More education, research opportunities allowed by wildlife commission in coastal protected areas

Marine science researchers and educators in Southern California are celebrating a recent decision by the California Fish and Game Commission to allow more access to some coastal Marine Protected Areas following a review that indicated the extra protections over the last decade have helped the local ocean ecosystem rebound.

There are 124 Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs, now designated statewide, with 50 of them off Southern California – they were created to help restore heavily fished and impacted sections of the California coastline.