The California Fish & Game Commission this week will consider petitions to modify California’s marine protected areas, a patchwork network created to enhance marine life and ocean ecosystems.
Notably, two new tribally led petitions that would affect Santa Barbara County are up for commission review: a 9.18-square-mile protected area off the North County’s Point Sal, and a 9.05-square-mile area off the coast of Carpinteria in South County.
The commission is also set to consider several other MPA petitions that would affect Santa Barbara County.
Some would separately amend existing MPAs surrounding Anacapa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara islands; others would separately reclassify parts of the existing Vandenberg and Point Conception areas.
California’s MPA system was created in the early 2010s. The commission is now considering, in total, 19 petitions to modify that network up and down the coast.
A map of current MPAs can be seen by clicking here.
The proposed changes can be seen by clicking here.
The 9.18-square-mile petition near Point Sal would reach 4.03 miles offshore. It comes to the commission from the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
Under the current Point Sal proposal, shore-based recreational fishing by hook and line would be allowed, as well as take activities during critical Vandenberg Space Force Base missions. All other take activities would be prohibited.
The Carpinteria petition, to create what would become the Mishopshno protected area, would prohibit the take of ocean resources approximately 3.6 miles out. Recreational finfish fishing with hook and line would be allowed from shore.
The Carpinteria petitions come from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, the NRDC and the Environmental Defense Center. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians would be granted a tribal-take exemption.
The community was split over both the Point Sal and Mishopshno MPAs during a Goleta commission meeting in May.
Supporters have said that adding both of these protected areas would strengthen the MPA network that already exists and protect precious ocean resources.
On the other hand, commercial fishermen have argued they need those same areas open to support their livelihoods.
NRDC Director Sandy Alesworth told Noozhawk in August that if the commission votes in October to move those petitions forward, there is still a long road ahead with public hearings.
It could be as much as three years before the new petitions kick in, she explained.
She said the Ocean Protection Council and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife offered varied — and conflicting — recommendations this summer for both proposals that the commission will take into account.
The Sacramento meeting is four days long. It is set to begin on Tuesday and wrap up on Friday
