Samoa State Marine Conservation Area

While beachcombing along the waves of Samoa SMCA, you may come across eelgrass, sand dollars, or Pacific razor clam shells. This area is also the feeding and nesting area for shorebirds such as the western snowy plover. Snowy plovers nest along the shore from March through September, so visitors should take special care not to disturb this threatened species during breeding season.

The deep-water seafloor is lined with soft sand and mud, providing habitat for sea whips, sea pens, and white-plumed anemones that sway in the current, while surfperch and surf smelt swim above. The California current brings cold water south from Alaska to the Humboldt area, and the wind draws this nutrient-rich water to the surface just offshore. This phenomenon, called upwelling, is important in supporting various populations of sea life such as lingcod, cabezon, and California halibut, all of which proliferate in the nutrient-rich waters of Samoa SMCA.

Just a couple of miles north, Mad River enters the Pacific Ocean next to the town of McKinleyville, after flowing nearly 113 miles past the communities of Ruth and Mad River. There is a close relationship between Mad River and many of the species found in Samoa SMCA. Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and steelhead pass through the MPA on their way to the river mouth. The shallow Mad River estuary serves as a nursery for juvenile salmon, trout, rockfish, and flatfish such as English sole. Species such as surf smelt also use the estuary as a summer feeding ground as the seagrasses slow the moving water, allowing food particles to settle to the bottom. These species are abundant in Samoa SMCA due to its proximity to the Mad River estuary.

For centuries, Native American Tribes in California have relied on marine and coastal resources. Many Native American Tribes in California continue to regularly harvest marine resources within their ancestral territories and maintain relationships with the coast for ongoing customary uses.

Wiyot people have lived in the Wigki (Humboldt Bay) region for thousands of years. The Wiyot foraged shellfish and razor clams from the beach, smelt from the surf, mussels from large driftwood logs, and clams from the mudflats. There were several Wiyot villages near present day Samoa SMCA, including villages and surf fishing camps on South Spit and among the Lanphere and Ma-le'l coastal dunes. Through a factual record of historical take within the Samoa SMCA, the Wiyot Tribe is exempt from SMCA regulations.

Humboldt Bay escaped the eye of many ocean explorers during the European exploration of the eastern Pacific between the 1500s and 1700s. The first documented visit to the area occurred in the early 1800s by a sea otter hunting expedition known as O’Cain. Interest in the area grew in the 1850s as settlers arrived by ship in search of timber and gold. The town of Samoa on the northern peninsula of Humboldt Bay is the site of Samoa Cookhouse, one of the last remaining original, lumberjack-style cookhouses in the area. Today, around 18,000 people live in Arcata, the closest city to Samoa SMCA.

Samoa SMCA offers visitors a secluded beach with ample recreational activities. The beach, coastal dunes, and grasses behind the wave slope offer a peaceful backdrop for long walks. The tranquility of this MPA makes it an ideal spot for beachcombing, wildlife viewing, and birdwatching. Birdwatchers may spot sandpipers scurrying along the water's edge, and pelicans and cormorants soaring overhead.

There are also trails along the southern end of Samoa SMCA in the Lanphere and Ma-le'l Dunes where a local organization, Friends of the Dunes, offers guided walks. Just to the south, Samoa Beach is a beach break popular for surfing. Along the northern edge of Samoa SMCA, Mad River County Park is one of the best picnic beaches along the Humboldt coast. The park offers parking, restrooms, camping, and hiking opportunities. Recreational take of salmon by trolling, surf smelt by dip net or Hawaiian-type throw net, and Dungeness crab by trap, hoop net or hand is allowed.

This area is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed except where noted:

40° 55.000' N. lat. 124° 08.432' W. long.;
40° 55.000' N. lat. 124° 12.677' W. long.; thence southward along the three nautical mile offshore boundary to
40° 52.000' N. lat. 124° 14.225' W. long.; and
40° 52.000' N. lat. 124° 09.803' W. long.

California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 632(b)(8)(opens in new tab)