California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative Regional Profile of the Central Coast Study Region (Pigeon Point to Point Conception, CA) September 19, 2005 (v.3.0) MLPA Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group Central Coast Regional Profile September 19, 2005 (v.3.0) INSIDE COVER MEMO: This Final Regional Profile of the Central Coast Study Region (Pigeon Point to Point Conception, CA) provides information to support the implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act in this region. In addition to this document, the Regional Profile includes spatial data layers posted on the MLPA Internet Mapping Service (IMS) site (http://maps.msi.ucsb.edu/mlpa) and maps posted on the MLPA website (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd/mlpa/draftdocuments.html). A draft of the Regional Profile was provided to the Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group on June 1, 2005; a draft final version was provided to them on August 1, 2005. Verbal and written comments were received from the stakeholders and addressed to the extent possible in this final version. This final profile was reviewed by members of the MLPA Science Advisory Team. The MLPA Initiative and CDFG staff are compiling and developing additional data layers and conducting GIS analyses. All of the spatial data layers will eventually be posted on the MLPA IMS site. In addition, new research contracts have been initiated to collect additional data. These include: • An assessment of patterns of non-consumptive use in the Central California Coast (C. LaFranchi and M. Tamanaha; results provided in Appendix VI) • A refinement of selected commercial fishing data through interviews to apportion historic effort to microblocks (Ecotrust; results pending and will be provided as Appendix VII) Cover Photo Credits: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP) i MLPA Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group Central Coast Regional Profile September 19, 2005 (v.3.0) Contents Executive Summary................................................................................................................................ vii 1.0 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................1 2.0 Description of the Study Region .........................................................................................................3 3.0 Ecological Setting ...............................................................................................................................5 3.1 Ecosystems and Habitats ...............................................................................................................5 3.1.1 Depth Categories .....................................................................................................................9 3.1.2 Intertidal Zones ......................................................................................................................10 3.1.3 Estuaries ................................................................................................................................13 3.1.4 Seagrass Beds.......................................................................................................................14 3.1.5 Kelp Forests...........................................................................................................................15 3.1.6 Sandy/Soft Bottoms ...............................................................................................................16 3.1.7 Rocky Reefs...........................................................................................................................18 3.1.8 Underwater Pinnacles............................................................................................................19 3.1.9 Submarine Canyons ..............................................................................................................19 3.1.10 Oceanographic Habitats ......................................................................................................20 3.2 Important Regional Species..........................................................................................................23 3.2.1 Species likely to benefit from MPAs.......................................................................................23 3.2.2 Depleted and Overfished Species .........................................................................................24 3.2.3 Special Status Species ..........................................................................................................27 3.3 Areas of Biodiversity Significance.................................................................................................30 4.0 Land-Sea Interactions.......................................................................................................................32 4.1 Ecological linkages .......................................................................................................................33 4.2 Coastal Watersheds and Land Use in Study Region....................................................................34 4.3 Coastal Water Quality ...................................................................................................................35 4.3.1 Impaired Water Bodies in the Central Coast Study Region ...................................................37 4.3.2 Beach Closures......................................................................................................................39 4.4 How Land use and Watershed Modification Effect Rivers and Coastal Waters............................41 4.4.1 Local Geology Can Impact Water Quality..............................................................................41 4.4.2 Nonpoint Sources ..................................................................................................................42 4.4.3 Point Sources.........................................................................................................................43 4.5 Current Projects Along Central Coast Addressing Coastal-Watershed Linkages.........................44 4.5.1 Water Quality Protection Program, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary......................44 4.5.2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Projects...................................................................44 4.5.3 Other Water Quality and Monitoring Programs......................................................................46 4.6 Effects of Coastal-Watershed Interactions on MPAs or Potential MPAs ......................................48 5.0 Socioeconomic Setting .....................................................................................................................49 5.1 Coastal Counties...........................................................................................................................50 5.1.1 Monterey County....................................................................................................................50 5.1.2 San Luis Obispo County ........................................................................................................51 5.1.3 San Mateo County .................................................................................................................52 5.1.4 Santa Barbara County ...........................................................................................................52 5.1.5 Santa Cruz County.................................................................................................................53 5.2 Population Projections ..................................................................................................................54 5.3 Coastal Tourism............................................................................................................................55 5.4 Commercial Fisheries ...................................................................................................................58 5.5 Aquaculture and Kelp Harvesting .................................................................................................67 5.5.1 Synopsis of Kelp Harvest Regulations...................................................................................68 5.5.2 Recreational Kelp Harvest .....................................................................................................68 5.5.3 Other Aquaculture..................................................................................................................69 ii MLPA Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group Central Coast Regional Profile September 19, 2005 (v.3.0) 5.6 Recreational Fisheries ..................................................................................................................69 5.6.1 Species harvested jointly by commercial and recreational fisheries within Central Coast study region ..............................................................................................................................................75 5.7 Scientific Collecting.......................................................................................................................78 5.8 Non-consumptive Uses.................................................................................................................80 5.8.1 Recreational Beach Use ........................................................................................................81