Tag Archives: california department of fish and wildlife

Soquel Canyon State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) lies deep within scenic, half moon-shaped Monterey Bay, where dark mysteries lure scientists and anglers alike. The SMCA encompasses a side branch of the Monterey Submarine Canyon, one of the deepest submarine canyons on the West Coast of the United States. Both Soquel and Monterey canyons funnel nutrient-rich waters […]

Just twenty miles off the coast of Los Angeles, Santa Catalina Island is home to about 4,000 people and nine marine protected areas (MPAs), including Blue Cavern Onshore State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) and Blue Cavern Offshore SMCA. Protected from strong winds on the leeward side of Santa Catalina Island, Blue Cavern Onshore SMCA covers about 2½ nautical miles of […]

The northward path across the Golden Gate Bridge leads away from the bustle of the Bay Area, past the headlands and rolling hills of Marin, to the windy, wild coastline of Sonoma County. Here, the rocky landscape includes steep sea cliffs, pocket beaches and coves, and sea stacks that rise from the ocean depths just off […]

Located on the northern California coast just south of the town of Mendocino, Van Damme State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) encompasses a small, protected bay sheltered from north winds and large ocean swell. The bay is popular with freedivers, kayakers, scuba divers, and recreational anglers.

California estuaries, with their tidal flats, coastal marsh, eelgrass and brackish water are special places where fresh water flows to meet the salty Pacific Ocean. Elkhorn Slough is a large, iconic estuary near Moss Landing in Monterey County, known for its high species richness and habitat diversity. Combined, Elkhorn Slough and the smaller, adjacent Moro Cojo […]