Check out our newly launched website to learn about our different programs working to advance the understanding and stewardship of ocean resources in California.

Download the toolkits here:

We hope you will join us in sharing these campaign assets with your audiences!

We are pleased to announce the release of the Marine Protected Area Education & Outreach Tool Evaluation Report.

Over the past decade of implementing the state's network of 124 marine protected areas (MPAs), California prioritized outreach and education, but little has been done to understand the impact of these investments. Our study, funded by OPC, is the first commissioned evaluation assessing the efficacy of select outreach tools for increasing awareness of MPAs among primary coastal user groups.

This report provides invaluable insight into the utility of MPA outreach tools and provides a better understanding of outreach successes. Findings elucidate where future investments should be focused for greatest impacts.

The report can be downloaded here: www.californiamsf.org/outreachevaluation2021 

On September 14, CMSF and the MPA Collaborative Network were awarded an OPC grant to implement an important MPA Signage Project. As a part of this project, we will evaluate existing signage efficacy, engage stakeholders to develop locally relevant content, and create and install 75 to 100 new signs.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Plastic use has led to many advances in the agriculture industry; offering longer growing seasons, efficient resource use, lower labor costs, increased crop yield and quality, and lowered agrichemical use. However, plastics used in open fields pose a major risk of transport to the ocean. In 2021, CMSF partnered with MBNMS and TNC to increase recycling of Drip Irrigation Tape (DIT). Though drip irrigation minimizes water use, it is currently not being widely recycled.

In October, CMSF co-hosted a collaborative, solution-oriented meeting to help increase recycling of drip tape in Monterey agricultural fields. Together with the Monterey County’s Farm Bureau this meeting was a call to action for increased DIT recycling. Recyclers, manufacturers, educators, and other key stakeholders discussed the impacts of agriculture plastics, barriers to recycling, and brainstormed ideas to help drive recycling efforts. Four key action areas that were identified include: 1) expanded education and outreach efforts, 2) the need for collection centers, 3) reduction in costs associated with transportation, and 4) the creation of a stakeholder-driven working group. This meeting served as a reminder that the responsibility for progress in increasing the recycling of DIT rests on commitment from multilevel key stakeholders.

Since the meeting, CMSF has created flyers and brochures to guide recycling of DIT. To learn more, email Jazmine Mejia-Muñoz at [email protected].

CMSF is just wrapping up a joint project with National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Monterey Bay chapter funded through the Ocean Protection Council and Coastal Quest. The project, Team OCEAN Tours, focused on connecting students online either individually or in classrooms, with on-the-water instructors in Elkhorn Slough and kelp forests off Monterey. By showcasing sea otters, eel grass, kelp, pelicans, crabs, and jellyfish students learned about food webs, habitats, adaptations, and local Marine Protected Areas.

A total of 2,311 students from Monterey, Santa Cruz, Alameda, and Sacramento Counties participated in the program that ran five weeks in the Spring and another five weeks in the Fall. For many students that live far from the ocean, this was a chance to get to know our planet’s salty waters better and ask naturalists questions about life on the bay and in the slough. One student stayed on our Zoom session longer just to be able to ask questions about marine worms! Student and teacher response to the program was outstanding. CMSF is currently looking for funding to continue this program into the future and serve more students.

CMSF’s very own Pam Krone received a 2021 Team Member of the Year Award for her dedicated service, leadership and expertise contributing to outstanding achievements in resource, coastal community and ocean ecosystem protection. The Team Member of the Year award is presented to members of the workforce who are not NOAA Federal employees. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding contributions to the National Ocean Service (NOS) programs and the demonstrated exceptional and sustained effort toward accomplishment of NOS missions.

Congratulations Pam!!