On December 9th, the California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) received their annual update on the state of California’s marine protected areas (MPAs). Following the update and presentation provided by the Fish and Wildlife Department, there was a strong turnout in support of the state MPA program. Several coastal organizations and stakeholders from up and down the state provided updates on individual programs and challenges from 2020, including increased poaching, visitation, and enforcement.

EAC’s Conservation Director provided an update on our local Marin MPA Watch program which collects data at six MPAs in Marin County in partnership with Point Reyes National Seashore and California Academy of Sciences, as well as an update around our concerns related to increased activity and visitation at Duxbury Reef.