A once-in-a-generation opportunity for California’s ocean

This is a California ocean conservation story, not an energy-upgrade item, but here's what's happening. California is reviewing its network of marine protected areas (MPAs) — underwater zones around the coast that limit fishing, drilling, and other disturbances to let ecosystems recover — for the first time in 15 years. The review could add new protected zones or expand existing ones, something the state only considers once a decade.

Two proposals on the Central Coast stand out because California Tribes are leading them for the first time in the MPA program's history. The Northern Chumash Tribal Council has proposed protecting Point Sal, a roughly nine-square-mile stretch near Santa Barbara County known for seal and sea lion colonies and kelp forests, and also a site of deep cultural history for the tribe. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has proposed protecting Mishopshno, near Carpinteria, home to a long-running kelp forest, a salt marsh, and nursery habitat for sharks and rays.

Supporters cite research showing protected zones can boost nearby fish and lobster populations rather than hurt fishing, and polling shows most California voters favor expanding these protections. The state Fish and Game Commission is set to vote on the proposals October 14-16. Because these reviews happen only once every ten years, this vote will likely decide the fate of these two sites for a long time.