ACS Monterey Bay Program for October 2005

California's Marine Life Protection Act --
A Brighter Future for the Central Coast

	Thursday, October 27, 2005 7 p.m. Refreshments, 7:30 p.m. Program Lecture Hall, Monterey Boatworks, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove (Across from American Tin Cannery Outlet Stores)
Speaker: Kaitilin Gaffney, Central Coast Program Manager, The Ocean Conservancy

Ms. Gaffney will provide an update on the status of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) -- California's landmark legislation requiring an improved network of marine protected areas. The primary goal of the law is to protect the natural diversity and abundance of marine life. The MLPA was enacted with overwhelming legislative support in 1999 and has been made cornerstone of the Governor's Ocean Action Plan for California.

The MLPA is currently being implemented in the Central Coast. A group of stakeholders including conservationists, fishermen and recreational users has been meeting in 2005 to develop proposals for new and improved Marine Protected Areas. Several coastal areas in the greater Monterey Peninsula region have been proposed for increased protection. Ms. Gaffney serves on the stakeholder group and will provide information on how the MLPA effort is progressing and how the public can get involved in this important issue.

Please join us to learn about this issue, which is so important to the future of our extraordinarily rich coastal waters.

Related web pages:

• The Ocean Conservancy
• Marine Life Protection Act Initiative

• Back to list of previous meetings.