EAC's Executive Director will be advocating for increasing local Marine Protected Area (MPA) protections on November 6th at the Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee meeting, which starts at 9:30 am. Specifically, we support the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s recommendation to convert Drakes Estero State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) into a State Marine Reserve (SMR), ending recreational clamming in this Marine Wilderness area (Agenda Item 2). Drakes Estero was designated as an SMCA to allow the former aquaculture activities to continue operating. When the MPA was designated, the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) North Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group recommended changing the classification from an SMCA to an SMR when it is feasible to do so. Aquaculture activities ceased in 2014. Redesignation to a State Marine Reserve will help protect biodiversity in the eelgrass beds that have recovered since the removal of the aquaculture infrastructure. Creating a reserve would also eliminate the confusing and arbitrary boundary between the current SMCA and SMR.

The adaptive management change is supported by the National Park Service, Marin County Supervisor Rodoni, scientists, NGOs and community-based organizations, local individuals, and local tribal representatives. EAC originally submitted a petition requesting this change in November 2023 and has been engaged in the public process since then.

On November 7th, EAC’s Executive Director will also speak on Agenda Item 3, the application for a new aquaculture lease in Tomales Bay. She will raise concerns about this application related to shorebirds, benthic, and harbor seal impacts. Day 2 of the meeting starts at 8:30 AM.

The meeting will be held in Sacramento and is on Zoom.

Agenda and join meeting: https://bit.ly/48yu7Xn

Meeting documents & EAC’s Comments on Agenda Item 2, Drakes Estero