Two Projects Awarded $1.66 Million for Advancing Mid-Depth Marine Protected Area (MPA) Monitoring in California

California Sea Grant, in partnership with the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), will administer $1.66 million in funding to support two research projects to advance the monitoring of California’s mid-depth marine habitats within the state’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network. 

“OPC is dedicated to long-term robust research and monitoring across the MPA Network, including the mid-depth habitats. Such important work is critical to the health and well-being of California’s coastal ecosystems for the benefit of people and nature”, states Staci Lewis, Marine Protected Area Network Manager from OPC.

California’s statewide MPA Network spans 1,110 miles of California coastline from Mexico to the Oregon border and protects 16% of state waters, including 9% designated as no-take state marine reserves. After the network was established in 2012, the state spent five years collecting baseline data to understand the natural conditions of the area. Once completed, they moved into a long-term monitoring phase, following the MPA Monitoring Action Plan. This plan focuses on tracking specific habitats to evaluate ecological performance and inform adaptive management. 

A key recommendation emerged as part of the Network’s first 2022 Decadal Management Review: developing more robust and durable methods for monitoring mid-depth habitats (30–100 meters)—a biologically important zone that comprises around 75% of the state's ocean. This area is often too deep for scuba divers and requires robotic cameras, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), or even submarine dives. 

To address this need, a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) was formed to identify improved strategies for collecting and analyzing biological and ecological data in mid-depth habitats. Based on the TEP’s findings, CASG, OPC and CDFW ran a research competition and have selected two projects that will advance monitoring efforts for California’s mid-depth rocky reef habitats.

“This funding opportunity represents a significant step towards strengthening the state’s capacity to monitor and manage mid-depth marine ecosystems,” says Shauna Oh, Director of California Sea Grant. “By supporting innovative research and advancing monitoring practices, the state continues to invest in the resilience and adaptive management of its MPA Network.”

See below for more details about the funded projects.

Continued Monitoring of Mid-Depth Rocky Reef Habitats within California’s MPA Network Using a Remotely Operated Vehicle

PI: Andrew Lauermann (Marine Applied Research & Exploration)

Co-PIs: Nicholas Perkins (University of Tasmania)

Collaborators: Johnathan Centoni (Marine Applied Research & Exploration), Greta Goshorn (Marine Applied Research & Exploration), Kyle Palmer (Marine Applied Research & Exploration), Samuel Parker (Marine Applied Research & Exploration), Dirk Rosen (Marine Applied Research & Exploration)

Award Amount: $1,199,659

Summary: This project will continue to monitor sites historically sampled from 2005 to 2024 using ROVs. The same sampling design and post-processing methods from 2005 to 2024 will also be used for consistency. Data collected by the ROV will include a forward-facing HD camera, a downward-facing camera (overlapping slightly), and two stereo cameras for accurate size estimates. Along with imaging, the ROV will collect data on depth, temperature, salinity and dissolved O2. Tracking these conditions inside and outside of the mid-depth rocky reef habitats will help inform California's assessment of MPA connectivity, including density and size distributions statewide. All data collected during this two-year, statewide assessment will be added to the previous analyses performed by the project PIs and submitted to the state for MPA monitoring review.

Cost-effective Evaluation of Mid-Depth Rocky Reef Ecosystems in California: Continued Monitoring of the Oldest MPAs in the CA Network

PI: Jennifer Caselle (UC Santa Barbara)

Award Amount: $460,242 

Summary: The mid-depth rocky habitat off the coast of California holds significant ecological and economic value, playing a crucial role in sustaining biodiversity and fisheries. However, its depth range of 30-100 meters presents challenges for consistent monitoring across time and space. Recognizing the importance of this habitat within California's Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network and the necessity for innovative, cost-efficient monitoring techniques, researchers have identified Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) as an effective tool for observing these rocky environments. This approach aims to address the state's specific information needs related to MPAs, fisheries management, and extreme weather impacts on this critical component of the subtidal marine ecosystem. This approach will also help train the next generation of environmental specialists in California.