Master Plan for Marine Protected Areas

The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) requires the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop, and the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) to adopt a master plan that guides the implementation of a Marine Life Protection Program to improve the design and management of California’s marine protected areas (MPAs) to the extent possible, as a statewide network.

A draft Master Plan for MPAs was adopted by the Commission as a living document in February 2008 which guided the regional development of MPA proposals, and resulted in the completion of a science-based and stakeholder-driven, redesigned statewide network of MPAs in December 2012. The 2016 Master Plan for MPAs, adopted by the Commission in August, focuses on the shift from MPA design and planning to managing California’s redesigned MPA network to meet the goals of the MLPA. The 2016 Master Plan for MPAs was developed in close collaboration with the Commission, California Ocean Protection Council, and Ocean Science Trust, and with assistance from Blue Earth Consultants, LLC. Insightful input was also received from other state and federal agencies, California Tribes and Tribal governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, many other organizations, and the general public.

2016 Master Plan for Marine Protected Areas

2016 Master Plan for MPAs (includes all appendices) (PDF)

2016 Master Plan for MPAs (main body only) (PDF)

2016 Final Draft Master Plan for MPAs: Appendices

• Appendix A: Marine Protected Area Planning through the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (PDF)
• Appendix B: Communication and Consultation with California Tribes and Tribal Governments (PDF)
• Appendix C: North Coast: MPA Background and Priorities (PDF)
• Appendix D: North Central Coast: MPA Background and Priorities (PDF)
• Appendix E: Central Coast: MPA Background and Priorities (PDF)
• Appendix F: South Coast: MPA Background and Priorities (PDF)

2008 Master Plan for Marine Protected Areas

2008 Draft Master Plan for MPAs (PDF)

2008 Draft Master Plan for MPAs: Appendices

• Appendix A: The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) (PDF)
• Appendix B: The Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act (MMAIA) (PDF)
• Appendix C: Implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act: 1999-2004 (PDF)
• Appendix D: Strategy for Stakeholder and Interested Public Participation (PDF)
• Appendix E: Social Science Tools and Methods (PDF)
• Appendix F: Outline of Information Required for MPA Proposals (PDF)
• Appendix G: Master List of Species Likely to Benefit from MPAs (PDF)
• Appendix H: Summary of Recent and Ongoing Processes Related to the MLPA Initiative (PDF)
• Appendix I: List of Existing State MPAs (PDF)
• Appendix J: Defined Terms (PDF)
• Appendix K: Lessons Learned Reports from the Central Coast Regional Process (PDF)
• Appendix L: Estimated Long-Term Costs to Implement the California MLPA (PDF)
• Appendix M: Consultant's Adaptive Management and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (PDF)
• Appendix N: Task Force Memos and Consultants' Report on Options for Funding the MLPA (PDF)
• Appendix O: Regional MPA Management Plans (PDF)
• Appendix P: Alternative Recommendations for MPAs Considered in Each Study Region (PDF)
• Appendix Q: Memorandums of Understanding for the MLPA Initiative (PDF)
• Appendix R: Science Methodology for Study Regions (PDF)