Section 2853 Of Chapter 10.5. Marine Life Protection Act From California Fish And Game Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 10.5.
2853
. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that there is a need
to reexamine and redesign California's MPA system to increase its
coherence and its effectiveness at protecting the state's marine
life, habitat, and ecosystems.
(b) To improve the design and management of that system, the
commission, pursuant to Section 2859, shall adopt a Marine Life
Protection Program, which shall have all of the following goals:
(1) To protect the natural diversity and abundance of marine life,
and the structure, function, and integrity of marine ecosystems.
(2) To help sustain, conserve, and protect marine life
populations, including those of economic value, and rebuild those
that are depleted.
(3) To improve recreational, educational, and study opportunities
provided by marine ecosystems that are subject to minimal human
disturbance, and to manage these uses in a manner consistent with
protecting biodiversity.
(4) To protect marine natural heritage, including protection of
representative and unique marine life habitats in California waters
for their intrinsic value.
(5) To ensure that California's MPAs have clearly defined
objectives, effective management measures, and adequate enforcement,
and are based on sound scientific guidelines.
(6) To ensure that the state's MPAs are designed and managed, to
the extent possible, as a network.
(c) The program may include areas with various levels of
protection, and shall include all of the following elements:
(1) An improved marine life reserve component consistent with the
guidelines in subdivision (c) of Section 2857.
(2) Specific identified objectives, and management and enforcement
measures, for all MPAs in the system.
(3) Provisions for monitoring, research, and evaluation at
selected sites to facilitate adaptive management of MPAs and ensure
that the system meets the goals stated in this chapter.
(4) Provisions for educating the public about MPAs, and for
administering and enforcing MPAs in a manner that encourages public
participation.
(5) A process for the establishment, modification, or abolishment
of existing MPAs or new MPAs established pursuant to this program,
that involves interested parties, consistent with paragraph (7) of
subdivision (b) of Section 7050, and that facilitates the designation
of MPAs consistent with the master plan adopted pursuant to Section
2855.