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Emailby Brynn Hooton-Kaufman with Karen Marvin
On January 1, coastal advocates had far more than the new year to celebrate. The turn of the year marked the opening of a network of Southern California underwater "parks" designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), a success due in no small part to years of public service by COS Executive Director Meg Caldwell. Over the last seven years, Caldwell spent more than sixty hours each month working toward this achievement as part of a Blue Ribbon Task Force, one of three volunteer bodies that participated in the MPA planning process under California's Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative.
We recently caught up with Meg to hear her story.
You’ve been involved in efforts to establish MPAs for some time. What got you involved initially and what roles have you played over the years?
I was appointed to the California Coastal Commission in 2004 by Governor Schwarzenegger. Former California Natural Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman got to know me through that appointment process. That same year, Secretary Chrisman asked if I would serve on the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force. After looking into the history and purpose of the MLPA, I realized that serving on the Task Force would be a tremendous opportunity to advance the State's ocean stewardship. Really, a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The MLPA was enacted partly to improve California's set of MPAs that were considered too small and poorly placed to achieve the desired results. How does the recent MPA activity in Southern California fit into this picture, and where do you foresee the effort going from here?
The MLPA's purpose was to re-examine those existing MPAs and develop a new statewide network of MPAs based on the best available science. The Southern California region was the third open coast region within the MLPA Initiative process, joining the Central Coast and the North Central Coast regions where MPAs were established in 2007 and 2010. Now that the upgraded statewide network is nearly complete, the State is moving into implementation, monitoring and adaptive management. The designation of the network is just the first step in a long-term stewardship process.
You’ve served on all four open coast region MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Forces (BRTFs) for the MPA planning process. The use of the volunteer BRTFs was unique to the MLPA Initiative; other efforts to develop MPAs have incorporated scientists, stakeholder and public outreach as the MLPA Initiative did, but lacked a BRTF. In your opinion, what was the most beneficial result of using a BRTF?
The BRTF was given the time and personnel to take a deep dive into all aspects of each region and yet maintain commitment to statewide interests and continuity of process across the entire California coast. We had the ability and charge to stay super-focused and provide the Fish and Game Commission with a fully vetted set of recommendations. The Task Force also served as a substance, financial and process advisor for the State, vetting and resolving process and policy questions as they arose, ensuring that the Initiative funds were used effectively and efficiently, and providing real time oversight for the stakeholder engagement and decision-making process.
Although many stakeholders supported the enacted protections, some lobster fishermen argue that the closures will have a significant negative impact on their livelihood. As a member of the BRTF, the group responsible for ensuring that stakeholder perspectives and interests appropriately informed development of proposed MPAs while also meeting statewide goals of the MLPA, how were you able to balance the opposing needs?
One of the most encouraging early signals from the monitoring results from the first set of MPAs established around the Channel Islands was how well the spiny lobster populations were responding. This fact and the evidence from research on MPAs around the world, gave many of us confidence that although there would be short-term economic impacts on some fishermen, the longer term benefits to our coastal ecosystems and to all different types of businesses that rely on a healthy, intact ocean should produce an overall positive set of results. We have an honest difference in outlook right now that may only be resolved by ongoing monitoring.
What are some of the
significant hurdles and victories that have come along the way to this
achievement in Southern California?
There are significant military assets and ongoing activities in the Southern California Bight. Initially, there existed significant tension between the Navy and the MLPA Initiative, since it was not clear how accommodation of and adjustments to the Navy's existing uses and anticipated needs would be addressed. Over time, we worked together and developed mutual trust and respect, and, ultimately, a common approach that worked for both our national security interests and our ocean stewardship responsibilities under the Act. This ended up being one of the accomplishments I am most proud of since I personally committed to help make it work for both.
Another significant accomplishment in the Southern California region was the active role of tribal communities in the MPA planning and development process, led by Regional Stakeholder Group member Roberta Cordero and her colleagues. The tribal communities' participation significantly advanced our thinking and recommendations for co-management of MPAs with tribal communities and designing MPAs specifically with historic tribal uses and significance in mind. This work paved the way for a much more substantial and formal engagement with tribal communities in the North Coast region.
Describe some personal qualities and characteristics that helped you keep going with this momentous effort. Were there other people who inspired or galvanized your involvement?
Some days were very challenging, but I think a couple of things helped me through:
- Deep commitment to the public process and seeing this complex process through to completion.
- Genuine passion for integrating science into resource management decision making.
- Willingness to not take myself too seriously - this was essential when the process became very intense and stressful.
One person in particular was an inspiration. He's Jim Dolon, the lifelong recreational fisherman who first petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to establish a network of MPAs around the Channel Islands back in the 1990s.
California has taken an innovative step by being the first state to create a network of MPAs in state waters; globally, the creation of MPAs by sub-national governments is rare. Would you consider volunteering your expertise to other regions that may follow California’s lead?
Yes, by co-authoring articles on the MLPA process that will help document the approaches we took and the lessons we learned as well as by speaking at international conferences. I look forward to many more opportunities to help other regions learn from the MLPA experience.
What did you take away from your experience on the Blue Ribbon Task Force, and how do you think it will benefit your efforts at the Center for Ocean Solutions?
The experience has deeply affected my understanding of the challenges of natural resource management in the ocean and the tight relationships that exist between human communities and the ocean. I believe that the experience will continue to influence my work every day.
What advice would you give others who want to get involved in supporting healthy oceans?
Engage for the long haul. Work on building and deepening relationships just as hard as learning the natural, physical, and social science aspects of your work.
Karen Marvin is responsible for communications at the Center for Ocean Solutions and can be reached at kmarvin@stanford.edu
Brynn Hooton-Kaufman is the science communication intern at the Center for Ocean Solutions and can be reached at bhooton@mlml.calstate.edu.
To learn more on the new Southern California Marine Protected Areas, you can read these news articles:
9 January 2012, Fishing Ban Goes Into Effect in Laguna – Orange County Register
3 January 2012, Dana Point’s Marine Protections Get Stricter – Orange County Register
3 January 2012, New No Fishing Zones for California: Long Anticipated Marine Protected Areas Become A Reality on New Years Day – Santa Barbara Independent
1 January 2012, Lobster Fishermen Worry About New Marine Reserve – Monterey County Herald
31 December 2011, Fishing Restrictions Aimed at Protecting Undersea Habitat – Contra Costa Times
31 December 2011, Volunteers to Help Patrol New Marine Sanctuaries – Los Angeles Times
30 December 2011, Marine Protected Areas Take Effect Sunday – Ventura County Star
30 December 2011, New Ocean Protections Come Ashore – Laguna Beach Independent
29 December 2011, Community Commentary: Local Waters Getting the Protection They Need – Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot
26 December 2011, California’s Newest State Parks Are in the Ocean- Huffington Post
