Ocean Protection Council Meeting – March 23, 2026 – Teleconference and Public Forum
OPC Meeting Agenda
Monday, March 23, 2026
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Hybrid Meeting
California Natural Resources Agency Headquarters Auditorium
715 P Street, Sacramento, California 95814
Please register to join the meeting via Zoom or by phone.
The meeting materials are anticipated to be available on this page starting March 13.
OPC is committed to ensuring our public meetings are accessible. Members of the public can participate by providing written and oral comment on Council matters. For public participation in OPC virtual meetings, view the instructions and see below.
1. Welcome, Introductions, and Council Member Updates
Secretary Crowfoot, Council Chair
2. Update from the Executive Director
Jenn Eckerle, Executive Director
3. Update from the Science Advisor
Liz Whiteman, Ph.D., Executive Director, Ocean Science Trust
4. Informational Item: 2026 California Coast and Ocean Report
Justine Kimball, Ph.D., Senior Climate Change Program Manager (Supervisor)
Jill Harris, Ph.D., Ocean Science Trust
Advancing Strategic Plan Goal 1: Build Resilience to Climate Change
5. Action Items Related to Sea Level Rise Adaptation
(Strategic Plan Objective 1.1: Protect communities and ecosystems from the impacts of sea level rise, coastal storms, erosion, and flooding)
5a. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds for the Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) Sea Level Rise Adaptation Grant Program: Track 1 Planning Projects.
Megan Williams, Coastal Resilience Program Manager
5b. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds for the SB 1 Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program
Ella McDougall, Senior Coastal Resilience Program Manager (Specialist)
Advancing Strategic Plan Goal 3: Safeguard Coastal and Marine Biodiversity
6. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds to Advance 30×30 in Coastal Waters
(Strategic Plan Objective 3.1: Conserve 30% of California’s coastal waters by 2030)
Michael Esgro, Senior Biodiversity Program Manager (Supervisor)
Staci Lewis, Ph.D., Senior Biodiversity Program Manager (Specialist)
7. Action Item: Consideration and Approval of Disbursement of Funds to Advance Adaptive Management of the Marine Protected Area Network
(Strategic Plan Objective 3.2: Strengthen the performance and durability of California’s Marine Protected Area Network)
Staci Lewis, Ph.D., Senior Biodiversity Program Manager (Specialist)
Kevin Travis, Ocean Science Trust
8. Informational Item: Science Guidance for Coastal and Ocean Restoration in California
(Strategic Plan Objective 3.3: Restore vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems)
Michael Esgro, Senior Biodiversity Program Manager (Supervisor)
Tanner Waters, Ph.D., Ocean Science Trust
Advancing Strategic Plan Goal 4: Enable a Sustainable Blue Economy that Protects Ocean Health
9. Informational Item: Blue Whales Blue Skies Program
(Strategic Plan Objective 4.3: Reduce impacts from other industrial uses of the ocean)
Fiona Vogler, Executive Fellow
Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items & Meeting Close
10. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
11. Arrangements for Next Meeting and Adjournment
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
CNRA Auditorium and Zoom participation available.
Notes: Agenda items may be re-ordered at the discretion of the Council Chair.
Providing Public Comment
Written Comments: Written comments should be sent to COPCpublic@resources.ca.gov by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2026. Please include the item number in the email subject line. If you are writing with a general comment, please include a brief title for your comment.
Oral Comments: For each item on the agenda and at the end of the public meeting on non-agenda items, the OPC Chair will ask whether there are any requests for public comment. If you are participating via Zoom and want to provide oral comments on a specific agenda item, you will need to “Raise your hand” during the Zoom meeting. * If calling into the meeting from a telephone, use “Pound (#) 2” to raise/lower your hand.
Once your hand is raised and it is your turn to speak, the meeting facilitator will unmute you and will announce your name. You will then be able to make your public comment to the Council. * Depending on how you have called in, you may also need to unmute yourself.
A speaker’s time allotment for a specific agenda item is at the discretion of the Chair, but generally limited to two minutes. It is strongly recommended, though not required, that public comment be submitted in writing beforehand to be distributed to all Council members for review prior to the meeting. After your public comment, your hand will be lowered, and you will be placed back on mute.
Questions about the meeting or agenda can be directed to Kaitlyn Kalua, Deputy Director at Kaitlyn.Kalua@resources.ca.gov.
Any person who has a disability and requires accommodation to participate in this council meeting should contact Ms. Kalua no later than five days prior to the meeting.