San Diego-Scripps Coastal Marine Conservation Area

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Garibaldi, or Catalina goldfish

San Diego-Scripps Coastal Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) and Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve (SMR) are adjoining marine protected areas that extend offshore from La Jolla in San Diego County on California's south coast. The two marine protected areas cover 2.51 square miles (6.5 km2). San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA prohibits the take of all living marine resources except that coastal pelagic species, not including market squid, may be taken recreationally by hook and line. Matlahuayl SMR prohibits the take of all living marine resources.

History[edit]

The origins of the marine reserve date back to 1929 when the state of California set aside a "marine life refuge" to protect the submerged and intertidal area near the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.In 1957, the nearshore area became part of the San Diego Marine Life Refuge.[1]

Environmental activism led to the creation of the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park to prevent over-fishing. In 1970, the City of San Diego incorporated the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park that stretched more than 2 miles (3.2 km) offshore. Responsibility for maintenance was to be shared by the City of San Diego's Department of Parks and Recreation and the California Department of Fish and Game. A 514-acre ecological reserve and marine life refuge was created at the same time, known as the "Look, Don't Touch Ecological Reserve."[2] In 1981, the San Diego City Council extended the boundaries of the ecological reserve to include La Jolla Cove.[3]

The passage of the Marine Life Management Act (1998) and the Marine Life Protection Act (1999) led to the establishment of a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in California.[4] The MPAs in San Diego County are:

  • San Dieguito Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA)
  • San Diego-Scripps Coastal State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA)
  • Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve (SMR)
  • South La Jolla State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA)
  • South La Jolla State Marine Reserve (SMR)
  • Famosa Slough State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA)
  • Cabrillo State Marine Reserve (SMR) the Tijuana River Mouth State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA)

Marine Life Protection Act (1999)[edit]

California was the first state in the United States to establish a system of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)—like national parks and forests—to protect and restore ocean habitats and ocean ecosystems. The 1999 California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) created a network of marine protected areas along its 1,100 miles (1,800 km) coastline and divided the state into five regions: the north coast, north central coast, central coast, south coast, and San Francisco Bay. In 2012, over 120 underwater refuges were created along California’s coast.[5]

The goals that guided the planning process were:

  • Protect the natural diversity and abundance of marine life, and the structure, function and integrity of marine ecosystems.
  • Help sustain, conserve and protect marine life populations, including those of economic value, and rebuild those that are depleted.
  • Improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems that are subject to minimal human disturbance, and to manage these uses in a manner consistent with protecting biodiversity.
  • Protect marine natural heritage, including protection of representative and unique marine life habitats in CA waters for their intrinsic values.
  • Ensure California's MPAs have clearly defined objectives, effective management measures and adequate enforcement and are based on sound scientific guidelines.
  • Ensure the State's MPAs are designed and managed, to the extent possible, as a network.

To achieve these goals, the following designations were created:

  • State Marine Reserves (SMR) restrict all commercial and recreational activities
  • State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCA) have specifical goals for conservation
  • State Marine Parks (SMP) allow opportunities for education, research, and recreation while preventing commercial extractive activities
  • State Marine Recreational Management Area (SMRMA) protect certain recreational activities
  • Special Closures prohibit access or boating activities adjacent to sea bird rookeries or marine mammal haul-out sites (restrictions vary).

San Diego-Scripps Coastal Marine Conservation Area[edit]

San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA covers just under 1.5 square miles from shore to depths greater than 360 feet, protecting a mix of rocky shoreline, sandy beaches, rocky reefs, and submarine canyon habitat.

Regulations[edit]

It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource, EXCEPT: Recreational take of coastal pelagic species except market squid (northern anchovy, Pacific sardine, Pacific mackerel, and jack mackerel), by hook-and-line only is allowed. California Code of Regulations Title 141, Section 632(b)(14)

Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve[edit]

Matlahuayl SMR covers just over one square mile from shore to depths greater than 330 feet, protecting a mix of sandy beaches, rocky intertidal areas, surfgrass beds, rocky reefs, sea caves, and submarine canyon habitat.

The name Matlahuayl was adopted in honor of the Kumeyaay, a local indigenous people. La Jolla was the location of a large habitation area known as Mut kula xuy (place of many caves). Spindrift, also called the La Jolla Complex, encompasses the parcel of coastal land along La Jolla Shores down to La Jolla Cove.[6]

Regulations[edit]

It is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource. California Code of Regulations Title 141, Section 632(b)(14)

Geography and natural features[edit]

La Jolla Bay

San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA and Matlahuayl SMR are marine protected areas that extend offshore from La Jolla in San Diego County on California's south coast.

San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed:

  1. 32°53.000′N 117°15.166′W / 32.883333°N 117.252767°W / 32.883333; -117.252767 (1st corner)
  2. 32°53.000′N 117°16.400′W / 32.883333°N 117.273333°W / 32.883333; -117.273333 (2nd corner)
  3. 32°51.964′N 117°16.400′W / 32.866067°N 117.273333°W / 32.866067; -117.273333 (3rd corner) and
  4. 32°51.964′N 117°15.233′W / 32.866067°N 117.253883°W / 32.866067; -117.253883 (4th corner).

Matlahuayl SMR is bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed:

  1. 32°51.964′N 117°15.233′W / 32.866067°N 117.253883°W / 32.866067; -117.253883 (1st corner)
  2. 32°51.964′N 117°16.400′W / 32.866067°N 117.273333°W / 32.866067; -117.273333 (3rd corner) and
  3. 32°51.067′N 117°16.400′W / 32.851117°N 117.273333°W / 32.851117; -117.273333 (4th corner).

Habitat and wildlife[edit]

Giant Kelp

San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA and Matlahuayl SMR protect most of the unique Scripps Canyon branch of La Jolla's submarine canyon system and the southernmost natural California mussel bed. The area is a hotbed of biodiversity and sustains a thriving ecosystem. The areas encompass four distinct habitat zones; rocky reef, kelp forest, sandy flat, and deepwater canyon. In a study focused around the benefits of MPAs, it was found that throughout the La Jolla region, there were half of the known California fish species present.[7] This study also found that 265 species spread across 95 families were found within these La Jolla adjacent MPAs.[7]

Recreation and nearby attractions[edit]

Nearby La Jolla Shores is one of San Diego's most popular beach going destinations. The long, wide stretch of sand provides plenty of room for families to picnic and build sand castles, set up volleyball nets, or a game of Frisbee. A vehicle friendly small boat and kayak launch is located at the end of Avenida De La Playa. Local companies offer tours that include kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, and trips though the famed sea caves beneath the cliffs. Recreational fishing from a kayak is especially popular just outside the protected areas. For a more tucked away experience, visitors can find Blacks Beach a little farther north along the coast.

The easy access makes La Jolla Cove a superb dive location. The abundant and healthy marine life and habitat here makes it a draw for beginners and experts alike. It is not uncommon for underwater visibility in the cove to exceed 30 feet. Visitors can expect to see an array of fish and sea birds, as well as sea lions, harbor seals, dolphins, and even the occasional sea turtle. The Cave Store sits along Coast Avenue with the a tunnel allowing guests to view the connected sea cave.

Children's Pool Beach (also known as Casa Beach), just to the south of La Jolla Cove, has become a famous haul-out and breeding spot for harbor seals, where they can be seen year-round basking on the shore. There are many tide pools in this vicinity to explore. Visitors can relax and picnic at Kellogg Park, a large grassy area adjacent to the beach with barbecue pits, a playground and restrooms.

Another area attraction is Birch Aquarium. The aquarium is associated with the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography and is open to the public.

Public Art[edit]

Shark, Map of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla, Kellogg Park

A Map of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla,[1] located at Kellogg Park in La Jolla Shores, was opened to the public in October 2020. The 2,200-square-foot mosaic map, embedded in the ground, shows more than 100 life-size images of creatures found just offshore. Significant underwater canyons are indicated by varying shades of blue to mark ocean depths. The mosaic, made using a process called LithoMosaic, was sponsored by the Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans, among other community groups.[8]

In 2023, a 4-000 lb. bronze topographic map of the La Jolla Canyon was installed at Kellogg Park in La Jolla, titled “From the Heights of Mount Soledad to the Depths of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla.”[9]

Scientific monitoring[edit]

As specified by the Marine Life Protection Act, select marine protected areas along California's central coast are being monitored by scientists to track their effectiveness and learn more about ocean health. Similar studies in marine protected areas located off of the Santa Barbara Channel Islands have already detected gradual improvements in fish size and number.[10]

Students and employees of University of California, San Diego, have also been permitted to use this area to conduct research and are allowed to take many marine species under the authorization of a scientific collection permit.[11]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Cultural History". About Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve, and San Diego-Scripps Coastal State Marine Conservation Area. California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Underwater Park Ecology Reserve Dedication Slated". San Diego Union. No. August 20, 1971.
  3. ^ Garfield, Judith Lea (1994). The San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve. San Diego: Picaro.
  4. ^ "California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)". California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
  5. ^ "Marine Life Protection Act". California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
  6. ^ Lucas, Carmen; Coyle, Courtney Ann (Winter 2009). "A Tribal Historical Context of Spindrift's Status as an Archaeological Resource". Timekeeper: The Official Newsletter of the la Jolla Historical Society. 28 (4): 16.
  7. ^ a b "Research Highlight: Local Survey Shows More Than Half of All California Fish Species Can Be Found in La Jolla". Scripps Institution of Oceanography. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  8. ^ Mackin-Solomon, Ashley (October 19, 2020). "Map of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla's marine mosaic opens to the public". La Jolla Light. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  9. ^ Elling, Regina (February 8, 2023). "Sculptor Dives into the Deep End for Bronze Map of La Jolla Canyons". La Jolla Light. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  10. ^ http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/channel_islands/pdfs/handout_caselle.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  11. ^ "San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA – California MPAS". Retrieved 2022-05-24.

External links[edit]

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