This page has the most up to date information as of March 22, 2026 and is currently under construction. There are notes in sections designed for the internal team. *These notes will be replaced as updated.
Embedded Files
Strength in numbers 81 Members and growing: Join today!
Current Status of California MPA Petitions
Current Status of California MPA Petitions
Where the Process Stands
Where the Process Stands
As of March 22, 2026, the California Fish and Game Commission’s current MPA petition process centers on 20 Marine Protected Area petitions that were originally submitted in November 2023, with some later amended in 2025. According to the Commission’s official status index, five petitions were already acted on in December 2024, while the remaining 15 petitions were referred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for evaluation. A granted petition does not mean the regulation has changed yet; it means the Commission approved that proposal for possible future rulemaking consideration.
What Is Happening Now
What Is Happening Now
The process is now in an active review phase. CDFW has built a public MPA petition process resource that tracks the evaluations and recommendations tied to these petitions, and the Commission has linked directly to those materials as part of its current MPA information hub. The Commission’s latest MPA materials also state that CDFW has released evaluations and recommendations for both non-tribally led or co-led petitions and tribally led petitions, and that these materials are part of the current decision record being reviewed in 2026.
How the Commission Is Reviewing the Petitions
How the Commission Is Reviewing the Petitions
At its October 2025 meeting, the Commission decided that future review of the MPA petitions and evaluations would be handled directly by the full Commission through regional, in-person, committee-style meetings. At its December 2025 meeting, it then added three 2026 meeting dates specifically for these MPA discussions. The goal is to review petitions region by region rather than all at once statewide.
2026 Regional MPA Meeting Schedule
2026 Regional MPA Meeting Schedule
The Commission’s official 2026 calendar shows three major MPA petition meetings now scheduled by region:
April 21, 2026 — Del Norte through Monterey counties, in San Mateo
May 5–6, 2026 — San Luis Obispo through Santa Barbara counties, including the northern Channel Islands and Santa Barbara Island
May 19, 2026 — Los Angeles through San Diego counties, including Santa Catalina Island, in San Clemente
Why the May 5–6 Meeting Matters for the Central Coast and Channel Islands
Why the May 5–6 Meeting Matters for the Central Coast and Channel Islands
Commission staff specifically noted that the Santa Barbara area discussion was expected to require more than one day because of the number of petitioned actions in that region. For that reason, the Commission expanded the Central Coast/Santa Barbara regional discussion into a day-and-a-half meeting on May 5–6, 2026. For stakeholders in Ventura and Santa Barbara County waters, that makes this one of the most important meetings in the current process.
Public Comments Are Still Part of the Record
Public Comments Are Still Part of the Record
The Commission’s February 10, 2026 status index includes links to compiled public comments for each of the 15 active petitions under CDFW review. Those comment files are updated following Commission meetings and are part of the public record that commissioners can review as the process moves forward. This means organized stakeholder input, coalition letters, and public testimony continue to matter.
What Happens Next
What Happens Next
The current phase is best understood as evaluation and discussion, not final resolution. The Commission is holding its 2026 regional meetings to review petition evaluations, discuss region-specific proposals, and hear public input. Any petition action that the Commission ultimately wants to move forward would still need to go through the normal rulemaking process before regulations are changed.
Why This Process Matters
Why This Process Matters
These petitions are not minor administrative items. They involve proposed changes to California’s MPA regulations and management program, including boundary changes, designation changes, take allowances, and other management adjustments affecting different parts of the coast. The outcome of this process could shape future access, conservation policy, enforcement priorities, and management of California’s marine resources for years to come.
Stay Informed
Stay Informed
For anyone following the future of California’s coastal fisheries, this is the key period to watch. The Fish and Game Commission is no longer treating these petitions as a distant procedural issue; it has moved them into a structured 2026 review process with regional meetings, CDFW evaluations, compiled public comments, and public-facing petition resources. Stakeholders who want to understand or influence the outcome should follow the Commission meeting schedule closely and review the petition materials for their region.
Important Upcoming Dates
April 14 CDFW Tribal Committee Meeting Update Discussion of Bin 2 Petitions w/Tribal Components (5 petitions not yet evaluated by CDFW)
Regional Fish and Game Commission Meetings
Half Moon Bay April 21 Venue and Time TBD
Santa Barbara May 5, 6 Venue and Time TBD
Oceanside Northern San Diego May 19 Venue and Time TBD
Milestones/Updates
March 20
CA Department Fish and Wildlife Recomendations to CA Fish and Game Commission View Here
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse