Like parks on land, marine protected areas give ocean life and habitats the breathing room to become more resilient in the face of challenges like overfishing and pollution.

Ocean Conservancy has worked for many years to help California achieve the first-ever statewide network of marine protected areas. Science shows that these protected areas will improve biodiversity, bring back economically important fisheries and support overall ocean health.

As in other parts of the world, the California coast is taxed by a growing population. That means increasing numbers of people seeking time on the water.

Sadly, more and more people are leaving their trash behind. And now this storied coastline could bear the brunt of debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan.

Adding to the pressure, recreational activities like kayaking, paddleboarding and recreational fishing often compete for ocean space with commercial interests including shipping and transportation, energy development, and commercial fishing.

More activity on the water means more stress on habitats and wildlife. Ocean Conservancy supports a holistic approach to smart ocean planning, and we’ve worked for more than 30 years on a vision of clean water and beaches.

When the ocean absorbs our carbon emissions from the atmosphere, the resulting change in water chemistry makes it difficult for shell-building animals to make shells. Called ocean acidification, this threat is affecting marine life along with people’s livelihoods right now.

In the waters off the coast of Washington and Oregon, ocean acidification is taking some of its first victims. Oyster larvae critical for the region’s oyster farmers have been unable to thrive. Local action to address acidification exists, and Ocean Conservancy is collaborating with a range of partners and stakeholders to monitor and address this critical emerging issue.