Species spotlights, policy tracking, and practical actions for people who spend time in the ocean and want the places they love to stay alive.
March 15, 2026
Once fished nearly to extinction, the giant black sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) has made a partial comeback off California's coast since commercial take was banned in 1982. But partial isn't enough. Population estimates remain a fraction of historical levels, and the species remains vulnerable to incidental bycatch and habitat degradation.
March 10, 2026
In December 2024, NOAA officially designated the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary along California's central coast — the first sanctuary co-stewardship agreement with a Tribal Nation. The 116-mile stretch from Cambria to Gaviota protects critical habitat including rocky reefs, kelp forests, and important pinniped haul-out sites. Implementation is ongoing.
March 8, 2026
The global 30x30 initiative aims to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. As of 2026, roughly 8% of ocean area has formal protection — and much of that protection is paper only. Meaningful enforcement gaps remain. Several organizations are doing credible work to close them.
Open resourceFebruary 28, 2026
Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forests off Northern California have declined by more than 95% since 2013, driven by a combination of warm water anomalies and a sea star wasting disease that eliminated the sunflower sea star — the primary predator controlling purple urchin populations. The resulting urchin barrens now cover hundreds of miles of former kelp habitat.
February 20, 2026
The Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act, enacted in 2021, mandated phasing out large-mesh drift gillnets in the California swordfish fishery by 2023 and transitioning to alternative gear types. The transition has been slower than mandated, with a federal waiver process allowing some continued use. Multiple lawsuits and ongoing NOAA rulemaking are shaping the outcome.
February 15, 2026
California's marine protected areas depend on diver and boater reports to supplement limited enforcement resources. CDFW's CalTIP (California Turn In Poachers) program accepts anonymous tips. Knowing what to document and how to report it effectively makes a real difference — most enforcement actions in MPAs originate from public tips.
Open resourceFebruary 10, 2026
White seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) gather in predictable spawning aggregations each spring along the Southern California coast. These concentrations make the species acutely vulnerable to targeted take. The exact locations of active aggregation sites are not shared publicly — that's intentional. We talk about the species, not the spots.
February 1, 2026
The United States has designated more than 900 Marine Protected Areas covering approximately 26% of U.S. waters. However, the majority of that coverage is in offshore areas with minimal enforcement presence. Nearshore MPAs — where recreational and commercial pressure is highest — remain chronically under-enforced due to funding constraints at CDFW and NOAA.
Exact GPS coordinates and sensitive aggregation sites do not appear anywhere on this site. Protection starts with discretion, especially for places that can be damaged by a little too much attention.
I send conservation updates, dive reports, and the occasional action alert when something in local waters needs attention.
Field notes and policy watch