Exploring California’s Marine Protected Areas: Big River Estuary State Marine Conservation Area

Kayaker at Big River Estuary State Marine Conservation Area
photo by L. Kashiwada

Big River Estuary State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a small marine protected area located just south of the town of Mendocino. It covers less than a quarter square mile of estuary habitat along 1.3 miles of riverbank east of the Highway 1 bridge.