Beneath the surface of the ocean surrounding California’s Channel Islands lies a submerged landscape that can often feel like an entirely different world. Towering kelp forests sway in the ocean currents, patrolled by massive sheephead fish marked by striking pink and black coloration and prominent, protruding teeth. Refrigerator-sized giant sea bass cruise through the depths, while agile seals and sea lions weave gracefully among colorful colonies of marine sponges and vibrant sea stars.
"We sometimes think of the Channel Islands as our Galapagos in California," said Doug McCauley, a professor of marine science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, highlighting the exceptional biodiversity and ecological significance of the region.
However, this rich cornucopia of marine wildlife has not always been so vibrant or resilient. Violet Sage Walker, chair of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, vividly recalled historical documentary footage showing the Channel Islands before modern conservation measures were put into place. During an era defined by intensive commercial fishing, the local kelp forests and key marine species suffered severe degradation.
"It looked like Mars, like a dead planet," Walker said, reflecting on the stark contrast between the damaged past and the thriving present.
That dramatic transformation began in earnest in 2003, when state officials designated waters surrounding the Channel Islands as California Marine Protected Areas, commonly referred to as MPAs. This conservation strategy functions much like creating underwater state parks. Encompassing roughly 150 square miles of protected waters, these islands now operate as vital safe havens for marine flora and fauna, effectively functioning as natural nurseries for juvenile fish while safeguarding dozens of iconic species, including kelp bass, rockfish, leopard sharks, and numerous other inhabitants.
Now, for the first time in 15 years, California officials are considering major proposals to establish new protected areas and expand existing ones. This initiative forms a central component of the state’s first-ever comprehensive review of its entire MPA network.
"This is a historic opportunity that we don’t want to miss," McCauley said, emphasizing the critical timing of the current policy evaluations.
Building California’s Marine Protections
MPAs are officially designated ocean zones where targeted restrictions on activities such as commercial and recreational fishing, oil and gas drilling, and other disruptive seafloor operations help preserve fragile marine ecosystems while granting damaged habitats the necessary room to recover. Although specific protections vary depending on the site, areas free from these intensive disturbances consistently yield larger fish, more abundant wildlife, and significantly healthier overall habitats, according to Sandy Aylesworth, director of the Pacific Initiative for Nature at the Natural Resources Defense Council, known as the NRDC.
Among the potential additions under consideration are two prominent proposals for protected zones located on the state’s Central Coast: the Point Sal and Mishopshno State Marine Conservation Area proposals. Each of these prospective sites has been co-sponsored by a California Tribe working in close collaboration with the NRDC. In the case of the Mishopshno proposal, the Environmental Defense Center, a prominent Santa Barbara-based non-profit organization, has also joined as a co-sponsor.
These Tribally sponsored proposals represent an unprecedented milestone for California’s MPA network. They offer the state a direct opportunity to formally recognize the deep, longstanding role of California Tribes as traditional ocean stewards and make meaningful progress on commitments to enhance Tribal marine stewardship in state governance.
A Rare Convergence of Habitats
The proposed Point Sal State Marine Conservation Area would encompass approximately nine square miles off the rugged coast of Santa Barbara County. At this location, a prominent coastal headland naturally shelters the waters on its southern side from fierce prevailing winds, creating calmer environmental conditions where fragile fish larvae can linger and mature safely. Nearby Lion Rock serves as a vital gathering place for seals and sea lions, as well as an important roosting habitat for numerous seabirds. Meanwhile, surrounding kelp forests and rocky reefs provide essential shelter and feeding grounds for fish, sharks, sea otters, and other marine wildlife.
Researchers have documented more than 880 sea lions gathered at the site in a single day, underscoring its ecological productivity.
"It’s a little tiny paradise," Walker said.
For the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, which proudly co-sponsored the proposal, Point Sal also holds profound cultural significance. Walker described ancient village sites located up and down the coast, representing a continuous relationship with the area woven deeply into Chumash history.
"Our people lived and thrived there for thousands of years," she noted.
Preserving Marine Ecosystems and Cultural Connections
This deep historical connection is central to another defining feature of the current MPA network review: the integration of formal Tribal stewardship. California’s existing MPAs currently lack formal Tribal co-management systems, despite the fact that Indigenous Tribes have carefully stewarded the lands and waters of the Central Coast for more than 10,000 years. The Point Sal and Mishopshno proposals mark a historic shift as some of the very first potential additions to the state network led directly by California Tribes.
Walker expressed her desire for the state to establish a clearer, more permanent pathway for coastal Tribes to participate actively in modern ocean stewardship. This vision includes secure access for traditional cultural practices and a formalized role in ongoing management decisions.
"Being able to reconnect and offer our vision and our help with dealing with climate resiliency and coastal stewardship is critical," she said.
The proposed Mishopshno State Marine Conservation Area offers another compelling example of what effective Tribal stewardship could achieve. Located farther down the coast near Carpinteria, the site features an unusual and rare convergence of marine habitats. Just offshore sits a 1.6-mile rocky reef supporting one of the Central Coast’s most resilient and enduring kelp forests.
Adjacent sandy-bottom habitats, sandy beaches, and a protected salt marsh create interconnected nursery and feeding grounds for an array of marine life. These areas support hundreds of bat rays, large fish species, and juvenile white sharks. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, the NRDC, and the Environmental Defense Center have jointly sponsored the proposal to protect the area, which draws its name from a historic Chumash village situated in the region.
A Refuge for Marine Wildlife
Carlos Gauna, a renowned shark filmmaker, documentarian, and researcher, has spent thousands of hours filming the exact marine environment slated for protection under the Mishopshno MPA proposal.
"I live and breathe sharks daily, and this is one of the most amazing spots in the world to see a great white shark. There is literally nothing like it anywhere else on the California coast," he said.
Over years of documenting the area, Gauna has witnessed numerous instances of illegal fishing, jet skiers purposefully harassing wildlife, and other anthropogenic threats to the local marine population.
"I’ve seen sharks get hit and injured by boats, or even deliberately killed," he said.
Gauna noted that establishing the area as an official MPA could help deter these damaging actions by clearly signaling to visitors that the waters are a designated safe haven for vulnerable marine wildlife.
He also pointed to successful protected areas globally as a clear model for what the new Mishopshno MPA might achieve. At Cabo Pulmo in Baja California, Gauna explained, the ecological contrast across the protected-area boundary is stark. Inside the reserve lies a thriving, abundant ecosystem.
"It’s one of the most stable and beautiful areas in the world for marine wildlife," he said.
Conversely, outside the reserve where intensive fishing pressure continues unabated, "it’s an underwater desert."
An Urgent Moment
California voters consistently demonstrate strong support for keeping the state’s iconic coastal waters healthy and protected. Recent survey data indicates that roughly 70 percent of California voters support expanding MPA protections at both Point Sal and Mishopshno. Although a small coalition of commercial and recreational fishing interests has raised opposition to the new MPA proposals, supporters note there is no scientific evidence demonstrating that California’s MPAs cause financial harm to local fisheries. In fact, research frequently indicates the opposite trend.
A comprehensive 2021 study examining two Southern California MPAs established in 2012 revealed that commercial fishing boats operating in surrounding areas experienced an increase in lobster catch of about 225 percent over a six-year period.
The California Fish and Game Commission is scheduled to hold its final votes on the proposed changes to the statewide MPA network. Observers note that because comprehensive reviews of California’s MPA network occur only once every decade, the Fish and Game Commission is unlikely to consider these two specific proposals again for many years if they are not advanced now.
"We have an opportunity now to protect the areas where California has jurisdiction, at a time when the federal government is undoing protections more broadly," McCauley said.
The outcome of the current policy review process will help define the next chapter of California’s marine protection network. For Walker, the broader implications extend far beyond the immediate regulatory decision.
"The ocean, given the opportunity, will thrive," she said. "But we have to give it the space and the time to heal itself."