October meeting could determine which proposed changes to California’s MPA network move forward for further regulatory consideration.
California anglers will want to keep an eye on Sacramento shortly after this issue of The Log publishes, as the California Fish and Game Commission prepares to consider 15 petitions proposing changes to the state’s Marine Protected Area network.
The Commission is scheduled to meet Oct. 13 through 16, with Marine Protected Area (MPA) and other marine issues expected to be considered Oct. 14 through 16. The meeting marks an important stage in a process that began with petitions submitted in 2023 and has since included scientific evaluations, regional meetings and public input.
The proposals could be particularly relevant to Southern California anglers because some involve waters from Los Angeles through San Diego counties, including areas around Santa Catalina Island.
However, the 15 petitions should not be characterized simply as 15 proposed fishing closures. Collectively, they include dozens of proposed regulatory and non-regulatory changes, ranging from new or expanded MPAs to changes in permitted recreational or commercial take, boundary adjustments, tribal provisions, and other management changes.
The petitions grew out of California’s first comprehensive decadal management review of its statewide MPA network. Following that review, organizations, tribes and other interested parties submitted proposals seeking changes to individual protected areas and management policies.
Since then, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has evaluated the proposals using scientific and management criteria and provided recommendations to the Commission. For an initial group of petitions reviewed earlier this year, CDFW recommended denying several proposed changes while suggesting non-regulatory alternatives for some of the objectives raised by petitioners.
The department’s recommendations are advisory. The five-member Fish and Game Commission ultimately determines whether petitions should be denied or allowed to move forward for additional regulatory consideration. A decision to grant a petition does not necessarily mean the proposed change immediately becomes law; it can instead begin a formal rulemaking process.
That distinction is important for anglers following the October meeting. The Commission is not simply deciding whether 15 new fishing closures take effect. Instead, commissioners will be considering individual proposals that vary substantially in scope and potential effects on fishing access.
Recreational fishing organizations, including the Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA of CA), have encouraged anglers to participate in the process and support CDFW’s science-based recommendations. CCA California has argued that additional fishing restrictions should be supported by sufficient scientific evidence demonstrating a conservation need.
Meanwhile, proponents of some MPA changes have sought additional habitat protections, management changes and recognition of tribal interests. The Commission’s review process has provided opportunities for fishing groups, conservation organizations, tribes, coastal communities and members of the public to submit their perspectives.
For Southern California anglers, the practical issue is what each petition would actually change. Depending on the proposal, changes to boundaries or allowable take could affect recreational anglers, commercial fishermen and passenger fishing vessels operating along the coast.
Although an early written-comment deadline promoted by fishing organizations will have passed by the time this issue reaches readers, members of the public can still follow the proceedings and participate according to Commission meeting procedures. The Commission allows public comment during meetings, including remote participation when available, while the timing of written submissions determines when commissioners receive them.
Rather than relying solely on descriptions from groups supporting or opposing the proposals, anglers can review the individual petitions and CDFW evaluations to determine which areas and activities could be affected.
California Fish and Game Commission meeting and MPA information
After nearly three years of review, the October meeting should provide a clearer indication of which proposed MPA changes will end there and which, if any, will move to the next stage of California’s regulatory process.
