Del Mar Landing State Marine Reserve (SMR) is a

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 conse ...

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 Sonoma County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 488,863. Its county seat and largest city is Santa Rosa. It is to the north of Marin County and the south of Mendocino ...

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 ...

’s north central coast. The marine protected area covers . Del Mar Landing SMR prohibits injuring, damaging, or taking all living, geological, and cultural marine resources. Fish4003 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library

History

Del Mar Landing SMR is one of 22 marine protected areas adopted by the

California Department of Fish and Game 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 protec ...

in August 2009, during the second 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 MLPA Initiative is a collaborative public process to create a statewide network of protected areas along California’s coastline. The north central coast’s

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 ...

were designed by local divers, fishermen, conservationists, and scientists who comprised the North Central 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 north central coast marine protected areas came into effect on May 1, 2010.

Geography and natural features

The Del Mar Landing SMR modifies the pre-existing Del Mar Ecological Reserve, an MPA valued by local communities. The SMR is located about 2 miles (3 km) south of the town of Gualala and 3.5 miles north of Sea Ranch in

on California’s north central coast. The SMR is 0.7 miles wide east to west. The shoreline boundary of Del Mar Landing SMR is the mean high tide line and the protected area extends approximately half a mile south (to 38° 44.200 ′ N. latitude). Del Mar Landing SMR consists of a rocky Intertidal zone, nearshore

reefs A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral or similar relatively stable material, lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic processes—deposition of sand, wave erosion planing down rock out ...

, and offshore waters including seagrass beds and felp forests. The SMR is designed to protect nearshore

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...

and

invertebrates Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordat ...

, particularly abalone, and their

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

Recreation

Collecting living marine resources is prohibited due to the Marine Life Protection Act. Activities such as kayaking, diving, snorkeling, and swimming are allowed unless otherwise restricted. Visitors to the area can camp at Gualala River Redwood Park, Gualala Point Regional Park, and Anchor Bay Campground.

Scientific monitoring

As specified by the Marine Life Protection Act, select marine protected areas along California’s central 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 detected improvements in fish size and number.Castell, Jenn, et al.
How do patterns of abundance and size structure differ between fished and unfished waters in the Channel Islands? Results from SCUBA surveys
". Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) at University of California, Santa Barbara and University of California, Santa Cruz; Channel Islands National Park. Retrieved December 18, 2008.

References

{{authority control Protected areas of Sonoma County, California Marine sanctuaries in California Tourist attractions in Sonoma County, California