California's Underwater Parks
In December 2012, California became an international leader in ocean protection by completing the United States’ first statewide network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Like the nation’s parks, forests and wilderness areas protect wildlife and habitats on land, MPAs protect and restore unique areas of the ocean. California’s MPAs come in many “flavors”; the size and level of protection, including fishing restrictions, can vary from one area to the next. Also called underwater parks or “Yosemites of the Sea”, they’re designed to protect an entire ecosystem, rather than protecting just a single species and ensure healthy, vibrant ocean life for generations to come.
California’s MPAs safeguard critical ocean habitat, allowing sensitive marine communities such as rocky reefs and seagrass beds to thrive and recover. They also protect biodiversity hotspots and important foraging grounds that support numerous species of fish and invertebrates, as well as seabirds and marine mammals. This in turn benefits a wide range of species including plants like bull kelp, invertebrates like sea stars, and marine mammals such as seals and otters. As safe havens, underwater parks offer a home and refuge for big, old, fat, female fish (BOFFFF) to recover, grow and replenish our ocean.
MPAs are a "network of underwater nurseries"!
The south coast region was the most recent of the statewide regions to establish a network of MPAs. In this region of California, marine biodiversity hot spots such as Lover’s Cove on Catalina Island, the lush kelp beds of South La Jolla, and the scuba diving destination of Naples Reef are protected while leaving over 80% of the coast waters open for fishing. Fifty MPAs and 2 special closure areas were designated from Point Conception in the north to the U.S./Mexico border in the south. The network of MPAs includes 13 MPAs and 2 special closures that were previously established at the northern Channel Islands. All together these MPAs cover approximately 354 square miles of state waters and represent approximately 15% of the region. These MPAs went into effect in 2012.
Point Dume:
Point Dume State Marine Reserve (SMR), which extends from the west end of Paradise Cove to the outflow of Zuma Creek, is located on the Los Angeles Coast in Malibu. This area and a marine canyon located directly off the Point Dume headlands are high in habitat and species diversity. The volcanic cliffs bordering the SMR provide homes for cliff-roosting birds, and the vast tidepools provide habitat for rich intertidal and sub-tidal marine life including sea stars, octopi, anemones, sea urchins, mussels and crabs.
This coastal area offer many diverse recreational opportunities including surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, kite surfing, beach volleyball, swimming, hiking, tidepooling, body surfing, or catching picturesque sunsets.