Implementation of Marine Protected Areas Pushed Back

The roll-out date of Southern California’s new marine protected areas (MPAs) has been pushed from 10/1 to 1/1/12, the California Department of Fish and Game announced this week. Based on controversy surrounding the legislation — which would create 36 zones in the waters between Pt. Conception and the border of Mexico to protect ocean ecosystems via a spectrum of recreational and commercial fishing restrictions — the state’s Office of Administrative Law (OAL) asked for clarification and additional information on the MPA plan. A Fish and Game spokesperson said the move was not unusual for such a massive regulatory undertaking, noting that her agency will be able to provide all the data the OAL asked for.