Bolsa Chica Basin State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) and Bolsa Bay State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) are two adjoining

marine protected areas 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 ...

located in

Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...

on the southern coast of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, United States. The SMCAs cover 0.66 and 0.07 square miles, respectively. The SMCAs protect marine life by limiting the removal of marine wildlife from within their borders.

Activities

Bolsa Chica Basin SMCA prohibits take of all living marine resources except for take pursuant to routine operation and maintenance,

habitat restoration Restoration ecology is the scientific study supporting the practice of ecological restoration, which is the practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human interrupt ...

, maintenance dredging, research and education, and maintenance of artificial structures inside the conservation area per any required federal, state and local permits, or activities pursuant to Section 630, or as otherwise authorized by the department. Boating, swimming, wading, and diving are prohibited within the conservation area. No person, except state and local law enforcement officers, fire suppression agencies and employees of the department in the performance of their official duties or persons possessing written permission from the department or employees of Signal Corporation and its invitees for the purpose of carrying out oil and gas operations, shall enter this conservation area and remain therein except on established trails, paths, or other designated areas. No person shall enter this conservation area between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Bolsa Bay SMCA prohibits take of all living marine resources is prohibited except the recreational take of finfish by hook-and-line from shore in designated areas only, or take pursuant to routine operation and maintenance,

History

Bolsa Bay SMCA and Bolsa Chica Basin SMCA are two of 36 new marine protected areas adopted by the

California Fish and Game Commission 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 ...

in December, 2010 during the third phase of the

Marine Life Protection Act Initiative 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 Milita ...

. The MLPAI is a collaborative public process to create a statewide network of protected areas along California’s coastline. The south coast’s new marine protected areas were designed by local divers, fishermen, conservationists and scientists who comprised the South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group. Their job was to design a network of protected areas that would preserve sensitive sea life and habitats while enhancing recreation, study and education opportunities. The south coast marine protected areas went into effect in 2012. p

Geography and natural features

Bolsa Bay SMCA and Bolsa Chica Basin are marine protected areas in Orange County. Bolsa Bay SMCA: This area includes the waters below the mean high tide line within Bolsa Bay estuary southward of a line that approximates the Warner Avenue bridge located between the following two points: Bolsa Chica Basin SMCA: This area includes the waters below the mean high tide line within the Bolsa Chica Basin estuary northeastward of the Pacific Coast Highway Bridge, approximated by a straight line between the following two points:

Habitat and wildlife

These areas protect rich estuarine and upland lagoon habitat and associated species.

Recreation and nearby attractions

Scientific monitoring

As specified by the Marine Life Protection Act, select marine protected areas along California’s south coast are being monitored by scientists to track their effectiveness and learn more about ocean health. Similar studies in marine protected areas located off of the

Santa Barbara Channel Islands The Channel Islands () are an eight-island archipelago located within the Southern California Bight in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. The four Northern Channel Islands are part of the Transverse Ranges geologic province, and ...

have already detected gradual improvements in fish size and number.

References

External links

Marine Life Protection Act Initiative

CalOceansBolsa Chica ConservancyHuntington Beach visitor page
{{authority control Marine sanctuaries in California Protected areas of Orange County, California Natural history of Orange County, California Protected areas established in 2010 2010 establishments in California