There are both state and federal

marine protected area Marine protected areas (MPA) are protected areas of seas, oceans, estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conserv ...

s off the coast of California.

Federal marine protected areas

California Coastal National Monument The California Coastal National Monument is located along the entire coastline of the U.S. state of California. This monument ensures the protection of all islets, reefs and rock outcroppings along the coast of California within of shore along ...

* Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary *

Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is a marine sanctuary located off the coast of California. It protects an area of of marine wildlife. The administrative center of the sanctuary is on an offshore granite outcrop by , located on the conti ...

* Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary *

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is a federally protected marine area offshore of California's Big Sur and central coast in the United States. It is the largest US national marine sanctuary and has a shoreline length of ...

State marine protected areas

Unless otherwise stated the source is the

California Department of Fish and Wildlife The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), formerly known as the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), is a state agency under the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages and protect ...

. The list is ordered north to south with some imprecision around the

San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay is a large tidal estuary in the U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the big cities of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. San Francisco Bay drains water from a ...

and

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

Sea Lion Cove State Marine Conservation Area Sea Lion Cove State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area that lies onshore, just south of Point Arena in Mendocino County on California’s north central coast. The marine protected area covers 0.22 square miles. Sea Lio ...

, Mendocino County *

Saunders Reef State Marine Conservation Area Saunders Reef State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area that extends offshore, just south of Schooner Gulch State Beach and north of Sail Rock in Mendocino County on California’s north central coast. The marine protected ar ...

, Mendocino County *

Del Mar Landing State Marine Reserve Del Mar Landing State Marine Reserve (SMR) is a marine protected area that lies onshore, about 2 miles (3 km) south of the town of Gualala and 3.5 miles north of Sea Ranch in Sonoma County on California’s north central coast. The marine p ...

, Sonoma County * Stewarts Point State Marine Conservation Area, Sonoma County * Stewarts Point State Marine Reserve, Sonoma County *

Salt Point State Marine Conservation Area Salt Point State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area that lies onshore from Fisk Mill Cove and south along Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County on California’s north central coast. The marine protected area covers 3. ...

, Sonoma County *

Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve (SMR) is a marine protected area that lies onshore from Salt Point State Park, within the Salt Point State Marine Conservation Area, in Sonoma County on California’s north central coast. The marine protected ...

, Sonoma County * Russian River State Marine Recreational Management Area, Sonoma County * Russian River State Marine Conservation Area, Sonoma County * Bodega Head State Marine Reserve, Sonoma County *

Estero Americano State Marine Recreational Management Area Estero Americano State Marine Recreational Management Area (SMRMA) is a marine protected area that splits Sonoma and Marin counties on California’s north central coast. The marine protected area covers 0.15 square miles. Estero Americano SMRMA ...

, Sonoma County * Corte Madera Marsh State Marine Park, Marin County * Marin Islands State Marine Park, Marin County *

Estero de San Antonio State Marine Recreational Management Area Estero de San Antonio State Marine Recreational Management Area (SMRMA) is a marine protected area 1.5 miles north of Dillon Beach in Marin County on California’s north central coast. The marine protected area covers 0.09 square miles. Estero de ...

, Marin County * Point Reyes State Marine Reserve, Marin County * Point Reyes State Marine Conservation Area, Marin County * Point Reyes Headlands Special Closure, Marin County * Estero de Limantour State Marine Reserve, Marin County * Drakes Estero State Marine Conservation Area, Marin County * Point Resistance Rock Special Closure, Marin County * Double Point/Stormy Stack Special Closure, Marin County *

Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area located about 1 mile (2 km) west of Bolinas in Marin County on California’s north central coast. This marine protected area covers . Duxbury Reef SMCA prohibits t ...

, Marin County * Fagan Marsh State Marine Park, Napa County * Peytonia Slough State Marine Park, Solano County * Albany Mudflats State Marine Park, Alameda County * Robert W. Crown State Marine Conservation Area, Alameda County * North Farallon Island State Marine Reserve, San Francisco County * North Farallon Islands Special Closure, San Francisco County * Southeast Farallon Island State Marine Reserve, San Francisco County * Southeast Farallon Island State Marine Conservation Area, San Francisco County * Southeast Farallon Island Special Closure, San Francisco County * Egg (Devil's Slide) Rock to Devil's Slide Special Closure, TK County * Montara State Marine Reserve, San Mateo County * Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area, San Mateo County * Egg (Devil's Slide) Rock to Devil's Slide Special Closure, San Mateo County * Redwood Shores State Marine Park, San Mateo County * Bair Island State Marine Park, San Mateo County *

Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is one of two adjoining marine protected areas off the coast of San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, on California’s central coast. The area is approximately 55 miles south of San Francisco. The ...

, Santa Cruz County *

Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is one of two adjoining marine protected areas off the coast of San Mateo County and Santa Cruz County, on California's central coast. The area is approximately south of San Francisco. The ...

, Santa Cruz County *

Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve Natural Bridges State Marine Reserve (SMR) is a marine protected area located at the northern edge of Santa Cruz, California, approximately south of San Francisco. The SMR covers . The SMR protects all marine life within its boundaries. Fishing ...

, Santa Cruz County *

Elkhorn Slough State Marine Reserve Elkhorn or Elk Horn may refer to: Places Antarctica * Elkhorn Ridge, a ridge of the Convoy Range in Victoria Land Canada * Elkhorn, Manitoba, an unincorporated community * Elkhorn Mountain, a mountain in British Columbia United States Cities a ...

, Monterey County *

Elkhorn Slough State Marine Conservation Area Elkhorn or Elk Horn may refer to: Places Antarctica * Elkhorn Ridge, a ridge of the Convoy Range in Victoria Land Canada * Elkhorn, Manitoba, an unincorporated community * Elkhorn Mountain, a mountain in British Columbia United States Cities a ...

, Monterey County *

Moro Cojo Slough State Marine Reserve Moro Cojo Estuary State Marine Reserve (SMR) is a marine protected area established to protect the wildlife and habitats in Moro Cojo Slough. Moro Cojo Slough is located inland from Monterey Bay on the central coast of California, directly south ...

, Monterey County *

Soquel Canyon State Marine Conservation Area Soquel Canyon State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is an offshore marine protected area in Monterey Bay. Monterey Bay is on California’s central coast with the city of Monterey at its south end and the city of Santa Cruz at its north end. Th ...

, Monterey County *

Portuguese Ledge State Marine Conservation Area Portuguese Ledge State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is an offshore marine protected area in Monterey Bay. Monterey Bay is on California’s central coast with the city of Monterey at its south end and the city of Santa Cruz at its north end. T ...

, Monterey County *

Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area is one of four small marine protected areas located near the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove, at the southern end of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast. The four areas together enco ...

, Monterey County *

Lovers Point State Marine Reserve Lovers Point State Marine Reserve (SMR) is one of four small marine protected areas located near the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove, at the southern end of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast. The four MPAs together encompass . ...

, Monterey County * Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area, Monterey County *

Asilomar State Marine Reserve Asilomar State Marine Reserve (SMR) is one of four small marine protected areas (MPAs) located near the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove, California, Pacific Grove, at the southern end of Monterey Bay on California’s central coast. The four ...

, Monterey County * Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve, Monterey County *

Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area in Carmel Bay. Carmel Bay is adjacent to the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea and is near Monterey, on California’s central coast. The marine protected area covers 2.12 squa ...

, Monterey County * Point Lobos State Marine Reserve, Monterey County *

Point Lobos State Marine Conservation Area Point Lobos and the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is a state park in California. Adjoining Point Lobos is "one of the richest marine habitats in California." The ocean habitat is protected by two marine protected areas, the Point Lobos Sta ...

, Monterey County * Point Sur State Marine Reserve, Monterey County * Point Sur State Marine Conservation Area, Monterey County * Big Creek State Marine Reserve, Monterey County * Big Creek State Marine Conservation Area, Monterey County * Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve, San Luis Obispo County * Piedras Blancas State Marine Conservation Area, San Luis Obispo County * Cambria State Marine Conservation Area, San Luis Obispo County *

White Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area White Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area located off the coast of the city of Cambria, California on California’s central coast. The marine protected area covers . Within the SMCA the take of all li ...

, San Luis Obispo County * Morro Bay State Marine Reserve, San Luis Obispo County * Morro Bay State Marine Recreational Management Area, San Luis Obispo County * Point Buchon State Marine Reserve, San Luis Obispo County * Point Buchon State Marine Conservation Area, San Luis Obispo County *

Vandenberg State Marine Reserve Vandenberg State Marine Reserve (SMR) is a marine protected area located offshore of Vandenberg Air Force Base, near the city of Lompoc on California's central coast. The marine protected area covers . Vandenberg SMR protects all marine life wi ...

, Santa Barbara County *

Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area that extends offshore in the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County, California. The marine protected area covers . The marine protected areas protect natural habitats a ...

, Santa Barbara County *

Naples State Marine Conservation Area Naples State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area that protects Naples Reef which is about three-quarters of a mile offshore along the middle of the pristine and rural Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County on California’s ...

, Santa Barbara County *

Campus Point State Marine Conservation Area Campus Point State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area that protects the waters along and off the coast of the University of California, Santa Barbara, the student community of Isla Vista, and the University's Coal Oil Poin ...

, Santa Barbara County *

Goleta Slough State Marine Conservation Area Goleta Slough State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area in Goleta in Santa Barbara County on California’s south coast. The SMCA covers .25 square miles. The SMCA protects marine life by limiting the removal of marine wild ...

, Santa Barbara County * Richardson Rock State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve) * Santa Barbara Island State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve), Santa Barbara Island, Santa Barbara County * Footprint State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve) * Scorpion State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve), Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County * Gull Island State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve), Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County * Painted Cave State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County * South Point State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve), Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara County * Skunk Point State Marine Reserve, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara County * Carrington Point State Marine Reserve, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara County * Judith Rock State Marine Reserve, San Miguel Island, Santa Barbara County * San Miguel Island Special Closure, San Miguel Island, Santa Barbara County * Harris Point State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve), San Miguel Island, Santa Barbara County * Begg Rock State Marine Reserve, Ventura County * Anacapa State Marine Reserve (also Federal Marine Reserve), Anacapa Island; Ventura County * Anacapa Island State Marine Conservation Area (also Federal Marine Conservation Area), Anacapa Island, Ventura County * Anacapa Island Special Closure, Anacapa Island, Ventura County * Cat Harbor State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Farnsworth Onshore State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Farnsworth Offshore State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Lover's Cove State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Casino Point State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Long Point State Marine Reserve, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Blue Cavern Offshore State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Arrow Point to Lion Head Point State Marine Conservation Area, Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County * Point Dume State Marine Conservation Area, Los Angeles County * Point Dume State Marine Reserve, Los Angeles County * Point Vicente State Marine Conservation Area, Los Angeles County * Abalone Cove State Marine Conservation Area, Los Angeles County * Bolsa Bay State Marine Conservation Area, Orange County * Bolsa Chica Basin State Marine Conservation Area, Orange County * Upper Newport Bay State Marine Conservation Area, Orange County *

Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is one of a cluster of four adjoining marine protected areas that extend offshore of Newport Beach in Orange County on California’s south coast. The SMCA covers 3.45 square miles of near shore ...

, Orange County * Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve, Orange County * Laguna Beach State Marine Conservation Area, Orange County * Dana Point State Marine Conservation Area, Orange County * Batiquitos Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area, San Diego County * Swami's State Marine Conservation Area, San Diego County * San Elijo Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area, San Diego County *

San Dieguito Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area San Dieguito Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area near Del Mar, California, Del Mar in San Diego County on California’s south coast. The SMCA covers a small area of coastal and inland lagoon habitat. The SMCA ...

, San Diego County * San Diego-Scripps Coastal State Marine Conservation Area, San Diego County * Matlahuayl State Marine Conservation Area, San Diego County * South La Jolla State Marine Reserve, San Diego County * South La Jolla State Marine Conservation Area, San Diego County *

Famosa Slough State Marine Conservation Area Famosa Slough State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is a marine protected area in San Diego on California’s south coast. It consists of a 25-acre wetland and a 12-acre natural channel connecting to the San Diego River estuary. It is flushed by ...

, San Diego County * Cabrillo State Marine Reserve, San Diego County * Tijuana River Mouth State Marine Conservation Area, San Diego County

Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS)

There are 34 Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) off the coast of California. These are marine areas that "support an unusual variety of aquatic life, and often host unique individual species" that are monitored for water quality by the

California State Water Resources Control Board The California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is one of six branches of the California Environmental Protection Agency. History This regulatory program has had the status of an official government department since the 1950s. The Sta ...

References

{{Marine protected areas * *

Marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

Environment of California Marine protected areas of the United States

Federal marine protected areas

State marine protected areas

Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS)

See also

References