San Diego

MPA Collaborative

About

The San Diego Collaborative includes diverse representatives from over 30 organizations across San Diego County. Since its inception in 2012, the Collaborative has worked to identify and address numerous issues surrounding local marine protected areas, beginning with a successful request to the Fish and Game Commission to add a “no collecting” icon to State Marine Reserve signage. Members have spearheaded signage installation and development and produced and distributed 10,000 recreational brochures and fishing guides across San Diego County to enhance local understanding and compliance with marine protected areas. They have also worked to integrate Kumeyaay tribal practices and history into local interpretive panels and recreational brochures.

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San Diego Coastkeeper Events Calendar

Birch Aquarium Events

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Related Publications

Explore Beyond the Shore! ROV community science project launches through Zooniverse & Thriving Earth Exchange

March 25, 2024

Please note that this blog post will continually be updated with the most relevant and up-to-date information and ...

Collaborative Network Guidance for MPA Petitions

September 28, 2023

This special network update is focused on the MPA Collaborative Network's (CN's) engagement in the adaptive ...

A marine protected area network does not confer community structure resilience to a marine heatwave across coastal ecosystems

July 18, 2023

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have gained attention as a conservation tool for enhancing ecosystem resilience to climate change. However, empirical evidence explicitly linking MPAs to enhanced ecological resilience is limited and mixed. To better understand whether MPAs can buffer climate impacts, we tested the resistance and recovery of marine communities to the 2014–2016 Northeast Pacific heatwave in the largest scientifically designed MPA network in the world off the coast of California, United States.

Help the Kelp: How Innovative Science and an Unprecedented New Investment Will Inform the Future of Kelp Restoration in California

July 18, 2023

California’s iconic underwater forests are under threat from climate change. From 2014-2019, more than 95% of the bull kelp off our state’s northern coastline disappeared following a record-breaking marine heat wave and an explosion in kelp-eating purple sea urchin populations. Portions of California’s central and south coasts, such as the Monterey Peninsula, have also experienced severe declines in kelp. These die-offs have had serious impacts on coastal communities – closing fisheries, shuttering dive shops, and affecting tribal members, divers, and fishermen across the state.

Projects

MPA Compliance Initiative Impact Report 2019-2022

The MPA Collaborative Network turns community input into action! The MPA Collaborative Network’s Compliance Initiative, supported by Ocean Protection Council (OPC) Once-Through Cooling Mitigation funds, and in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the ...

San Diego MPA Compliance Forum Report

The MPA Collaborative Network held Community Compliance Forums for each coastal county as part of a multi-year Compliance Initiative funded by the Ocean Protection Council. The Forums provided space for local stakeholders to voice their MPA, ocean, and coastal compliance concerns and ...

Life in the Sand: Field Guide to Sandy Shores

One part of a complete MPA Outreach Toolkit featuring conveniently packaged MPA curriculum, materials, and related activities for educators. Designed to improve MPA education, outreach, compliance and stewardship among students in San Diego County. See the full MPA Outreach Toolkit here.

Living on the Edge: Field Guide to the Rocky Intertidal

Complete San Diego County MPA Outreach Toolkit

A complete MPA Outreach Toolkit featuring conveniently packaged MPA curriculum, materials, and related activities for educators. Designed to improve MPA education, outreach, compliance and stewardship among students in San Diego County. The San Diego Collaborative created MPA Curriculum for ...

Our Undersea Legacy MPA Curriculum – Grades 6-8

MPA Watch: Outdoor Education Instructor Pack

Underwater Parks Posters

Talking Trash and Taking Action Guide

Ocean Literacy Guide

MPA Activity Brochure for Kids

MPA Tidepool Journal

MPA Ambassador Program

The Collaborative carries out MPA informational trainings through the MPA Ambassador Program to kayak shops and other businesses. If you or your organization would like to learn more or schedule a training please contact Co-Chair Cory Pukini (contact below).

The “Floating Laboratory” Project

WILDCOAST, partnering with Crystal Cove Conservancy and Seaforth Landing, takes students on citizen science cruises in the South La Jolla MPAs where they gather and analyze data on marine wildlife and ocean conditions.

San Diego County MPA Collaborative Leadership Team

Lisa Gilfillan

San Diego MPA Collaborative Co-Chair

California Conservation Manager, WILDCOAST

lisa@wildcoast.org

Jayme Timberlake

San Diego MPA Collaborative Co-Chair

Coastal Zone Administrator, City of Oceanside

jtimberlake(at)oceansideca.org

Isabelle Kay

San Diego MPA Collaborative Co-Chair

Administrative Director and Reserves Manager, UC San Diego Natural Reserve System

ikay@ucsd.edu

San Diego County MPA Collaborative Members

Do you see information or links that need to be updated? Let us know.

This list is not meant to imply that each affiliated organization is participating in the collaborative at a formal level nor that each collaborative member is representing the official view of their affiliation. All voices and perspectives are welcome and are considered unique to the person sharing them.

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation
Birch Aquarium
National Park Service – Cabrillo National Monument
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
California Sea Grant
California State Park
Office of State Assembly Member Toni Atkins
Cardiff Main Street
City of Encinitas
City of San Diego
City of San Diego Parks and Recreation
City of San Diego Lifeguards
City of San Diego Mayor Faulconer
City of Solana Beach
City of Solana Beach Lifeguards
Coastal Conservation Association – California Chapter (CCA-Cal)
Office of County Supervisor Greg Cox
Del Mar City Council
Department of Defense
Environmental Center of San Diego
Friends of Famosa Slough
Friends of La Jolla Shores
Hike Bike Kayak
Kumeyaay Diegueno Land Conservancy
La Jolla Parks and Beaches
La Jolla Shores Association
Law Offices of Lori R. Mendez, PLC
Meric Spearfishing
National Park Service
Native American Environmental Protection Coalition
Natural Resources Defense Council
Ocean Discovery Institute