Today’s approval of sweeping new protections for marine areas from Point Arena to Half Moon Bay by the California Fish and Game Commission marks a tremendous victory for birds and habitat, said representatives of Audubon California this afternoon. “This is a big step in the right direction for marine birds and wildlife along the North Central Coast,” said Anna Weinstein, Audubon California’s seabird conservation coordinator. “While we certainly would like more protections for our embattled seabirds, we recognize that this compromise solution was the result of a long collaborative process involving scientists, conservationists, commercial fishing interests, and recreational users.”

“Up and down the coast, seabirds are facing tremendous challenges to survive as food sources become less reliable and critical nesting sites face more disturbances,” Weinstein added. “This situation couldn’t wait any longer for solutions, and the Commission made the right decision in taking this action today.”

The proposal that the Commission approved today was the called the North Central Coast Integrated Preferred Alternative – with slight modifications from the commissioners. This proposal was created through a collaborative process that included conservationists as well as representatives from commercial and recreational interests. Audubon California supported the proposal because it creates essential protections for a number of important seabirds, particularly Common Murre, Tufted Puffin, Brandt’s Cormorant, Ashy-Storm-Petrel, and Brown Pelican – to name just a few.

The Marine Life Protection Act requires the state to protect and restore California’s coastal ecosystems by establishing a network of marine reserves to safeguard species and habitats while at the same time accommodating the needs of fishing and recreation. The Act divides California into five study areas, which each need to be approved by the Commission.

The North Central Coast study area covers the area from Point Arena in Mendocino County down to Pigeon Point in San Mateo County, from the shore to the three-mile jurisdictional limit. The North Central Coast Integrated Preferred Alternative assigns 14 percent of the area with High to Very High protection. Additionally, the proposal will create a number of special closure zones, where no vessels may enter, to protect seabirds and marine mammals from disturbance.