With the recovery of sea life seen in the last decade, environmental groups are petitioning the California Fish and Game Commission to now access Marine Protected Areas along Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar and Bolsa Chica for more research opportunities.
The state’s program of Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs as they are commonly called, was created to help restore heavily fished and impacted sections of the California coastline that are now teaming again with marine life – they have become a model for addressing the degradation of sensitive areas globally.
There are 124 MPAs scattered along the state’s coast, including 50 in Southern California. All rocky intertidal and reef habitats that provide sanctuaries for marine life are protected, and removing anything or altering them is prohibited in many of the MPAs.
A recent review of the MPAs’ first decade also solicited feedback from interested stakeholders and the California Fish and Game Commission has received petitions from 20 groups asking for various changes and new access opportunities. There is also a petition to extend the areas where no sea creatures or habitats can be taken to include South Laguna, which is a popular fishing area.
Any changes might be considered by early summer after review by a Marine Resources Committee.
The protection the MPAs created has limited areas available for scientific study, hindering researchers’ ability to gather essential data.
“The MPAs along Orange County’s coast are not just beautiful landscapes; they are living laboratories that could hold the key to combatting climate change and protecting our way of life,” said Ray Hiemstra, associate director of policy and projects at the nonprofit Orange County Coastkeeper, which petitioned for access to the three local MPA sections.
“We believe that through vetted research, monitoring, education and restoration projects,” he said, “scientists could better understand and preserve these vital…
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