Welcome to the May 2020 issue of the California Marine Protected Area
(MPA) Education and Outreach Newsletter!
In this issue, you will find information on World Oceans Day programs and events, updates on MPA related projects and more!
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The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation is committed to supporting a better future that proactively addresses the racial, social, and environmental crises. We are listening, learning, and standing with everyone that aspires for a more just and equitable future.
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World Oceans Day is June 8th!
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Together We Can Protect Our Home
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World Oceans Day has been celebrating the ocean on June 8th every year since 2002. And while Covid-19 and social distancing are changing how we recognize our blue planet this year, the need for action is perhaps more important than ever. For 2020, World Oceans Day is growing the global movement to call on world leaders to protect 30% of the world's ocean by 2030 - a campaign called 30x30. By safeguarding a least 30% of our ocean through a network of highly protected areas we can help ensure a healthy home for both marine and human life.
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World Oceans Day Special Events
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Saturday June 6th
Free Movie Screening: Cafeteria Culture is offering free screenings of their award winning documentary,
MICROPLASCTIC MADNESS. Told through a refreshing urban youth point of view, the movie links youth activism to two of the most critical issues of our time, plastic pollution and the climate crisis.
Sunday June 7th
World Oceans Day Tribal Celebration: Come celebrate the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria's World Oceans Day Tribal Celebration at the Trinidad Bay on June 7th, 2020.
For more information click here.
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Monday June 8th
#OceanLovesSF Movie Premier @ 5pm: The premier of #OceanLoveSF by Aquarium of the Bay. Watch on our website, Facebook Live, Instagram and YouTube channel.
Click here for more information.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Join educators, scientists, and other experts from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as we celebrate World Ocean Day!
Check out the schedule of online events here.
Marine Debris Art Exhibits
Kauai Society of Artists Present “Washed Up”. This show is presented in affiliation with Kauai Chapter, Surfrider Foundation. Here is a link to the
KSA website and
an article printed in the Garden Island Newspaper about the show and the artists.
Kauai Artist and Surfrider volunteer, Monika Mira curated an international Marine Debris Art Exhibit for World Oceans Day. This is a VIRTUAL GALLERY so it can be viewed in the comfort and safety of your home. It features marine debris artists from around the globe.
The exhibition can be viewed by clicking here.
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Save Our Shores Oceans Week
Beginning with a fun lineup of family-friendly virtual events on World Oceans Day, Save Our Shores’ Oceans Week will promote the ongoing ocean awareness and advocacy that's especially crucial during times of crisis. Bookmark our
events calendar for updates.
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CA Marine Sanctuary Foundation Updates
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CA MPA Social Media Campaign is Live!
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The goal of this campaign is to heighten the visibility of California's MPAs on social media platforms to increase awareness, particularly ahead of the 2022 MPA management review.
This link will take you to the first packet of 8 curated posts. Within each you will find text for the post, suggestions on how to customize the content to your specific location, hashtags to use, and links to high resolution media to accompany the messages. We hope you will join us by posting once a week , using the hashtag
#CalifMPAs or #CaliforniaMPAs.
Feel free to modify the content and use it however you’d like- You can change text or images to match your audience and location or use it as it is.
We’ve also compiled an
information sheet that contains further details on how to participate, social media best practices, tips and tricks for boosting your reach, growing your followers, and more! You will also find a list of links at the bottom that you may find useful for additional information. We will be sending out packets of curated content every 2 months, so stay tuned for a new batch in August.
We look forward to working with you over the next year to raise awareness of our state MPAs!
If you would like to join our social media mailing list and stay up to date on the MPA Social Media Campaign,
please sign up here.
Please feel free to contact
katelyn@californiamsf.org with any questions, comments, suggestions for future topics or concerns.
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California Department of Fish & Wildlife
MPA Management Program Updates
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CDFW manages California’s 124 MPAs and 14 special closures as a network using a
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CDFW MPA Management and Law Enforcement staff on the P/B Coho at Wrigley Institute of Environmental Studies, Catalina Island. From left to right: Amanda Van Diggelen, Steve Wertz, Chenchen Shen, Mike Prall, Sara Worden, Joe Johnson, and Sean Stanton. (photo CDFW/Ota).
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While long-term MPA monitoring may be limited in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CDFW and partners are working diligently from home gathering information to inform the 2022 review. As the situation develops and researchers do their best to maintain the continuity of long-term monitoring, you can learn more about their projects and what has already been done in 2019. California Sea Grant has published a series of stories highlighting the individual projects, so far including
sandy beaches
,
kelp forests
, and
ocean observing systems
, to share the valuable contributions these projects are making to our collective understanding about California’s MPA Network.
MPA outreach and education efforts have continued online through the pandemic. CDFW’s Marine Region releases monthly Marine Management News blog articles featuring individual MPAs within the statewide network in the
Exploring California’s MPAs
series. CDFW also supports the MPA Collaborative Network by highlighting one Collaborative each month in
MPA News.
California State Parks has expanded its
Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS) Program
, and live MPA programming is broadcast every Monday from parks across the state. For World Oceans Day, State Parks will host a full day of live programming as well as release a special MPA edition of its interpreters’ newsletter, the
Catalyst
. While Californians shelter in place to help flatten the curve, their desire to connect with nature has only grown, and we recognize that MPAs aim to protect what is also important for our own wellbeing.
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To remain informed of updates regarding the MPA Management Program
sign-up here.
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MPA Collaborative Network Updates
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The MPA Collaborative Network thanks all those who contributed to the #MPAArtChallenge during the month of April! We saw many wonderful creations showcasing what marine protected areas (MPAs) mean to the artist. Check out the submissions
here.
We also want to help families and students stay busy at home by sharing online learning resources from our members and partner organizations. Visit our
Home Learning Resources blog page to find online livestreams, webinars, free activities, curriculums, and more. If you have a resource you would like to share, click the ‘Share Your Resources’ button, fill out the information and your resource will be added to the page.
We have also launched a brand new web page dedicated to the MPA Collaborative Network’s
mini-Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Program. Visit the page to find program highlights, resources, information on how to get involved, and network knowledge tips and tricks.
We hope everyone has a great time celebrating
World Oceans Day and encourage you to check out your local programming to get involved! If you are looking for some virtual ocean edutainment, our partners at California State Parks PORTS Distance Learning Program have a full day of #MPAMonday and World Oceans Day
programming planned, including a potential mini-ROV live streamed dive from Morro Bay State Parks. Tune in on Monday, June 8th! If you have any upcoming events you’d like us to share, reach out to
mpacollaborativenetwork@gmail.com with the details.
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MPA Art Challenge submission from Zoë, age 20.
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Mendocino MPA Collaborative members test out their Trident mini-ROV during a Collaborative Mini-ROV Training at Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, Mendocino. From left to right, Stephen Jahelka (State Parks Interpreter), Nikki Kohls (State Parks MPA Interpreter), Tristin McHugh (Reef Check California).
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A 'physically- distant' Snapshot Cal Coast is happening now until November!
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From Del Norte to San Diego County, you can help build an annual snapshot of biodiversity along the California coast!
**Please only go to beaches on your own or with your families and make observations as long as you are following local laws and respecting beach closures.
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New Book: Beyond Polarization- Public Process and the Unlikely Story of California's Marine Protected Areas
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Steven Yaffee, Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy at the University of Michigan, just released a new book detailing California’s successful effort to establish its marine protected area (MPA) network.
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NOAA'S 30 DAYS OF OCEAN CAMPAIGN
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Each June, NOAA celebrates our ocean with its #30DaysofOcean campaign.
NOAA’s Ocean Facts can help you answer the essential question: How many oceans are there? But what else do you know about the ocean? Watch the video and learn all about the Ocean on
NOAA’s 30 Days of Ocean website, which will be covering one theme each week for the entire month of June! Then, use
NOAA Ocean Service educational content to celebrate our blue planet!
This year, World Ocean Day is being celebrated on June 8th, 2020, and calls on world leaders to protect 30% of our blue planet by 2030. Check out events and resources here.
NOAA’s 30 Days of Ocean themes are:
- OCEAN HEALTH! (June 1-6)
- OCEAN TRIVIA! (June 7-13)
- OCEAN LIFE! (June 14-20)
- OCEAN SCIENCE! (June 21-30)
And that’s not all! NOAA Ocean Explorer is hosting a digital celebration of our Blue Planet through images, videos, and talks from the field.
Check them out here!
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