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An overview of Los Angeles Marine protected areas

A brief overview of opportunities on the water

An Overview of Los Angeles Marine Protected Areas�Your local on the water playground

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OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION

Welcome to Los Angeles County
Science of marine conservation
Deep dive into Los Angeles marine protected areas (MPAs)
Local species you may encounter
Wildlife etiquette
Ways to get engaged locally

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WELCOME TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Home to 4 MPAs:

1 No-Take SMCA = purple
2 SMCAs = blue
1 SMR = red

Considerably open access coast

Most populated city in US

Redondo, El Segundo, and Manhattan beaches

@EverettCarrico

Rancho Palos Verdes

Malibu

Catalina

YOU ARE HERE

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NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL HISTORY

Originally inhabited by the Tongva and Chumash

Built ocean-going canoes called tomols

Prolific traders, excellent seamen and master boat builders

Point Dume used as a sacred place to worship the sun

@Archives Historical Society

Now we will discuss tribal history of the LA area:

The Tongva and the Chumash were the original inhabitants of LA. These tribal communities relied heavily on marine resources that were hunted and gathered from the Pacific ocean.
The Tongva were living on the southern Channel Islands and mainland near Los Angeles Basin. They were prolific traders, excellent seamen, and master boat builders who constructed ocean-going canoes, called ti’ats, to paddle skillfully across the treacherous channel to trade with peoples on the mainland and the other Channel Islands. By the 1820s the island was discovered by Europeans and disease broke out among members of the Tongva people. The Tongva people were relocated serval times and over time absorbed into the Tongva community of current-day Southern California. Despite the Tongva’s long settlement in the area, most people are unfamiliar with them.
The Chumash inhabited northern LA county along the Malibu coast and Point Dume was an area of special importance to the Chumash and was used as an important navigation tool. Using advanced canoe technology in a plank canoe called a tomol, they were able to fish far offshore and catch deepwater species and carry trade goods along the coast and to the Channel Islands and Catalina. There are even records of expeditions catching swordfish.

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RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

©Rosa Laucci

©

©Al Case

©Rosa Laucci

HIKING

SURFING

FISHING

Go fishing:

Paradise Cove
Malibu Pier
Santa Monica Pier
Redondo Beach Pier
Sacred Cove
Portuguese Bend
Cabrillo Pier

Go hiking:

Point Dume
Solstice Canyon
Corral Canyon
Santa Monica Boardwalk
Palos Verdes

Go surfing at:

Leo Carrillo State Beach
Zuma Beach – Dana Point SMCA
Malibu
Venice Beach
Manhattan Beach
Redondo Beach
Palos Verdes Cove – Abalone Cove SMCA

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RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

WHALE WATCHING

©Rosa Laucci

©

©Al Case

KAYAKING

©Rosa Laucci

TIDEPOOLING

©LA District

Go whale watching at:

Point Dume
Palos Verdes
Whale watching cruises out of Port of LA or Long Beach

Go tidepooling in:

Leo Carrillo State Park
El Matador State Beach
Golden Cove Beach
Abalone Cove – Abalone Cove SMCA
White Point Beach
Point Fermin

Go kayaking in:

Marina Dey Rey Harbor
Naples canals in Long Beach
Alamitos Bay
Catalina Island

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COASTAL ACCESS

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Coastal Access:

Westward Beach
Point Dume State Beach
Malibu Lagoon State Beach
Will Rogers State Beach
Santa Monica State Beach
Manhattan County Beach
Redondo County Beach
Abalone Cove Beach
Portuguese Bend Beach
Cabrillo Beach

Camping:

Leo Carrillo State Park
Dockweiler Beach

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SCIENCE OF MARINE CONSERVATION

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WHAT IS A MARINE PROTECTED AREA (MPA)?

©Jim Johnston

©California State Parks

©Chad King/NPAA

Marine Protected Areas (or MPAs) are protected areas of the ocean created to ensure conservation and sustainability of marine resources for the future.

They are important to YOU and here’s why:

Fish populations are in decline worldwide

MPAs may increase abundance, size and biodiversity (variety of marine life), including fish

Many MPAs protect critical breeding, nursery and feeding habitats for fish and other marine species

Ex.) kelp bass benefit from MPAs that protect kelp forests, such as Point Dume SMR

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CALIFORNIA’S NETWORK OF MPAS

124 State MPAs, including 14 Special Closures

Protect 16% of California’s waters

9% no-take
84% of waters not designated as MPAs

Network completed in 2012

Managed by CDFW

Visit wildlife.ca.gov/MPAs

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A Variety of habitats

MPAS PROTECT A VARIETY OF HABITATS

SOFT-OCEAN BOTTOMS

SUBMARINE CANYONS

KELP FORESTS

INTERTIDAL

ESTUARIES

ROCKY REEFS

The MPA network contains representative habitats found throughout coastal waters, including estuaries, intertidal zones, rocky reefs, kelp forests, soft-ocean bottoms and submarine canyons.

SANDY BEACHES

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STATE MARINE RESERVES

CANNOT Take, harm, or pursue anything -living or nonliving- from these areas.

CAN Swim, dive, sail, surf, snorkel, kayak, tide pool, and explore!

MULTI-USE AREA NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES

CAN Take most species recreationally & commercially with a license.

CAN Swim, dive, sail, surf, snorkel, kayak, tide pool, and explore!

STATE MARINE

CONSERVATION AREAS

CAN Take certain species recreationally & commercially with a license.

CAN Swim, dive, sail, surf, snorkel, kayak, tide pool, and explore!

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN YOUR MPA?

Many kinds of MPAs--- while National Sanctuaries don’t limit take, State MPAs may limit some or all fishing and collecting.

“Take” means to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, fish, mollusks, or crustaceans or attempting to do so.

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BIG OLD FERTILE FEMALE FISH (BOFFF)

Average numbers of young produced by three different sizes of vermillion rockfish.

Data: Love et al. (1990) NOAA Technical Report

Older, fatter females are much more important to reproduction than younger, smaller fish. This concept called BOFFF is key to why MPAs can and do work for replenishing our oceans.

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CALIFORNIA’S MARINE PROTECTED AREAS�(MPAs)

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LOS ANGELES MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAS)

Point Dume SMCA
Point Dume SMR
Point Vicente SMCA (no-take)
Abalone Cove SMCA

Catalina Island – 9 MPAs

“Take” means to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, fish, mollusks, or crustaceans or attempting to do so.

STATE MARINE RESERVES (SMR)

STATE MARINE CONSERVATION AREAS (SMCA)

STATE MARINE CONSERVATION AREAS (SMCA) (no-take)

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SMR	Restrictions
Point Dume SMR	Take of all living marine resources, including shells and rocks, is prohibited.
Marine Protected Area	Allowable Take
Point Vicente SMCA (No-Take)	Recreational and commercial take of all living marine resources is prohibited.
Point Dume SMCA	Recreational take by spearfishing of white seabass and pelagic finfish is allowed. Commercial take of swordfish by harpoon; and coastal pelagic species by round haul net, brail gear, and light boat is allowed.
Abalone Cove SMCA	Recreational take by spearfishing of white seabass and pelagic finfish; and market squid by hand-held dip net. Commercial take of swordfish by harpoon; and coastal pelagic species and Pacific bonito by round haul net, brail gear, and light boat.
Catalina Island MPAs	There are 9 state MPAs around Catalina island with varying degrees of protection. Please look up regulations before you go at: www.wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/mpas/network/southern-california

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©California State Parks

POINT DUME SMR & POINT DUME SMCA

Common species include giant sea bass, scallops, kelp bass, moray eels, and sea urchins

Divers often see small sharks and lobster

All take prohibited in the SMR -remains open to spearfishing

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LONG POINT SMR

Excellent trail along bluffs to lighthouse, and interpretive center

Great place to observe gray whale migration

Great SCUBA off Palos Verdes Peninsula – caverns, ledges, crevices of reef with garibaldi, urchins, lobster and nudibranchs

POINT VICENTE SMCA (NO-TAKE)

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LONG POINT SMR

©California State Parks

ABALONE COVE SMCA

Abalone Cove- tidepools with octopus, and sea anemones and great beaches

Long Cove – popular dive spot with tall pinnacles

Rocky tidepools – anemones, sea stars, shellfish, and sea slugs

Some recreational take allowed

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LONG POINT SMR

9 MPAs
Great diving in some locations- deep drop offs, caverns, ledges and steep cliffs
Wrigley Marine Science Institute

©California State Parks

CATALINA ISLAND MPAS

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MARINE SPECIES OF INTEREST

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LOCAL FISH SPECIES

GIANT SEA BASS

LINGCOD

CABEZON

COPPER ROCKFISH

KELP BASS

@Steve Lonhart

©Rick Starr

SHEEPHEAD

Here are some of the more common fish species that you are likely to see and catch in the area.
Giant sea bass are especially unique to the Los Angeles area as they are endangered. They can weigh up to 700 pounds and during spawning season, females can produce up to 60 million eggs.
The name sheephead comes from their teeth and resemblance to a “sheep mouth.” They use their powerful jaws and sharp teeth to pry hard-shelled animals like molluscs, squids, lobsters, crabs and urchins which they crush. A throat plate grinds the shells into small bits and pieces. They can live to at least 21 years, with some reports of 50 years.
Lingcod use cryptic coloration and hide in rocky holes, and under overhangs to avoid predators. Males become territorial and females are rarely observed in these areas. It is possible they visit the area just long enough to deposit eggs throughout winter and spring. After eggs are deposited (often in crevices), the males guard them from eight to ten weeks.

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LOCAL INVERTEBRATE SPECIES

@Rosa Laucci

@Thomas Shahan

@JMaughn

MARKET SQUID

MOSSY CHITON

STRIPED SHORE CRAB

BAT STAR AND PURPLE URCHINS

CALIFORNIA SPINY LOBSTER

BLACK TURBAN SNAILS

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LOCAL BIRD SPECIES

WESTERN SNOWY PLOVER

SOOTY SHEARWATER

PELAGIC CORMORANT

BLACK OYSTERCATCHER

ASHY STORM-PETREL

BROWN PELICAN

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LOCAL MARINE MAMMAL SPECIES

CALIFORNIA SEA LION

HARBOR SEAL

HUMPBACK WHALE

BLUE WHALE

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN

GRAY WHALE

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ENVIRONMENTAL ETIQUETTE

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If you see a sick or injured marine mammal, please do not approach!

Call the Marine Mammal Center: (805) 771-8302

There are a few ways we can make sure our eagerness to view marine wildlife doesn’t disturb them. Please:

Learn before you go. Check out the rules and regulations for the area you are visiting.
Keep your distance – if you see them change behavior or notice you, you are too close
Do not touch for any reason
Do not feed or attract them to you. Interactions with wildlife can change their normal behavior and feeding habits which can result in harm or death to the animal, despite our best intentions
Do not approach sick or abandoned wildlife. If you find a sick or wounded animal, do not approach it, instead call the Marine Mammal Center as soon as possible
Leave pets at home
Do not harass or chase wildlife
Pack your trash, and
Teach others around you to be responsible viewers. Our marine life thanks you!

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TIDEPOOLING ETIQUETTE

Keep an eye on the water. Never turn your back to the ocean.

Be aware of your surroundings, including water and waves, slippery rocks or algae, and tidepool creatures.

Step carefully. Avoid crushing animals, algae, and plants whenever possible.

Be gentle. Always touch lightly so you don’t disturb intertidal life.

Leave them. Take only pictures and return the animals, algae, plants, rocks, and shells to where you found them.

Remove trash. Pick it up and dispose of it in waste bins.

Avoid wading in tidepools

Give marine mammals space. Remain 50 yards away from them.

©Coastal Monument

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BE SEABIRD SAFE

Stay on trails – view from a distance.
If you see seabirds acting nervously (head bobbing, fluttering, or flying away), you are too close - back away.
Pack out your trash, recycle plastics.
Do not feed seabirds.
Never dump oil, fuel, or other foreign substances into the water or drains.
To learn more, visit: SeabirdProtectionNetwork.org
To report a dead or injured seabird, call: Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network: (805) 681-1080

Los Angeles County is an important area for seabirds, but a few easy steps can help keep them safe. Approaching too close to seabird colonies causes birds to panic and fly away, potentially abandoning their nests. Abandoned nests leave eggs or chicks exposed to predators. In some cases, disturbances can cause complete breeding failure of a seabird colony, in which no chicks survive.

You can help protect seabirds by following these tips:

Stay on the trail at all times to avoid damaging underground nests.
If you see wildlife acting nervously you are too close; slowly back away and leave the area.
Pack out your trash.
Do Not Feed Wildlife.
Bring binoculars to enjoy watching seabirds from a safe distance.
You can help protect seabirds by raising your awareness of seabirds and gaining a greater understanding of the places they go and the food they eat.

Please report dead or injured seabirds to the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. Here are the contacts for you.

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REPORT SARGASSUM HORNERI

Non-native brown seaweed from China, Korea, and Japan.
Arrived in southern CA in ports of LA early 2000s.
Recently recorded at Monterey Breakwater in June 2020.
Highly invasive – adults fragment easily, and each can produce hundreds of fertile eggs in one receptacle (shown in yellow).
Help prevent spread, check vessel props & anchors before transiting!
If spotted, record the date and location and report to CDFW’s Invasive Species Program:

Call (866) 440-9530
Send an email to invasives@wildlife.ca.gov
Fill out the form at: wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/Report

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STRANGE FISH IN WEIRD PLACES

Recently an influx of warmer water off California has brought unprecedented sightings of marine organisms found outside their typical habitats and range. Larger predatory fish and bigger schools of fish are staying around later in the year. Non-native species are now being spotted in areas they have not previously been found. These new species have the potential to displace native species.

To understand the effect that changing oceanic conditions will have on fish and benthic invertebrate communities, the California Undersea Imagery Archive is initiating a crowd-sourcing effort called Strange Fish in Weird Places.
Relying on you and others on the water, they will document your observations of organisms in new and unusual places.
They are requesting any or all of the information below, with an emphasis on the location, depth and date that any imagery was collected:

Desired attribution for use of photo on website and outreach materials
Time and date
Species ID (lowest taxonomic level possible)
Depth (if collected via SCUBA or breath-hold diving)
Location (lat/long if possible, general location if not)

For questions or to report, please contact them at cuia@csumb.edu. They very much appreciate your contributions.

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CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE WEST COAST

Warming Ocean Temperatures:

Much of the northeast Pacific Ocean was warmer than normal from April 19 to July 18, 2020.
Effects most dramatic offshore between Hawaii and Alaska.

Atmospheric Pressure Changes:

High pressure over Gulf of Alaska, Low pressure in NE Pacific in summer of 2019: causes reduced winds

Why is this a concern?

Winds remove heat, mix the surface waters with cooler waters below.
Consequence: rapid warming of surface waters in NE Pacific

Marine Heatwaves:

New marine heatwave off the West Coast in Sept, 2019
Researchers monitoring effects on the marine ecosystem; resembles “The Blob” heatwave of 2014.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/new-marine-heatwave-emerges-west-coast-resembles-blob

Climate has been changing on the west coast- how does this impact our ocean?

Some of the major features that have impacted our coast in recent years include:

Warming ocean temperatures. We have had warmer temperatures from Hawaii to Alaska for the past decade including 2020.
Second, for a few years prior to 2020, a large body of warm surface water, called the “BLOB” placed itself off the west coast south of Alaska, and off the coast of Oregon and Washington. This blob acted like a heatwave in the ocean with major impacts to species distributions, as well as catches of fish and crab.
Finally a high pressure over the Gulf of Alaska created reduced winds in the summer of 2019. The lack of wind is of concern since the winds push the warm surface waters offshore, so that cooler waters upwell, or rise to the surface. This upwelling is responsible for the incredibly productive coastal waters of the West Coast.

These recent changes are of concern to commercial fishermen and anglers as well as coastal communities and are being monitoring carefully. .

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GET INVOLVED

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CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS�ANGELES DISTRICT

Snowy Plover & Least Tern Monitoring (Audubon)
Riparian Forest Restoration and Invasive Crayfish Removal�(Resource Conservation District)
Docent-led Programs�(State Parks & Resource Conservation District)
Junior Ranger Program�(State Parks)
Creek & Beach Clean-Up Annual Events�(State Parks & Resource Conservation District)

To volunteer contact Darrell.Readyhoff@parks.ca.gov

For information on public programs contact Ilsa.Buelow@parks.ca.gov

Volunteer Opportunities and Public Programs

Photo By: [INSERT CREDIT]

Photo by: RCD SMM

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LA WATERKEEPERS

Los Angeles Waterkeeper’s mission is to fight for the health of the region’s waterways, and for sustainable, equitable and climate-friendly water supplies

Work to eliminate pollution, achieve ecosystem health for LA’s waterways and secure a resilient, multi-benefit, low-carbon water supply to region.

Volunteer opportunities include beach cleanups, MPA Watch and Community Water Watch Programs

Visit www.lawaterkeeper.org to learn more

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Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a trusted resource that inspires exploration, respect and conservation of Southern California marine life.

Volunteers and help educate thousands of visitors each year about Southern California's marine environment.

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Dedicated to making coastal waters and watersheds in Greater Los Angeles safe, healthy, and clean using science, education, community action, and advocacy to fulfill our mission
Offer volunteer opportunities, school field trips to their Aquarium, Adopt a Beach programs, and internships

HEAL THE BAY

Visit: www.healthebay.org

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Dive with a Purpose!

Join us today!

Want to get your fins wet, make a difference, enjoy diving with others and collect invaluable long-term data?

These data are used by marine managers, researchers and the public for the sustainable management of our ocean resources

Photo: Andrew Harmer

We train citizen scientists to collect data, on the health of their local reefs

Reef Check helps ensure the long-term sustainability and health of California’s nearshore rocky reefs and kelp forests

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One of the world’s most popular nature apps.
iNaturalist helps you identify the plants and animals around you.
Get connected with a community of over a million scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about nature!
What’s more, by recording and sharing your observations, you’ll create research quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature.

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SNAPSHOT CAL COAST

Annual statewide effort to document coastal biodiversity

Get out on the coast and share observation of plants, animals, and seaweeds using iNaturalist app

Help build an annual snapshot of biodiversity�
Join the community of observers helping answer questions about California’s MPAs

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CCRFP

California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP) - partnership of people and communities interested in fisheries sustainability.

With help of volunteer anglers and fishing community, we collect data on economically important nearshore species to inform fisheries management and evaluate marine protected areas (MPAs).

If you want to contribute to research and learn more about nearshore fish stocks, become a volunteer angler!

For more information, visit: www.mlml.calstate.edu/ccfrp/

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MPA WATCH

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1-888-334-CALTIP (1-888-334-2258), DOWNLOAD THE APP CALTIPS

Help stop poaching and polluting:

1-888-491-GEAR (4237)

Report lost fishing gear:

www.Boatingcleanandgreen.com

Learn about clean boating and how to recycle fishing line:

(800) 39-WHALE

Report Dead Marine Mammals:

Seabird Protection Network (visit www. SeabirdProtectionNetwork.org)

Report Sick or Dead Seabirds:

www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/report

Reporting Invasive Species in California:

(310) 547-2260

24 Hour Vessel Assistance (Fees Involved):

1-877-SOS-WHALE (1-877-767-9425) for distressed whales and dolphins

Statewide Whale Rescue Team:

Fort MacArthur Marine Mammal Care Center:

IMPORTANT REPORTING & RESPONSE NUMBERS

310-548-5677

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USEFUL MOBILE APPS

iNaturalist

iNaturalist, LLC

Identify plants and animals around you and record your observations

CalTIP

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)

Submit anonymous tips to CDFW

Your Coast

California Coastal Commission

Explore beaches, trails and parks along the California coast

Seafood Watch

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Provides recommendations for sustainable seafood and sushi

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THANK YOU