California's Network of Marine Protected Areas Focus
California Central Coast Marine Protected Areas, Part II
Marine Protected Areas in San Luis Obispo County
Introduction
Several Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) lie within San Luis Obispo County's coastal waters. As defined by the California Department of Fish and Game, "MPAs are named, discrete geographic marine or estuarine areas designated to protect or conserve marine life and habitat." MPA's jurisdiction is from mean high tide line to three miles seaward.
The purpose of MPAs is to increase California's coherence and effectiveness in protecting the state's marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems, and marine natural heritage, as well as to improve recreational, educational, and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems. (See: DFG.gov)
Unfortunately, MPAs have threats to their effectiveness to protect or conserve marine life and habitat. Pollution is a common threat. Additionally, Once Though Cooling (OTC) and seismic testing are major threats to certain MPAs.
Marine Protected Areas in San Luis Obispo County's coastal waters : Central Coast MPAs (south) - Piedras Blancas toVandenberg
Note: Vandenberg is in Santa Barbara County.
The California Department of Fish and Game's "Guide to the Central California Marine Protected Areas (Pigeon Point to Point Conception" describes the four types of MPAs within San Luis Obispo County's coastal waters. Following are the names and page numbers of the MPAs within each of the four MPA categories.
State Marine Reserves (SMR)
The most restrictive classification, these are no-take areas (i.e. extractive activities are prohibited.)
1. Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve, p. 46
2. Morro Bay State Marine Reserve, p. 56
3. Point Buchon State Marine Reserve, p. 58
State Marine Parks (SMP)
May allow recreational take, or limit in some way, but does NOT allow commercial take.
There are no SMPs in San Luis Obispo County.
State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCA)
May limit recreational and/or commercial take to protect a specific resource or habitat.
1. Piedras Blancas State Marine Conservation Area, p. 48
2. Cambria State Marine Conservation Area, p. 50
3. White Rock (Cambria) State Marine Conservation Area, p. 52
4. Point Buchon State Marine Conservation Area, P. 60
State Recreational Management Area (SMRMA)
A non-terrestrial marine or estuarine area designated so the managing agency may provide, limit, or restrict recreational opportunities to meet other than purely local needs while preserving basic resource values for present and future generations.
1. Morro Bay State Marine Recreational Management Area, p. 54
Threats
Threats to MPAs are the same as the threats to the kelp forests and their inhabitants as outlined in a previous article in the SLO Coast Journal.
These threats may include pollution, extraction of resources, OTC, and seismic testing.
Pollution may include: oil spills, sewage spills, run-off of street oil, storm water, fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and pharmaceutical-laced animal and human urine. Sewer treatment plants need to upgrade to capture all household chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and the plants need to recycle water rather than dumping into the ocean.
Extraction of resources may be controlled by the regulations of each MPA. However, CA Dept. of Fish and Game wardens can't be everywhere, and they rely on the public to observe the regulations for the MPAs.
OTC kills eggs and fish larvae near a power plant. PG&E's Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and the Morro Bay Power Plant both use OTC, and this daily cooling process kills more than 1.5 billion eggs and fish larvae each year. (See: Kelp Forest Ecosystems)
Seismic testing, the use of sound to locate fractures in the earth, is of great concern. The seismic testing decibel level has increased, and many do not know how extensive the destruction to marine life will be.
Unfortunately, PG&E plans to perform seismic testing near Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. One estimate is that so many fish and their habitat will be destroyed that commercial fishing will end in the area for an unknown period of time.
PG&E's Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) Seismic
PG&E's March 2012 DEIR describes the proposed seismic imaging project and its impacts. The DEIR states that impacts to air quality, terrestrial and marine biological resources, land use and recreation will be Significant and Unavoidable even after all mitigation measures are applied.
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Map from DEIR showing impact of one blast: Note that this illustration from DEIR offers only one view of impact to beach areas and thus down plays the actual series of testing impacts to recreational areas. Plus, it fails to show the Santa Lucia Bank 30 miles offshore that rises to within 1300 feet of the surface.
Please refer to our article and to Jack McCurdy's article this month for more information on PG&E's proposed seismic testing. |
Conclusion
The purpose of MPAs is to increase California's coherence and effectiveness in protecting the state's marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems, and marine natural heritage, as well as to improve recreational, educational, and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems.
However, the threats to the effectiveness of MPAs to protect or conserve marine life and habitat are great. Pollution and extraction can be improved. OTC is being phased out by California; however, power plants are trying to obtain waivers to be allowed to continue their OTC and daily destruction of marine life.
Of great concern is the destruction of marine life and habitat that will be caused by seismic testing planned by PG&E. The marine life in the MPAs near Diablo Canyon could be destroyed for an unknown length of time.
MPAs give hope for the sustainable human uses of the ocean. However, National Marine Sanctuaries provide greater protection. The marine life and habitat in San Luis Obispo County coastal waters would benefit by having national marine sanctuary designation. If PG&E's seismic testing destroys marine life and habitat, San Luis Obispo County may need to seek national marine sanctuary designation for restoration of the marine environment.
