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San Francisco Bay Marine Protected Areas

Updated March 1, 2016

San Francisco Bay marine protected areas are located within San Francisco Bay, from the Golden Gate Bridge northeast to the Carquinez Bridge. The bay is the fifth and final study region for consideration under the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). To help ensure the success of any new or modified San Francisco Bay MPAs, the MLPA planning process may only occur here subsequent to the completion of historic ecosystem restoration and water supply reliability planning efforts in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. MPAs presented here were established prior to 2007, and were not a part of the MLPA planning effort. See the April 2012 message from Resources Secretary John Laird and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham regarding MPA planning for San Francisco Bay.

MPA Regulations and Maps

MPA maps and current regulations are presented here by coastal county. The JPG maps are low-resolution files that can be quickly viewed on most computers. The PDF maps are higher-resolution files, providing greater detail and clarity. Regulations are taken from California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, Section 632California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, Section 632.

Note: Map Datum used is North American Datum 1983 (NAD83) and position format is in Degrees Minutes Decimal Minutes (DDD MM.MMM). MPA boundaries shown in these maps do not replace the official boundaries found in CCR Title 14, Section 632(b)CCR Title 14, Section 632(b).

Map of San Francisco Bay MPAs (all): JPG(opens in new tab) | PDF(opens in new tab)

Marin County

Corte Madera Marsh State Marine Park

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area consists of waters below the mean high tide line within the Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or non-living marine resource for commercial purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features, may be restricted, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational hook-and-line take of species other than marine aquatic plants from shore only is allowed.
  2. Only lightweight, hand-carried boats may be launched or operated within the park.
  3. Swimming, wading, and diving are prohibited within the park.

Marin Islands State Marine Park

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area consists of waters below the mean high tide line within the Marin Islands Ecological Reserve.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or non-living marine resource for commercial purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features, may be restricted, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational hook-and-line take of species other than marine aquatic plants from shore only is allowed.
  2. Boating, swimming, wading, and diving are prohibited within the park.

Napa County

Fagan Marsh State Marine Park

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area consists of waters below the mean high tide line within the Fagan Marsh Ecological Reserve.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or non-living marine resource for commercial purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features, may be restricted, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational hook-and-line take of species other than marine aquatic plants is allowed.
  2. Only lightweight, hand-carried boats may be launched or operated within the park.

Solano County

Peytonia Slough State Marine Park

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area consists of waters below the mean high tide line within the Peytonia Slough Ecological Reserve.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or non-living marine resource for commercial purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features, may be restricted, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational hook-and-line take of species other than marine aquatic plants from shore only is allowed.
  2. Only lightweight, hand-carried boats may be launched or operated within the park.

Alameda County

Albany Mudflats State Marine Park

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area consists of waters below the mean high tide line within the Albany Mudflats Ecological Reserve.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or non-living marine resource for commercial purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features, may be restricted, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational hook-and-line take of species other than marine aquatic plants from shore only is allowed.
  2. Boating, swimming, wading, and diving are prohibited within the park.

Robert W. Crown State Marine Conservation Area

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area is bounded by the mean high tide line and a distance of 150 feet seaward of mean lower low water, between the following points:

37° 45.970' N. lat. 122° 16.840' W. long.; and
37° 45.950' N. lat. 122° 16.520' W. long.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource for recreational and/or commercial purposes, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational take of finfish by hook-and-line only is allowed.
    2. The commercial take of finfish and kelp is allowed.

San Mateo County

Redwood Shores State Marine Park

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area consists of waters below the mean high tide line within the Redwood Shores Ecological Reserve.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or non-living marine resource for commercial purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features, may be restricted, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational hook-and-line take of species other than marine aquatic plants is allowed.
  2. Only lightweight, hand-carried boats may be launched or operated within the park.

Bair Island State Marine Park

JPG Map | PDF Map

Boundary: This area consists of waters below the mean high tide line within the Bair Island Ecological Reserve.

Permitted/Prohibited Uses:

  1. It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living or non-living marine resource for commercial purposes. Any human use that would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community or habitat, or geological, cultural, or recreational features, may be restricted, with the following specified exceptions:
    1. The recreational hook-and-line take of species other than kelp from shore only is allowed.
  2. Boating, swimming, wading, and diving are prohibited within the park.
  3. 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, shall enter this park during the period February 15 through May 20.
  4. Waterfowl may be taken in accordance with the general waterfowl regulations (Sections 502, 550, 551, and 552).

A message from Secretary for Resources John Laird and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham (April 2012)

We appreciate receiving San Francisco Bay Options Report: Considering MPA Planning prepared by the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. The report identifies a range of options for how to approach marine protected area planning in San Francisco Bay.

As noted in the report's response to science questions, protecting San Francisco Bay’s ecosystem is intricately connected to the marshes of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. As such, any successful planning for and implementation of marine protected areas in San Francisco Bay must complement the historic effort to meet co-equal goals of ecosystem restoration and water supply reliability in the delta.

We look forward to continuing to work with all local, state and federal agencies dedicated to ensuring successful marine planning and protection for San Francisco Bay subsequent to completing planning efforts in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

San Francisco Bay MPAs - click to enlarge in new window
San Francisco Bay MPAs
(click to enlarge)

Marine Protected Areas

California's MPA Network

California's MPA network uses different marine managed area (MMA) classifications. These classifications are defined in the Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act, which is used to designate marine areas intended to protect, conserve, or otherwise manage a variety of resources and their uses including living marine resources and their habitats, scenic views, water quality, recreational values, and cultural or geological resources. MPAs are primarily intended to protect or conserve marine life and habitat, and are a subset of MMAs.

California's MPA network includes three MPA designations (State Marine Reserve, State Marine Conservation Area, and State Marine Park) and one additional MMA designation (State Marine Recreational Management Area); special closure areas, established by the Fish and Game Commission, are also managed within the California MPA network.