Regional Baseline Monitoring — South Coast

South Coast MPA baseline monitoring is complete! Explore the State of the Region report, series of Snapshot Reports, and the wide variety of supporting resources.

Also check out the results from the South Coast Monitoring Survey on the Monitoring Dashboard.

Project coordinators and managers of North Central Coast monitoring projects are invited to complete the North Central Coast Monitoring Survey, to continue building a thorough understanding of the North Central Coast monitoring community.

ESTABLISHING A BENCHMARK FOR SOUTH COAST MPAS

The South Coast MPA baseline period extends from 2012-2017. During this time, researchers, citizen scientists, managers, and others are collaborating to establish a benchmark against which future MPA performance can be measured, and to provide a foundation for rigorous science-informed decisions in the region. Work conducted during the baseline period includes the state-funded South Coast MPA Baseline Program, together with contributions from other scientific efforts in the region and collaborative work to share the results of these collective monitoring activities.

This scientific benchmark presents a current picture of the South Coast Coast, which can be used to track future changes, and provides a foundation for managers to make science-informed decisions for the region. The results of this work will inform the first monitoring and management review of the South Coast MPA network by the California Fish and Game Commission, anticipated in 2017. Monitoring results can also inform work on issues such as fisheries management, water quality, coastal development, and climate change.

Technical reports from this baseline work are now available here.

Looking for updates on South Coast activities? Join the South Coast Monitoring Community to receive region-specific updates.