California Marine Protected Areas

Important: As of December 19, 2012 new MPA regulations are in effect for the Northern California coast from the Oregon/California border to Point Arena.

Management Area: Southern California (Pt. Conception southward)

County: Orange

Nearest Port: Dana Point

Regulations in Effect Since: 1/1/2012

Boundaries: This area is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed:

33° 35.373' N. lat. 117° 52.648' W. long.;
33° 35.065' N. lat. 117° 52.692' W. long.;
33° 32.400' N. lat. 117° 49.200' W. long.; and
33° 33.233' N. lat. 117° 49.200' W. long.

Recreational Fishing

Allowed Species: Lobster and sea urchin. Finfish by hook-and-line or by spearfishing.

Prohibited Species: All marine aquatic plants. Invertebrates, EXCEPT lobster and sea urchin.

Commercial Fishing

Allowed Species: Sea urchin. Spiny lobster by trap. Coastal pelagic species by round haul net.

Prohibited Species: All marine aquatic plants. All invertebrates EXCEPT sea urchin, market squid and spiny lobster. All finfish EXCEPT coastal pelagic finfish species.

Other Regulations: Take of all living marine resources from inside tidepools is prohibited. For purposes of this section, tidepools are defined as the area encompassing the rocky pools that are filled with seawater due to retracting tides between the mean higher high tide line and the mean lower low tide line.

Regulation Section: Title 14, CCR, Section 632 (b) (133)