News
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OPC Releases Recommendations on MPA Petitions
In 2023, the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) received several petitions that proposed changes to the state’s successful and globally-renowned Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network. Twenty petitions were received in December 2023 and referred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for evaluation. In March of this…
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Seven Years of Action: California’s Fight Against Ocean Litter – The Ocean Litter Strategy Accomplishments Report is Now Available
In May 2026, the California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy Accomplishments Report: January 2018–August 2025 was published by the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), in partnership with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program (NOAA MDP), California Sea Grant, and USC Sea Grant. California has long recognized marine debris as a threat to communities, human health, ecosystems,…
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Slowing Down for Whales: How California Is Making Its Busiest Shipping Lanes Safer
Every spring, gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) travel north along the California coast, mothers and calves making a 12,000-mile round trip between their winter calving grounds in Baja California and their Arctic feeding grounds. These same waters carry an enormous volume of the world’s trade. Container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers…
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California Ocean Day 2026: A Big Day for the Coast
On April 28, 2026, ocean advocates, scientists, tribal partners, and state leaders converged on Sacramento for the 21st annual California Ocean Day, and the day delivered on every front. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an official proclamation designating April 28 as California Ocean Day, celebrating the state’s 1,100-mile coastline, world-class marine protected areas, the $51 billion coastal economy…



