CALL TO ACTION!

Submit Letters (Deadline: April 13. 8 am)

For Letter templates and instructions click here

Attend and Participate in Regional Meeting

April 21. 8:00 a.m. 

Join in person or online

Address and Link to Meeting below

In Person (Most Impact)

San Mateo Elks Lodge

229 W. 20th Avenue

San Mateo, CA 94403

Online

To join the meeting remotely via Zoom (video and audio), click directly on the meeting link at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82732570855. You may access instructions for joining by phone or Zoom by clicking here or visiting the Commission meetings webpage at fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2026; for instructions on how to join by phone (audio only), refer to Option 3.

Northern California commercial fishermen—and the businesses that depend on them—are at a critical moment as MPA petitions move toward review at the April 21 Fish and Game regional meeting

What’s at stake?

• potential loss of access to historic fishing grounds along the North Coast (including areas off Sonoma, Mendocino, and Humboldt)

• reduced opportunity in already limited nearshore and shelf fisheries

• increased pressure on remaining open areas leading to crowding and safety concerns

• economic impacts to ports like Bodega Bay, Fort Bragg, and Eureka

• disruption to crab, groundfish, and nearshore fisheries that support local supply chains

• *potential to get commercial fishing opportunites back

*not all petitions move in one direction—some proposals may adjust boundaries, reopen limited access, or better align protections with actual habitat use, which could create opportunities for improved access if shaped correctly. Scroll down this page to see specific MPA Petitions being discussed, and prepare your statement in support or opposition. 

Why it matters

decisions made now will define how much water remains available to fish and how fairly it is managed, especially as existing MPAs are still being evaluated

Action needed

fishermen, processors, and support industries must engage now—show up April 21, submit comments, and help ensure outcomes protect both ocean health and the long-term viability of commercial fishing.

NOT ANOTHER INCH! 

New and expanded Marine Protected Area (MPA) petitions are being consideration by the California Fish and Game Commission. 

In addition to HOW INCREASED MPAS affects you, keep in mind, the primary argument against expanding MPAs is that there has not been sufficient time to fully evaluate the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of the existing network—on fishermen’s livelihoods, consumer access to local seafood, and whether MPAs are achieving their intended outcomes. Expanding closures now risks shifting fishing pressure into smaller open areas, increasing reliance on imported seafood with a higher carbon footprint, and creating unintended economic and environmental consequences. 

• These proposals could further restrict access to key fishing grounds along the California coast —places many small-boat fishermen depend on every day. 

• What’s at stake is more than access—it’s the future of working waterfronts, local seafood supply, and the livelihoods of those who rely on these fisheries. 

• Additional closures risk shifting pressure into smaller open areas, increasing costs, and creating unintended impacts, while existing MPAs are still being evaluated. 

Increase Commercial Fishing Opportunity! 

Changes in Boundries and take restrictions via (MPA) petitions are being consideration by the California Fish and Game Commission. 

Support MPA petitions that increase commercial fishing opportunities is grounded in the need to responsibly restore access where existing restrictions may be broader than necessary, while still maintaining conservation goals. Thoughtful adjustments can strengthen local economies, improve access to sustainable, low-carbon seafood, and ensure fishing effort is more evenly distributed without compromising ecological objectives. 

• These proposals could further restrict access to key fishing grounds along the California coast —places many small-boat fishermen depend on every day. 

• What’s at stake is more than access—it’s the future of working waterfronts, local seafood supply, and the livelihoods of those who rely on these fisheries. 

• Additional closures risk shifting pressure into smaller open areas, increasing costs, and creating unintended impacts, while existing MPAs are still being evaluated. 

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MPA Petitions discussed in this meeting

2023-21

2023-14

2023-16

2023-32

2023-33

2023-23

Central Southern California - Santa Barbara - May 5, May 6 - San Luis Obispo through Santa Barbara Counties

Read More Here

Southern California - San Clememente - May 14 - Los Angeles through San Diego 

Read More Here

Click Here to view VCCFA's Series of web pages dedicated to the MPA Petition Process History and Current Status (20 minute read)