Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – October 2024
What’s Happening
Updates from the September 10, 2024 Council Meeting
The September 10, 2024 Ocean Protection Council (OPC) meeting initiated discussion on the Council’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan process with discussion on Council and public priorities, building from the current 2020-2025 Strategic Plan with a goal of finalizing the plan by December 2025… Continue reading
SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program Updates & Upcoming Deadlines
Updated application materials for the Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program are now available, including upcoming application deadlines… Continue reading
Key Milestone for Designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
On September 6, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released the final Environmental Impact Statement for the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary on California’s Central Coast. This is a huge milestone and critical step in the final designation of the new Sanctuary… Continue reading
30×30 News
The California 30×30 Partnership Summit on October 3, 2024, brought together tribal leaders, policymakers, and community partners in Sacramento to advance the state’s goal of conserving 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030. This year’s Summit, hosted by the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), focused on three key themes: inspire, innovate, and integrate and was centered on the importance of collaboration to durably protect California’s natural resources. While the Summit addressed conservation broadly, protecting and restoring marine ecosystems and working closely with tribes and coastal communities were key topics of discussion. OPC staff hosted an afternoon workshop to share more on how the state is advancing 30×30 in coastal waters and to solicit input on conservation priorities.
“The 30×30 Summit celebrated the value and power of partnership. By working together, we can achieve California’s ambitious goals to conserve biodiversity, ensuring a resilient future where nature thrives on land and in coastal waters.” Jenn Eckerle, CNRA Deputy Secretary for Oceans and Coastal Policy and OPC Executive Director.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (left) and Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Secretary (right)
Rosa Laucci, Tolowa Dee-Ni Nation Marine Program Manager
Megan Hertel, CNRA Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat (left); Jenn Eckerle, CNRA Deputy Secretary for Oceans and Coastal Policy and OPC Executive Director (center); Annie Burke, Executive Director, TOGETHER Bay Area
30×30 Annual Report Now Available
The California Natural Resources Agency released the 30×30 Annual Progress Report, highlighting success stories from across the state and our collective progress toward conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. Learn more about how California is leveraging the 30×30 Partnership and collaboration to continue advancing the 30×30 initiative… Read the report
Job Announcements
OPC is Hiring a Senior Offshore Wind Program Manager – Application Deadline Extended to October 16, 2024
The Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) will work in OPC’s Climate Change Program and will lead OPC’s coordination efforts across state, federal, and external partners to inform sustainable offshore wind development with a specific focus on establishing a comprehensive environmental monitoring and research program for California… Learn more
OPC is Hiring a Coastal Resilience Program Manager – Apply by October 9, 2024
The Environmental Scientist will work in OPC’s Climate Change Program and will support OPC’s coordination efforts across state, federal, and external partners to inform sustainable offshore wind development and priorities related to coastal resilience… Learn more
OPC is Hiring an Offshore Wind Tribal Affairs and Community Engagement Specialist – Apply by October 11, 2024
The Offshore Wind Tribal Affairs and Community Engagement Specialist will be responsible for facilitating collaborative and coordinated state agency efforts to consult with California Native American tribes and engage with coastal communities… Learn more
OPC is Hiring a Water Quality Program Manager – Apply by October 18, 2024
The Environmental Scientist will lead OPC’s efforts related to water quality and will be responsible for supporting implementation of the OPC’s mission related to reducing impacts from point and non-point source pollution, including plastic pollution and marine debris, ocean acidification and hypoxia, harmful algal blooms… Learn more
Dive In
The Rising Tide of Marine Mammal Strandings in California
In recent years, California’s coastline has experienced an alarming rise in marine mammal strandings, primarily caused by domoic acid, a toxin released by harmful algal blooms (HABs). From 2022 to 2024, strandings have surged, impacting species like sea lions, dolphins, and otters. Domoic acid attacks the central nervous system of marine mammals, leading to distressing symptoms and often death. In response, California state agencies… Read the full article.
Data Bite
Current and Projected Sea Level Rise
Sea level rise is a growing challenge along the California coastline. On average, sea levels along California’s coast are rising at a rate of 1.61 mm/year, or 0.53 feet/century, with these rates anticipated to accelerate in the coming decades. The State of California Sea Level Rise Guidance: 2024 Science & Policy Update highlights future sea level rise projections, including 0.8 feet on average by 2050, to inform state, local, and regional planning, design, permitting, and investments, among other decisions.
Learn more about California sea level rise-related indicators and OPC’s efforts to build resilience to sea level rise, coastal storms, erosions, and flooding in the 2023 State of California Coast and Ocean Annual Report. Stay up-to-date by visiting our sea level rise webpage.
Project Highlight
Public Tools to Support the Marine Protected Area Petition Process
In late 2023, the Fish and Game Commission invited the public to submit petitions to modify California’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network. Last week, California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released a webpage that provides information on current petitions to modify California’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) network.
OPC is working with CDFW and the Fish and Game Commission staff to develop an objective, transparent, and science-based evaluation process to assess these petitions. On September 10, the Council approved investments to develop tools to help with the petition evaluation process: 1) the SeaSketch mapping tool and 2) Updating the MPA connectivity model.
Users will be able to use SeaSketch to visualize changes to MPA size and spacing and overlaps of MPA petitions with important locations and habitats. Updates to the MPA Connectivity model will ensure results are more representative of current and future ocean conditions and fill key gaps in near-shore habitat mapping.
These two tools are expected to be released next year, while CDFW’s new MPA Petition Process webpage is available now:
Staff Spotlight
Abby Mohan, 30×30 Program Manager
Abby Mohan joined OPC in June of 2023 as a 30×30 Program Manager. She has recently worked for a climate change research firm on the intersections between coastal use, coastal policy, coastal science, and best practices in communicating these complex issues to the public both locally in the San Francisco Bay Area and internationally. Abby has been active in the maritime community for 15 years and has served as the Chair of the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council and as a maritime recreation representative. Moving forward, she will serve on the advisory council representing OPC. She has served on numerous working groups and projects advocating for the ocean. Abby holds a BA in Geography and an MS in Marine Science from San Francisco State University. Abby is also a 100-ton licensed Captain and enjoys being out on the water every chance she can get. When not working, you can find her out on the water on her sailboat or out at the beach with her bernedoodle puppy, Finn.
“As one of OPC’s 30×30 Program Managers, I am currently wrapping up a 120-day public comment period on our draft decision-making framework for evaluating coastal waters to meet California’s goal of conserving 30% of state lands and waters by 2030 (30×30). After spending all Spring developing this framework, it has been extremely rewarding to release it publicly. The 30×30 team has been traveling across the state to hold in-person regional workshops and tribal round tables and to present the framework at numerous meetings and venues. It is inspiring to hear how Californians use the ocean, what people care about, and what matters to them in ocean conservation. It has also been great to just talk about our work with people; it really grounds you in the places and people we are doing this work for. One of my favorite aspects has been hearing all the conservation success stories happening across the state, and it has made me feel inspired and excited about 30×30. I can’t wait for the next steps of this process to start evaluating areas and work with partners across the state to make progress towards the 30×30 goal.”
Photo of the Month
Have a stunning shot of California’s coast or ocean? Submit a photo to be featured as the Photo of the Month! Whether it’s a serene shoreline, vibrant marine life, or a captivating coastal sunset, share the beauty of our state’s coast through your lens! Submit your photo.
Photo: Laurel Meleski / Duncan’s Landing Overlook, HWY 1 (near Bodega Bay).
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