Exploring California’s Marine Protected Areas: Saunders Reef State Marine Conservation Area

Overlooking Saunders Reef SMCA
CDFW photo by S. Worden

From its gravel- and boulder-strewn shoreline, to the craggy bedrock of the intertidal that extends to an offshore reef and surrounding stands of bull kelp, Saunders Reef State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a location prized for its highly complex, diverse, and productive habitats. Saunders Reef SMCA and its regulations were adopted in 2010 by the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) as part of California’s globally recognized Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network. It is one of the 124 marine protected areas (MPAs) established statewide from 2004 to 2012 during the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act.

2021 “Year in Review” and “By the Numbers” Reports Now Available!

What did 2021 look like for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW’s) Marine Region? It was not the year many of us hoped for, with continued challenges to research, data collection, and management activities as the COVID-19 pandemic raged on. Two overviews that outline the hurdles we faced as well as last year’s accomplishments are now available in the 2021 Year in Review and its companion document, 2021 By the Numbers.

Giant Kelp and Bull Kelp Enhanced Status Report Now Available

The Giant Kelp and Bull Kelp Enhanced Status Report on the California Marine Species Portal
CDFW image

The Giant Kelp and Bull Kelp Enhanced Status Report, or Kelp ESR, is now available on the California Marine Species Portal. The Kelp ESR is the first for marine algae species and one of 34 produced by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) since 2018 to help guide future fisheries management as required by the Marine Life Management Act Master Plan for Fisheries.

Sustainably Managing California’s Fisheries and Ecosystems During a Pandemic – Marine Region’s 2020 Year in Review and By the Numbers Reports

What did 2020 look like for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW’s) Marine Region? The 2020 Year in Review is now available along with its companion document 2020 By the Numbers. These reports provide overviews of the hurdles the Marine Region faced and accomplishments we achieved last year.

Marine Region’s 2019 Year in Review Now Available!

The 2019 Year in Review is now available for your reading pleasure along with its companion document By the Numbers. The Year in Review is a condensed one-stop shop of the entire year’s accomplishments and our By the Numbers summarizes some of the most important commercial and recreational