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, the $51 billion coastal economy that depends on a healthy coast, and recognizing California Ocean Day as a call to action to protect our ocean.  

That morning, Secretary Wade Crowfoot spotlighted OPC’s landmark 2026 California Coast and Ocean Report at the California Natural Resources Agency’s Secretary Speaker Series. The session, State of California’s Coast and Ocean: First-ever Ocean Report Tells a Story of Progress and Pressure, offered Californians a clear look at what the data shows: a coast that is generally healthy, facing real and accelerating threats, and backed by a state that is leaning in to keep our coast and ocean healthy, clean, and accessible for generations to come.  

The 2026 California Coast and Ocean Report is the first comprehensive, science-based assessment of coastal and ocean health in California’s history, covering 14 key indicators across three themes: People, Wildlife and Habitats, and Stressors. Developed by more than 120 scientists from academic institutions, state and federal agencies, NGOs, and tribes, the Report distills complex scientific data into easily understandable snapshots to inform statewide action. 

That same day, the State Senate passed two measures led by Senator John Laird: Senate Joint Resolution 12, expressing bipartisan opposition to federal offshore oil and gas leasing off California’s coast, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 136, commemorating the 50th anniversaries of the California Coastal Act and the State Coastal Conservancy Act. 

The day closed with the gathering of community advocates, students, scientists, tribal partners, and state representatives, where OPC Executive Director Jenn Eckerle addressed the crowd, reflecting on the collective work that has brought everyone together to meet the urgency of this moment in protecting California’s coast. 

California Ocean Day 2026 made clear that this state’s commitment to protecting its coast, both for people and for nature, is not slowing down. 

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