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

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OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION

Introduction to Mendocino County
Science of marine conservation
Deep dive into local marine protected areas (MPAs)
Species you may encounter
Guide to wildlife etiquette
Local engagement with your coast

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WELCOME TO MENDOCINO COUNTY

By land and sea, one of most biodiverse places in California

Before U.S. Coast Guard, Mendocino locals called the “Surfmen” took it upon themselves to rescue endangered ships

Home to 14 MPAs and 1 Special Closure:

11 SMCAs = blue
3 SMRs = red
1 Special Closure = pink
And the Greater Farallones NMS

YOU ARE

HERE!

Greater

Farallones

NMS

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NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL HISTORY

Coast Yuki

Inhabited areas from the Noyo River north to Ten Mile River
Referred to themselves as ‘Ukoht-ontilka’ - ocean people

Pomo

Small tribes inhabited areas from Cleone to Duncan's Point, south of Mendocino County
Divided into Northern, Central, Southern, and Southwestern bands

Pomo and Coast Yuki traded seaweed, finfish, shellfish, and other foods for items from inland Tribal Nations

Small tribes
Fished for chinook and coho salmon and steelhead trout
Harvested surf fish, abalone, and mussels
Clamshell beads were used as currency

Now we will discuss tribal history in Mendocino County.

The Pomo people and the Coast Yuki tribe are two of the Native American groups indigenous to this northern California region.
The Coast Yuki relied on coastal resources and referred to themselves as ‘Ukoht-ontilka’, which means ‘ocean people.’
They would use a harpoon to catch salmon that were swimming upstream to spawn and switch to nets as the salmon traveled back downstream. Shellfish including mussels and abalone were also staples of the Coast Yuki people’s diets, and the fishermen would also occasionally catch smelt and eel.
Today, there are over 15 federally recognized tribes that have ties to this area, including the Redwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria.

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INTERTRIBAL SINKYONE WILDERNESS COUNCIL�

Played key role in MLPA.

Successfully advocated on behalf of 18 Tribes for continuation of tribal customary cultural ways within six new SMCAs between Point Arena and Mattole River

Led Ocean Wilderness Delegation at World Congress

Publication providing significant baseline for scientists

Lead plaintiff in 2012 federal lawsuit against National Marine Fisheries Service for Navy’s Northwest Training and Testing

The Intertribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council is a consortium of ten federally recognized Northern California Indian tribes:

The Council was integral in the implementation of MPAs and successfully advocated on behalf of 18 Tribes for the continuation of tribal customary cultural ways within six new SMCAs between Point Arena and the Mattole River.
Some other great accomplishments and work of the council include:

Organizing and leading the Ocean Wilderness Delegation at 10^th World Wilderness Congress to present information on the achievements in marine conservation through this collaborative implementation of the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).
The publication “Informing North Coast MPA Baseline: Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Keystone Marine Species and Ecosystems”, which provided significant cultural-historical context for scientific baselines of the nearshore marine ecosystems.
The Sinkyone Council was also the lead plaintiff in a 2012 federal lawsuit against National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The lawsuit charged that the Navy’s Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) program had failed to provide adequate mitigations for avoiding impacts to marine species and the Tribes’ cultural ways of life.

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COASTAL RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

WILDLIFE WATCHING

FISHING

HIKING

@Rene Rivers

Go whale watching at:

Most any coastal vantage spot
Point Arena MPAs

Certain fishing is allowed in:

MacKerricher SMCA
Point Arena SMCA
Ten Mile SMCA
Big River SMCA
Navarro River SMCA
Sea Lion Cove SMCA

Go hiking at:

Coastal trails along entire coast
Mendocino Headlands Trail
Russian Gulch
Big River Trail
Devils Gulch Trail

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KAYAKING

TIDEPOOLING

SURFING

Go surfing at:

Pt Arena MPAs
Virgin Beach
Hares Beach Access
Blues Creek – Westport
Wages Beach-Westport

Go tidepooling in:

MacKerricher SMCA
Van Damme MPAS
Russian Gulch

Go kayaking in:

Most any coastal vantage spot
Van Damme SMCA

COASTAL RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

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COASTAL ACCESS

Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
Usal Beach
Westport Landing Union State Beach
Seaside Creek Beach
Ten Mile Beach
MacKerricher State Park
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park
Russian Gulch State Park
Mendocino Headlands State Park
Navarro Point Preserve
Greenwood Creek State Beach
Manchester State Park
Point Arena Lighthouse
Schooner Gulch State Beach

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CAMPGROUNDS

Bear Harbor Camp
Usal Beach Campground
Westport Beach RV Park & Campground
Surfwood Campground, Cleone Campground, MacKerricher Westpine Campground,, Pinewood Campground
Pomo RV Park & Campground, Woodside RV Park & Campground
Russian Gulch State Park
Mendocino Grove
Van Damme State Park
Albion River Campground
Manchester State Park
Manchester Beach/Mendocino Coast KOA
Anchor Bay Campground

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SCIENCE OF MARINE CONSERVATION

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WHAT IS A MARINE PROTECTED AREA (MPA)?

©Jim Johnston

Marine Protected Areas (or MPA), 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.) Big River Estuary SMCA serves as vital spawning and nursery grounds for species like Dungeness crab, and coho and chinook salmon

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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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MENDOCINO STATE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS

STATE MARINE RESERVES (SMR)

STATE MARINE CONSERVATION AREAS (SMCA)

SPECIAL CLOSURES

1. Double Cone Rock SMCA

2. Vizcaino Rock Special Closure

3. Ten Mile SMR

4. Ten Mile Beach SMCA

5. Ten Mile Estuary SMCA

6. MacKerricher SMCA

7. Point Cabrillo SMR

8. Russian Gulch SMCA

9. Big River Estuary SMCA

10. Van Damme SMCA

11. Navarro River Estuary SMCA

12. Point Arena SMCA

13. Point Arena SMR

14. Sea Lion Cove SMCA

15. Saunders Reef SMCA

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

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SMR	Restrictions
Ten Mile, Point Cabrillo & Point Arena SMRs	Take of all living marine resources, including shells and rocks, is prohibited.
MPA	Allowable Take
Double Cone Rock SMCA	Recreational take of salmon by trolling and Dungeness crab by trap, hoop net or hand. Commercial take of salmon with troll fishing gear and Dungeness crab by trap.
Ten Mile Estuary SMCA	Waterfowl and salmonids may be taken in accordance with local regulations.
Ten Mile Beach SMCA	Recreational take of Dungeness crab by trap, hoop net or hand; Commercial take of Dungeness crab by trap. Includes take exemptions for some federal tribes.
MacKerricher & Russian Gulch SMCAs	All recreational take is allowed in accordance with current regulations. All commercial take is allowed, except the commercial take of bull kelp and giant kelp is prohibited.
Big River Estuary SMCA	Waterfowl in accordance to local regulations; recreational take of surfperch by hook-and-line from shore only; and Dungeness crab by hoop net or hand. Includes exemptions for some federal tribes.
Vizcaino Rock Special Closure	Restricted boating and access. No person except employees of CDFW, USFWS, NOAA or USCG during performance of their official duties, or unless permission is granted by CDFW shall enter.

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MPA	Allowable Take
Van Damme SMCA	All recreational and commercial take is allowed in accordance with current regulations, except commercial take of bull and giant kelp.
Navarro River Estuary SMCA	The recreational take of salmonids by hook-and-line; Waterfowl taken in accordance with local regulations. Includes take exemptions for some federal tribes.
Point Arena SMCA	Recreational and commercial take of salmon by trolling.
Sea Lion Cove SMCA	Recreational and commercial take of finfish.
Saunders Reef SMCA	Recreational and commercial take of salmon by trolling. Commercial take of urchin.

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DOUBLE CONE ROCK SMCA & �VIZCAINO ROCK SPECIAL CLOSURE

Located along remote stretch of coastline
Since dungeness crab trapping and salmon fishing are such lucrative industries in this region, take of those two species is still permitted in Double Cone Rock SMCA
Vizcaino Rock is a seasonal special closure, prohibiting boat traffic and other nearby human activity
Small rocky pinnacles that rise from depths offer refuge to nesting seabirds
More than 8,000 birds nest here: black oystercatcher, Brandt’s cormorant, common murre, pigeon guillemot, and rhinoceros auklet

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��TEN MILE SMR, TEN MILE ESTUARY & TEN MILE BEACH SMCAS�

SMR is located 10 miles north of Fort Bragg
SMR sits north of SMCA

characterized by offshore pinnacles, sandy beaches, and rocky shorelines
extensive rocky reef home to mussels, anemones, urchins, and many different colored seaweeds

Ten Mile Beach SMCA - sandy beach that leads to fragile dunes of Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve
Mounds of kelp that wash up are filled with myriad of life
Steelhead trout and coho salmon dwell in Ten Mile Estuary as juveniles before heading out to sea

Ten Mile Estuary State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA), Ten Mile State Marine Reserve (SMR) and Ten Mile Beach SMCA are located less than 10 miles north of the town of Fort Bragg on the rugged Mendocino coast. This trio of marine protected areas (MPAs) collectively covers almost 16 square miles of ocean and estuarine habitat.
The coastline along Ten Mile SMR is mostly rocky, with a pronounced marine terrace below the towering coastal bluffs.
Ten Mile Beach SMCA is largely influenced by Ten Mile River, which has deposited large amounts of sand at the river mouth and into deeper water. This sand deposition helped form fragile Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve.
The intact, extensive, and functioning estuarine, wetland, and riparian habitat of Ten Mile Estuary SMCA supports a range of species including rockfish and coho salmon, shorebirds and seabirds, and river otters.

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POINT CABRILLO SMR & MACKERRICHER SMCA

Point Cabrillo SMR sits in rugged coast of Caspar, with light station nearby
Pomo people called this place Ditc’olel
MacKerricher SMCA highly accessible and allows recreational fishing
Tidepools teem with marine life including various seaweeds, invertebrates, and fish
Endangered snowy plovers, and other shore birds that make their homes along sandy dunes and coastal cliffs

Point Cabrillo SMR is a small expansion of an existing MPA at the same location and was incorporated into the statewide network in 2012. The MPA is seaward of Point Cabrillo Light Station Historic Park, where the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse was built in 1908.
The area around Point Cabrillo served as summer hunting grounds for the North Coast Pomo where they harvested abalone, mussels, kelp, and salt. The North Coast Pomo people’s word for Point Cabrillo is Ditc’ olel.
MacKerricher SMCA is one of the most accessible and permissible MPAs in Mendocino County.
It is a popular spot for tidepooling. The tidepools are rich with seaweeds, including dwarf rockweed, Turkish towel, feather boa kelp, and bladder wrack. Living amongst the algae, are invertebrates such as mussels, barnacles, limpets, and anemones.

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Van Damme SMCA - small protected bay, popular among free divers, kayakers, scuba divers, and recreational anglers
Russian Gulch SMCA - situated between the towns of Fort Bragg and Mendocino
Russian Gulch SMCA - characterized by coves, rocky islands, caves, inlets, and a few tidepools
Both kelp monitoring sites to understand decline

VAN DAMME & RUSSIAN GULCH SMCAS

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NAVARRO RIVER ESTUARY & BIG RIVER ESTUARY SMCAS

Navarro River winds 28 miles to Pacific
Kayaking & canoeing popular in winter and spring
Big River Estuary is the longest undeveloped estuary in Northern California
Huge redwoods stretch to river, and lead to marshy banks where river otters, bald eagles, salmon, and wildlife abound
Chinook salmon, coho salmon, rainbow trout are common in both rivers
Perch are most abundant fish in Big River Estuary

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POINT ARENA SMR, SMCA & SEA LION COVE SMCA

Point Arena SMR and SMCA sit along the Point Arena headlands

bluffs, sandy seafloors, rocky reefs, and highly nutrient-rich waters

The SMCA lies offshore of the SMR out to the state’s 3-nautical mile
Sea Lion Cove SMCA is aptly named due to the large number of sea lions that haul out here
MPAs adjacent to Point Arena -Stornetta Public Lands

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SAUNDERS REEF SMCA

Experiencing unprecedented losses of kelp due to dramatic increase in purple urchins - voracious herbivores
Once most extensive stand of bull kelp in Mendocino
Rocky reefs and dense kelp beds
Black rockfish, vermilion rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish, as well as urchins, abalone, sea stars, and north Pacific giant octopus are common

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LOCAL MARINE SPECIES

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LOCAL FISH SPECIES

HALIBUT

COHO SALMON

LINGCOD

REDTAIL SURFPERCH

KELP GREENLING

CDFW

CABEZON

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LOCAL FISH SPECIES

CHINOOK SALMON

QUILLBACK ROCKFISH

BLUE ROCKFISH

BLACK ROCKFISH

STRIPED SEAPERCH

RAINBOW TROUT

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LOCAL INVERTEBRATE & MARINE ALGAE SPECIES

ABALONE

KOMBU (SETCHELL’S KELP)

DUNGENESS CRAB

GIANT KELP

PURPLE SEA URCHIN

BULL KELP

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LOCAL BIRD SPECIES

RHINOCEROS AUKLET

COMMON MURRE

TUFTED PUFFIN

PELAGIC CORMORANT

BLACK OYSTERCATCHER

PIGEON GUILLEMOT

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LOCAL MARINE MAMMAL SPECIES

CALIFORNIA SEA LION

HARBOR SEAL

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN

ORCA

HUMPBACK WHALE

STELLER SEA LION

©.Bureau of Land Management

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ENVIRONMENTAL�ETIQUETTE

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

Call North Coast Marine Mammal Center (707) 465-6265

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 North Coast 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, contact BirdAllyX

707-822-8839 www.birdallyx.net

©Coastal Monument

Santa Cruz 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 Bird Ally X. 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 not previously recorded in Monterey are now being spotted here. 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�SONOMA-MENDOCINO COAST DISTRICT

Bird and Marine Mammal Monitoring and Surveys
Mendocino Coast Whale Festivals
Marine Mammal Guided Hikes and Presentations
MPA Watch Community Science Program
Coastal Exotic Plant Removal
Docent-led Tidepool Explorations
Junior Ranger and Junior Lifeguard Programs
PORTS Programs offering live virtual field trips to local MPAs

Volunteer Opportunities & Public Programs

To volunteer contact Schall.Ameila@parks.ca.gov

For information on public programs contact Michelle.Levesque@parks.ca.gov

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MENDOCINO COAST JUNIOR LIFEGUARD PROGRAM

New lifeguard service (2017) Newer JG program (2021)

Spreading aquatic safety message to local community

Emphasize teamwork, leadership, aquatic safety and environmental stewardship

Look forward to partnering with local organizations and helping local youth connect with MPAs

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MENDOCINO LAND TRUST

Working with you to conserve the land, while there is still time….

Land Conservation
Coastal Trails
Public Access
Salmon Habitat Restoration
Stewardship

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NOYO CENTER

Downtown Science Museum
Coastal Interpretive Center
Classroom and field education
Help the Kelp Project
Marine Mammal Response
Public events
Science Talks
Citizen Science
Beach Clean-ups
Live Coastal Web Cam

Three-pronged approach to development, supporting an innovative research program, creating an integrated education program and building a world-class facility for research, education and tourism.

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MENDOCINO AREA PARKS ASSOCIATION

“Appreciation, through Education, leads to Preservation”

Backyard Junior Ranger
Life Guards
Weekly Guided Hikes
Jughandle State Park Improvements
Whale Festival

To Inspire and Ensure Stewardship of State Parks in Mendocino County.

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SURFRIDER MENDOCINO

Community of surfers and ocean enthusiasts who enjoy working together to organize beach clean-ups, monitor ocean water quality, and raise awareness about local ecosystem preservation.

Water Quality monitoring
Youth Engagement
Coastal Cleanups
Help the Kelp
Rise Above Plastic
Climate Change

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ACORN PARTNERS IN EDUCATION

• Facilitate Students Protecting the Coast Youth Stewardship Program

• Encouraged local and federal support for transferring Point Arena-Stornetta Lands to the California Coastal National Monument

• Lead field studies in collaboration with local schools

• Focus on topics from stormwater runoff to climate change to coastal conservation

• Participate in Coastal Cleanup, trail maintenance and community outreach

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MENDOCINO COAST AUDUBON SOCIETY

Bird monitoring
Snowy plover protection
Guided walks
Field trips

mendocinocoastaudubon.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!

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.

Your chance to help build an annual snapshot of biodiversity along the California coast.

Become a part of community of observers and recorders answering questions about California’s MPAs.

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CCRFP

California Collaborative Fisheries

Research Program

A 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:

(707) 964-4719

Local Harbor Patrol

1-800-OILS-911

Report Oil Spills

Noyo Center (whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions and sea turtles): 1 (707) 813-7925

Report Dead Marine Mammals:

Bird AllyX (707) 822-8839; info@birdallyx.net

Report Sick or Dead Seabirds:

visit www. SeabirdProtectionNetwork.org

Help Protect Seabirds:

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

Reporting Invasive Species in California:

1(800) 367-8222

24 Hour Vessel Assistance (Fees Involved):

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

Statewide Whale Rescue Team

IMPORTANT REPORTING & RESPONSE NUMBERS

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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