North Central Coast Region

The MLPA North Central Coast Region includes all state waters along the California coastline from Alder Creek, near Point Arena, to Pigeon Point, including the Farallon Islands. MPAs for this region were adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission on August 5, 2009 and are expected to take effect in 2010.

North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Plan

The North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Plan presents a framework for MPA monitoring, and monitoring elements and approaches for implementing the framework. The plan was developed in close collaboration with the Department of Fish and Game and through consultation with stakeholders and scientists. The plan was adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission on April 7, 2010 and will be incorporated into the MLPA Master Plan for MPAs, formally establishing it as state policy guiding MLPA implementation.

To download a complete copy of the North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Plan please use the following link:

Full MPA Monitoring Plan Document (PDF, 8.65MB)

To download smaller individual sections of the document please use the links below:

1. Executive Summary (PDF, 113KB)
2. Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 106KB)
3. Schematic of MPA Monitoring Framework (PDF, 127KB)
4. Contents & Chapters 1-9 (PDF, 2.95MB)
5. Appendices (PDF, 7.38MB)
   
   

Developing the North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Plan

The MPA Monitoring Enterprise led an extensive process to develop the North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Plan. We consulted with stakeholders, scientists, resource managers, and decision makers.  Among other steps, this included holding two workshops; materials from these workshops are available.

North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Planning Workshop 1 (October 22-23, 2008):

1) North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Planning Workshop 1: Advance Materials

2) North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Planning Workshop 1: Key Outcomes

3) North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Planning Workshop 1: Presentations

• 1 Workshop Introduction & Overview
• 2 Introduction to Ecosystem Features
• 3 Charge to Status & Trends Scientific Working Groups
• 4 Introduction to Effectiveness Monitoring
• 5 Charge to Effectiveness Scientific Working Groups

North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Planning Workshop 2 (March 11-12, 2009):

1) North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Planning Workshop 2: Summary Report

North Central Coast MPA Monitoring Implementation

A North Central Coast MPA Baseline Program has been developed by the MPA Monitoring Enterprise, in collaboration with the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC), California Department of Fish and Game, and California Sea Grant. The three-year program will provide a summary description, assessment and understanding of ecological and socioeconomic conditions, inside and outside North Central Coast MPAs, at or near the time of MPA implementation. It also will document the initial socioeconomic effects of MPA implementation and initial ecological changes in select ecosystem elements predicted to respond rapidly to protection.

OPC authorized $4,000,000 to support the North Central Coast MPA Baseline Program.  Projects to implement the program were solicited by California Sea Grant through a public Request for Proposals and evaluated through a competitive peer-review process.  Information about the 11 projects selected for funding is available in the awards announcement.