April 1, 2025

Applications Open: Marine Protected Area Social Science Working Group – Apply by April 27, 2025

The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC), in partnership with the Ocean Science Trust (OST) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), is convening a group of social science experts to help guide the next phase of Marine Protected […]

Categories: Equity and Environmental Justice, Marine Protected Areas, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Tribal Engagement

March 27, 2025

Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – March / April 2025

The March / April 2025 OPC newsletter is available!

Categories: Coastal Habitats, Dungeness Crab Task Force, Equity and Environmental Justice, Event, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Habitats, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Monthly Newsletter, Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia, OPC Meetings, Other Public Meetings, Outreach and Education, Public Comment Opportunity, 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

March 27, 2025

Benefits of Marine Protection for California’s People and Communities 

California is home to one of the largest networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the world, serving as a global model for marine conservation. Covering over 16% of California’s coastal waters, this extensive Network of 124 MPAs provides much-needed […]

Categories: Coastal Habitats, Habitats, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Outreach and Education, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity

March 6, 2025

Introducing SeaSketch California – a Mapping Tool for California’s MPA Network

The Ocean Protection Council (OPC) is excited to announce the launch of SeaSketch California, a cutting-edge, open-source mapping platform designed specifically to provide spatial data and analysis tools related to the 2023 petitions proposing changes to California’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). 

Categories: Event, Grant Projects, Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Other Public Meetings, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity

March 4, 2025

Updates from the March 3, 2025 Council Meeting

The March meeting advanced initiatives across OPC’s Strategic Plan goals, including adopting a resolution on ocean acidification and hypoxia, funding for sea level rise adaptation planning, enhancing management of marine protected areas (MPAs), and supporting climate-ready fisheries management.

Categories: Climate Change, Coastal Habitats, Equity and Environmental Justice, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Habitats, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia, OPC Meetings, 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

February 14, 2025

Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – February 2025

The February 2025 OPC newsletter is available!

Categories: 30x30, Event, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Protected Areas, Monthly Newsletter, OPC Meetings, Other Public Meetings, Outreach and Education, Plastic Pollution, Public Comment Opportunity, Sea Level Rise, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Strategic Goal 4: Sustainable Blue Economy, Tribal Engagement, Water Quality

January 21, 2025

Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – January 2025

The January 2025 OPC newsletter is available!

Categories: 30x30, Event, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Protected Areas, Monthly Newsletter, OPC Meetings, Other Public Meetings, Outreach and Education, Plastic Pollution, Public Comment Opportunity, Sea Level Rise, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Strategic Goal 4: Sustainable Blue Economy, Tribal Engagement, Water Quality

January 13, 2025

Ocean Protection Council Meeting – March 3, 2025 – Teleconference and Public Forum

The Ocean Protection Council will hold a hybrid public meeting via teleconference and in a public forum at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 3, 2025. The agenda, meeting materials, summary, and recording are available.

Categories: Climate Change, Event, Marine Protected Areas, Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia, OPC Meetings, 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, Water Quality

December 10, 2024

Updates from the December 9, 2024 Council Meeting

The December meeting advanced initiatives across three of OPC’s Strategic Plan goals to address climate change, advance equity, and conserve biodiversity. Key actions included funding for sea level rise adaptation planning, advancing 30×30 (protecting 30% of California’s coastal waters by 2030), and investments to support resilience of kelp forests.

Categories: 30x30, Career Opportunities, Equity and Environmental Justice, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Habitats, Kelp, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, OPC Meetings, Sea Level Rise, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems, Tribal Engagement

November 13, 2024

Global Urgency at “the People’s COP”: OPC’s Reflections on the United Nations Biodiversity Summit

By Michael Esgro, Senior Biodiversity Program Manager & Tribal Liaison  Last month, California joined leaders from across the world in Cali, Colombia for the United Nations Biodiversity Summit (known as the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention […]

Categories: 30x30, Coastal Habitats, Habitats, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Outreach and Education, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity