124 marine protected areas (MPAs) that protect 16% of our extraordinary marine life and habitats. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages these areas. With the MPA network in place for more than a decade, in January 2023, CDFW released the first ever comprehensive evaluation of the Network.
The Decadal Management Review (DMR) provided a synthesis of the last decade of marine management activities and the effectiveness of the network in meeting the goals of the Marine Life Protection Act and laid the foundation for future discussions about MPA management. CDFW employs a strategy called “adaptive management,” which is designed to adjust to changing circumstances to meet conservation goals. Since the report came out, CDFW released a prioritized list of adaptive management recommendations for the MPA Network.One tool that can be used in adaptive management are petitions for regulatory change.
While CDFW manages and enforces MPA regulations, the regulations regarding them are maintained by the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC). Late last year, CFGC invited members of the public to submit petitions to amend California’s network of MPAs in light of the results shown in the DMR.
What’s happened since then?
December 2023: The CFGC received 20 petitions that contained over 80 individual requests for MPA regulation amendments.
February 2024: The CFGC referred all petitions to CDFW for review.
March 2024 MRC meeting: CDFW presented their proposed approach for reviewing and evaluating petitions for MPA regulation changes, starting by binning petitions into near-term and long-term analyses.
April 2024: The CFGC accepted CDFW’s approach.
July 2024: The CFGC Marine Resources Committee held a discussion of the initial petition binning process.
There will be a Fish and Game Commission meeting on August 14 with updates from the CFGC Marine Resources Committee and CDFW. You’re encouraged to attend either in person in Fortuna or virtually using Zoom. Visit https://fgc.ca.gov/Meetings/2024 for the calendar of upcoming meetings and agendas.Stay Informed and Get Involved
Sign up for CFGC’s mailing list at public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CNRA/signup/35154
Check out CDFWs blog at cdfwmarine.wordpress.com for more information on the process.
Learn more about MPAs
MPA Decadal Management Review: tinyurl.com/MPA10YearReview
MPA Resources for anglers: CaliforniaMPAs.org/fishing-mpas
Take Our Survey: Understanding California Angler Needs
We are conducting a study to better understand your preferences and needs when it comes to resources for California’s marine protected areas. Help us get you the information you want and need by taking this short survey:
California Ocean Protection Council
Share your feedback on the draft 30×30 Decision-Making Framework for Coastal Waters! OPC is proud to lead the state’s efforts to conserve 30% of coastal waters by 2030. This past June 4 Council meeting, OPC announced the draft Decision-Makin
