Research

Community science for Marine Protected Areas
Scientists teamed up with recreational fishermen and found that fish are bigger and more abundant inside of marine reserves.

Protection from harvesting may help kelp forests flourish, but is it enough in the face of climate change?
Expecting to study recovery, researchers instead find kelp forests in crisis. 

MPA Update: Fishing Communities- an Integral Part of California’s Coastal Management Approach
“When COVID-19 hit and I went on the ocean, that's when I felt normal.

Bringing endangered abalone back from the brink
White abalone recovery is dependent on captive breeding to restock wild populations, but researchers face the threat of disease outbreaks and changing ocean conditions under climate change.

Delta Science Update: Is regulatory action successful in reducing Bay-Delta nitrogen pollution?

Reforesting California’s kelp forests, one pebble at a time
Kelp forests are under threat from climate change and other stressors, and new research seeks to simplify their restoration

MPA Update: A Biodiversity Treasure Hunt
“It’s like a real-world treasure hunt with the loot being rich biodiversity,” said Nick Sadrpour, Science Integration Te

California’s Marine Protected Areas are safeguarding rocky intertidal zones
Rocky intertidal habitats occur where the land meets the sea: they’re where you can kneel next to the small pools of wat

A new tool will put Marine Protected Area data in the palm of resource managers’ hands
Marine Protected Areas face many pressures, from resource use to climate variations and long-term change, but monitoring their effectiveness is difficult for managers because of wide variation

Expedition rocky reef: Using a remotely operated vehicle to explore the diversity of California’s marine protected areas
After a month at sea, California Sea Grant and Ocean Protection Council funded researchers pulled into port in San Diego’s Mission Bay.