OPC Releases Recommendations on MPA Petitions

In 2023, the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) received several petitions that proposed changes to the state’s successful and globally-renowned Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network. Twenty petitions were received in December 2023 and referred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for evaluation. In March of this year, OPC transmitted a public letter to CFGC indicating its intent to provide input on petitions, focused on opportunities to strengthen the performance and durability of the MPA Network. 

Today, OPC released its petition recommendations. OPC staff is recommending that CFGC approve multiple petitions that would strengthen the existing MPA Network by expanding existing MPAs, adding new MPAs, or modifying regulations. OPC staff recommendations are based on a precautionary approach and recognize the state’s MPA Network as one of our most effective conservation tools for safeguarding biodiversity and building climate resilience in the face of climate change.  

OPC staff’s recommendations are intended to complement the comprehensive evaluations of MPA petitions conducted by CDFW under a separate set of questions and criteria approved by CFGC. Prior to today, CDFW had completed evaluations of fifteen petitions. Today, CDFW released evaluations for the last five petitions, which are all tribally-led; all of CDFW’s evaluations, together with an initial assessment of equitable access benefits of petitions completed by OPC and CDFW, are now available on CDFW’s MPA Petition Storymap website.  

Next steps: OPC staff will present these recommendations at CFGC’s August 12 public meeting. Decisions on petitions are expected at CFGC’s October public meeting at the earliest. Meeting details and information on how to participate can be found on the California Fish and Game Commission’s website.