News
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Updates from the June 16, 2026 Council Meeting
At the June 16, 2026, Ocean Protection Council (OPC) meeting, the Council unanimously approved key actions and more than $13.8 million in investments to: advance sea level rise adaptation planning, including addressing impacts to tribal cultural resources, make meaningful progress to conserve 30% of California’s coastal waters by 2030 (30×30) through tribal stewardship, address plastic and microplastic pollution, support sustainable fisheries and…
Categories: 30×30, Aquaculture, Climate Change, Coastal Habitats, Equity and Environmental Justice, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Habitats, Harmful Algal Blooms, Kelp, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia, Offshore Wind, OPC Meetings, Plastic Pollution, Report Release, Sea Level Rise, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Strategic Goal 4: Sustainable Blue Economy, Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems, Tribal Engagement, Water Quality -
OPC Adopts Statewide Marine Aquaculture Action Plan
In June 2026, the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) adopted the Statewide Marine Aquaculture Action Plan, California’s first roadmap to improve governance, ensure environmental protections, and facilitate sustainable development of marine seaweed and shellfish aquaculture. The final Action Plan is the result of a collaborative, multi-year effort. In 2021, OPC established an interagency Aquaculture…
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Seven Years of Action: California’s Fight Against Ocean Litter – The Ocean Litter Strategy Accomplishments Report is Now Available
In May 2026, the California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy Accomplishments Report: January 2018–August 2025 was published by the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), in partnership with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program (NOAA MDP), California Sea Grant, and USC Sea Grant. California has long recognized marine debris as a threat to communities, human health, ecosystems,…
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Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – May 2026
The May 2026 OPC newsletter is available!
Categories: 30×30, Aquaculture, Career Opportunities, Climate Change, Coastal Habitats, Equity and Environmental Justice, Event, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Grant Projects, Habitats, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Monthly Newsletter, Offshore Wind, OPC Meetings, Other Public Meetings, Outreach and Education, Plastic Pollution, Public Comment Opportunity, Report Release, Sea Level Rise, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Strategic Goal 4: Sustainable Blue Economy, Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems, Tribal Engagement, Water Quality -
Slowing Down for Whales: How California Is Making Its Busiest Shipping Lanes Safer
Every spring, gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) 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…
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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, the $51 billion coastal economy…