New marine protected areas need continued advocacy

The evening of Oct. 14, on a dark, bumpy bus ride from Santa Barbara to Sacramento, college students from Allan Hancock College, Cuesta College, and Cal Poly were nervous. They were about to give their first public testimony. Riding with them, longtime environmental advocates shared advice and stories. This contingent of 35 of your neighbors took two days off from work and school and rode for eight hours on a bus with stinky seats and a broken bathroom to defend California’s marine life. Tribal leaders, community members, and college students endured the long haul so they could ask the California Fish and Game Commission to designate the tribally nominated Point Sal and Mishopshno state marine conservation areas. The proposals were two of many submitted during the first decadal review of California’s marine protected area (MPA) network. The network has more than 100 marine protected areas within state waters, managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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