In 2007, MARINe researchers (funded by California Sea Grant) established 12 new sites between Pigeon Point and Point Conception, California. The goal of this project was to collect baseline biological data for rocky intertidal habitats as part of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (Central Coast Study Region).

These sites were sampled using existing MARINe protocols for consistency, and to ensure that adequate baseline data were collected both at the newly established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and at appropriate reference locations. Additional funding has allowed for re-sampling of these sites in 2008-09 in order to evaluate marine reserve effectiveness over time.

These newly established sites fill in previous gaps along the Central Coast Region; there are now a total of 16 MPA sites and 21 reference sites. These data and web-based data products will be made available to decision-makers, managers, scientists and stakeholders using accepted metadata standards. For more information on the MLPA Initiative and the Central Coast Study Region, please visit the Department of Fish and Game to view the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative.