Exploring California’s Marine Protected Areas: South Cape Mendocino State Marine Reserve, Sugarloaf Island Special Closure, and Steamboat Rock Special Closure

MPA sign at the SMR, Steamboat Rock to the left. CDFW photo by S. Worden

Sugarloaf Island, just north of South Cape Mendocino SMR. photo by A. Zykov, CC BY-SA 2.0

Sunrise at Cape Mendocino. photo by S. Worden

Although California is the most populous state in the United States, much of the coastal area north of San Francisco is undeveloped and provides the perfect escape for those seeking a bit of solitude.

Celebrate World Oceans Day with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife!

Kelp bass and salema over an eelgrass bed in S. Calif. photo by S. Wertz

Surfer. photo by A. Van Diggelen

Wolf-eel and sea urchins off the Farallon Islands, central Calif. CDFW/MARE photo

It’s that time of year again, when people around the world celebrate the beauty, resources, and enjoyment the ocean gives us. That’s right, today, June 8^th is World Oceans Day!

New Recreational Grunion Regulations Starting June 1

Grunion run. CDFW photo

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife would like to inform all who fish for or collect California grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) that the California Fish and Game Commission has recently adopted new grunion sport fishing regulations.

MPA Monitoring Webinar Series: Ask the Researcher

Mark your calendars, bring your questions, and join us this summer as we unpack the results of the state-funded marine protected areas (MPAs) long-term monitoring projects through an 8-part virtual webinar series!

Stack of Dungeness crab traps. CDFW photo by C. Juhasz

Brown rockfish caught by California Collaborative Fisheries Research volunteer anglers. photo courtesy Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Researchers monitoring the rocky intertidal habitat. photo courtesy MARINe

Researchers from 24 universities, agencies and institutions across California worked closely with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) to monitor key habitats both inside and outside of MPAs, including kelp forests, rocky reefs, rocky shores, estuaries, and sandy beaches.

Creature Feature: Gopher Rockfish

Most gopher rockfish are caught between Pt. Conception and Monterey Bay in nearshore waters, but they may generally be found from Mendocino County southward off California. Gopher rockfish range from the intertidal zone to depths of around 282 ft., but are most commonly found at depths greater than 40 ft.