PROJECT HIGHLIGHT:
This project continued an ongoing field sampling research project, focused on rocky intertidal habitats in California’s Marine Protected Areas.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
In 2012, California finalized a plan for its system of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This plan established a network of sites where consumptive activities such as fishing were restricted or prohibited entirely to safeguard oceanic resources for future generations. To assess the effectiveness of these MPAs in protecting the ocean, monitoring was essential.
This project was a continuation of field sampling research funded by the Ocean Protection Council and California Sea Grant. Initiated in 2021 and concluded in 2022, the study focused on rocky intertidal habitats. Researchers examined several dozen MPAs from all three California MPA regions, each paired with a comparable reference site. The findings were intended to not only evaluate MPA performance but also provide crucial insights into how California’s coastal ecosystems might respond to climate change. This research contributed to a comprehensive environmental sentinel program for the state’s coastline.
This was a continuation of earlier studies conducted using the same methodologies. See also R/MPA-46.
To learn more about the continuation of this project, see R/MPA-50D.
Peter Raimondi