On Thursday evening and all day Friday, California Department
of Fish and Game, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Channel
Islands National Park and the Partnership for Interdisciplinary
Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) at the University of California,
Santa Barbara are sponsoring a special session on the first five
years of monitoring marine protected areas (MPAs) around the Channel
Islands. In 2003, a network of 10 marine reserves and 2 marine
conservation areas was implemented in state waters of the Channel
Islands National Marine Sanctuary. The second phase of the network
of MPAs was implemented by the Channel Islands National Marine
Sanctuary in 2007. In 2008, the California Fish and Game Commission
will conduct a 5-year review of the state MPAs. This special session
is a first step in gathering information about the status of the
MPAs for the 5-year progress report.
Thursday, February 7th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm - Education and Compliance
This session will feature presentations on education and outreach
about MPAs, as well as compliance with MPA regulations.
Friday, February 8th, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm - Biological and
Socioeconomic Monitoring
Presentations will include those by scientists from academic,
agency, and non-profit organizations working in Channel Islands
MPAs. Biological monitoring programs that monitor species abundance
and distribution, size, movement, ecosystem effects, and habitat
changes will be presented. In the afternoon, the socioeconomics
of MPAs, including recreational and commercial fishery economics,
vessel distribution, and boater use of the islands, will be featured.
The special session on monitoring the Channel Islands marine protected
areas (MPAs) will be held in the Mandalay Ballroom, and admission
is free; you do not have to be registered for the Seventh California
Islands Symposium to attend the special session.
For
additional information about this symposium visit the Dept.of
Fish and Game Website
