Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – May 2026
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What’s Happening
Ocean Protection Council Meeting – June 16, 2026 – Teleconference and Public Forum
The Ocean Protection Council (OPC) will hold a hybrid public meeting via teleconference and in-person public forum on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The agenda is available on the meeting webpage. The meeting materials will be available starting June 5.
California Ocean Day 2026: A Big Day for the Coast
On April 28, 2026, ocean advocates, scientists, tribal partners, and state leaders converged on Sacramento for the 21st annual California Ocean Day, and the day delivered on every front. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an official proclamation designating April 28 as California Ocean Day, celebrating the state’s 1,100-mile coastline, world-class marine protected areas, and the $51 billion coastal economy that depends on a healthy coast. Read more about the events and outcomes of California Ocean Day.
Survey: Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund
The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), and the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) invite public input to inform the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund (PPMF), established by Senate Bill 54 (2022). Share your priorities through this survey by June 26 or visit the PPMF webpage to view past webinar recordings and learn about future engagements.
Survey: Tracking Impacts of Federally Funded Programs on California’s Coast and Ocean
An ongoing survey is available to understand impacts to federally funded coast and ocean programs in California. Importantly, this survey will be used to identify critical environmental data and information gaps. Complete the survey.
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
CNRA and its supporting departments have been celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May. Through virtual and in-person events, CNRA departments, commissions, and conservancies are honoring AAPI leaders in the environmental field, who work to protect the environment for current and future generations and encourage others to become environmental stewards. Learn more about AAPI Heritage Month at CNRA.
Funding Opportunities
SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Grant Program
The next submission deadline for Track 1: Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Projects is Friday, June 26, 2026. Learn more about this funding opportunity on the SB 1 Grant Program webpage.
Dive In
Slowing Down for Whales: How California Is Making Its Busiest Shipping Lanes Safer
Every spring, gray whales travel north along the California coast, mothers and calves making a 12,000-mile round trip between their winter calving grounds in Baja California and their Arctic feeding grounds. These same waters carry an enormous volume of the world’s trade. Container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers travel day and night through some of the most biologically rich ocean on the planet, and the overlap has consequences.
In 2025 alone, there were 26 gray whale strandings recorded in the San Francisco Bay Area, and nine of them were suspected or probable vessel strikes, according to the Marine Mammal Center. Ship strikes are also a leading threat to endangered blue, fin, and humpback whales. The Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program (BWBS) has been working to reduce California’s ship strikes, while improving air quality for coastal communities, for more than a decade.
Staff Spotlight
When OPC staff aren’t working to protect California’s coast and ocean, you’ll find them out on (or in) the water. Here’s a look at how a few of our team members like to spend their free time:
Katie Cieri
Sustainable Fisheries and
Aquaculture Program Manager
When she’s not working to support California’s fishing communities and marine ecosystems, Katie is out on the water with her best co-pilot. She took her pup kayaking in Monterey Bay, one of the most biodiverse marine sanctuaries on the West Coast.
Kyla Kelly, Ph.D.
Water Quality
Program Manager
Kyla already spends her days thinking about the quality of California’s coastal waters. Off the clock, she likes to jump right in. While diving off San Pedro, she did her best to give a local sea lion plenty of space, but the photobombing pinniped didn’t get the memo.
Pike Spector
Biodiversity
Program Manager
Pike brings the same passion he has for California’s kelp forests and marine life into his weekend fun. You’ll find him surfing or stand-up paddleboarding all along the California coast, including Fort Bragg, where the scenery does most of the talking.
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 coastline through your lens! Submit your photo.
Photo of the Month: Louie Zimm / Shortfin mako shark off Point La Jolla
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