🐋⚓ #FisheriesFridays Did you know that OPC funding helps protect whales by reducing entanglement risk, while also supporting California’s fisheries through innovation and collaboration? 👉 Learn more: bit.ly/OPC-GEAR

The Ocean Protection Council meeting will start at 1PM! Watch it live on YouTube: youtube.com/live/1OvWG2aN64Q To join by Zoom or view the meeting materials visit our website: opc.ca.gov/2025/08/council-meeting-september-30-2025

Reminder: Council meeting tomorrow! The Ocean Protection Council meets on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 1 PM, both virtually and in person. You can view the agenda and meeting materials on our website. opc.ca.gov/2025/08/coun...

Dive into what’s happening across California in our September newsletter — full of projects, funding news, and stories you’ll want to follow. 🔗 Read the newsletter: bit.ly/OPC-SEP-2025

OPC seeks information to understand how federal actions are impacting efforts to understand, conserve, and protect California’s coast and ocean. Learn more and complete the survey: bit.ly/OPC-FDSURVEY

Myth: Kelp forests don’t need our help to recover. Fact: Conservation and restoration action can help kelp thrive. Thank you for joining us for the Myth vs. Kelp Series! 💙🌿 Follow us on our other socials to explore the myth vs. fact details and see the full series: opc.ca.gov/social

📰 New Quillback Rockfish stock assessment and rapid state response improve groundfish fishing opportunity! Learn more: bit.ly/OPC-QRF

Welcome to the final week of the Myth vs. Kelp Series! ⬇️ Myth: Kelp forests are thriving along California's coast. Fact: In many places, California's kelp forests are under threat. Follow us on our other socials to get the details: opc.ca.gov/social

Week 2 / Part 2 of the Myth vs. Kelp Series ⬇️ Myth: Kelp loss doesn’t impact life on land. Fact: Kelp protects coasts and helps sustain life. Follow us on our other socials to get the details! opc.ca.gov/social 'Sea' you next week as we continue our Kelp Myth vs. Fact series!

🌊 Public Webinar – Achieving 30×30 in California’s Coastal Waters 🌊 Join us on Thursday, September 4, 2025 (1–2 p.m.) for a look at the work ahead to meet California’s #30x30 goal in coastal waters. 🔗 Register on Zoom: bit.ly/OPC-30x30-25 #30x30CA #OceanConservation #CaliforniaCoast

Week 2 / Part 1 of the Myth vs. Kelp Series ⬇️ Myth: Kelp has no value. Fact: Kelp fuels a healthy ocean, strong communities, and California’s economy. Follow us on our other socials to get the details! opc.ca.gov/social

Week 1 / Part 2 of the Myth vs. Kelp Series ⬇️ Myth: Kelp is an ocean plant. Fact: Kelp isn’t a plant, it’s algae! Follow us on our other socials to get the details! opc.ca.gov/social

The California Coast & Ocean Newsletter for August is here! 🌊 🔗 Explore it all: bit.ly/OPC-AUG-2025

📷 It's #WorldPhotographyDay! We 💙 everyone's submissions for the “Photo of the Month” - and we can't wait to see YOURS! Whether it’s a serene shoreline, vibrant marine life, or a captivating coastal sunset, share the beauty of CA's coast & ocean through your lens! ➡️ opc.ca.gov/2024/08/submit-photo

Welcome to our Kelp Myths vs. Facts series! Myth: Kelp forests are slimy, spooky, and best left alone. Fact: Kelp forests are hubs for marine life and people! Follow us on our other socials to learn more: opc.ca.gov/social

This week, OPC leadership attended the 30×30 Partnership Summit. They hosted a coastal waters panel showcasing state, federal, tribal, and community partnerships, and took part in an international convening on the importance of subnational leadership in protecting nature and fighting climate change.

🌊🌿 30×30 Progress in Action! At the 2025 30×30 Summit in San Diego, OPC and California Natural Resources Agency celebrated California’s conservation gains. 📍 21.9% of our coastal waters and 26.1% of our lands are now conserved, bringing us closer to protecting 30% by 2030. 🔗 opc.ca.gov/30x30

📢 We’re hiring! Join OPC as our next Tribal Affairs and Community Engagement Specialist and help ensure California’s coast and ocean programs reflect the voices, priorities, and needs of tribes and coastal communities. 🗓 Apply by August 27, 2025 🔗 Learn more: bit.ly/OPC-TCES

⏳ There's still time to have your voice heard on the OPC Draft 2026–2030 Strategic Plan—but don’t wait! Tomorrow, August 1, is the last day! 🔵 opc.ca.gov/2026-2030-strategic-plan Let’s work together to protect what matters! 💙

Join in today, 7/28 @ Noon for the Secretary Speaker's Series, 'Conserving California: Protecting our Special Places in Turbulent Times' with CA Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot! We'll discuss 30x30’s progress over the last year in California. Register: ca-water-gov.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

We've already received so much valuable feedback through our Engagement + Partnerships Survey, but we still want to hear from YOU! 📅 Survey closes July 20, 2025 🔗 Take the survey: bit.ly/OPC-SURVEY-25

The California Coast & Ocean Newsletter for July is here! 🌊 In this issue: 📌 30x30 Updates 📌 OPC’s Draft 2026–2030 Strategic Plan 📌 The new Marine Protected Area Statewide Leadership Team Work Plan 📌 A deep dive on adaptive management And much more! 🔗 Explore it all: bit.ly/OPC-JULY-2025

“Obviously these actions are going to hamper California’s ability to predict, respond and adapt to climate impacts like sea level rise, ocean acidification, marine heat waves, and will lead to impacts for our coastal economies and ecosystems." - Jenn Eckerle, OPC Executive Director

Reminder! Have questions about OPC’s new $10 million funding opportunity to support #30x30CA in coastal waters? Join our Virtual Office Hour tomorrow, July 9, from 11 am to noon, for live Q&A with OPC staff. 🖱️ Register here: bit.ly/OPC-OH30x30

📷 Calling All Photographers: Submit Your Photo for the “Photo of the Month” Have a stunning shot of California’s coast or ocean? We want to showcase your work in the Photo of the Month feature of our monthly newsletter! Submission details ➡️ opc.ca.gov/2024/08/submit-photo

📣 Join California Natural Resources Agency for a Public Listening Session for the Tribal Stewardship Policy and Toolkit. 📅 Tuesday, July 8 at 🕒 3:00 – 5:00 PM Register to join at: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi... #tribes #tribal #landback #access

🌊 Now Open: Sea Level Rise Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program 📅 Informational Webinar: July 10, 2025, at 10 AM 📅 First Proposal Deadline: September 12, 2025 🔗 Learn more and apply: opc.ca.gov/sb-1-tribal-funding 📷 Photo: Morro Bay State Park / California King Tides

The Marine Protected Area Statewide Leadership Team (MSLT) released the new MSLT Work Plan—a collaborative guide to strengthen California’s world-class MPA Network and protect the ecological, cultural, and community value of California’s MPAs now and into the future. 🔗 bit.ly/MSLT-WP-2025

This Velella velella, isn’t a jellyfish—it’s a hydrozoan that sails the ocean surface. They aren't harmful to people but do feed on small prey, such as fish, shrimp, and plankton. 📷 Photo of the Month by John Dorsey at El Segundo Beach. Submit YOUR photo: opc.ca.gov/2024/08/submit-photo

The California Coast & Ocean Newsletter for June is here! 🌊 🔗 Dive in: bit.ly/OPC-JUNE-2025

🌊✨ We're seeking bold ideas to help California protect 30% of its coastal waters by 2030! Today, OPC launched a $10 million funding opportunity to drive #30x30CA in coastal waters—supporting biodiversity, marine restoration, community-led stewardship, and tribal partnerships. 🔗 bit.ly/30x30-RFP

ICYMI: The 🎥 recording of Saving California's Underwater Forests is available now to watch 👀 here: youtu.be/41P_AsPWkO4

OPC is proud to help fund #SnapshotCalCoast. Through June, this community science effort invites YOU to visit the coast, snap photos of marine life, and upload them to iNaturalist. Your observations help researchers better understand California’s biodiversity. Learn more: 🔗 calacademy.org/calcoast

See front page SF Chronicle article today highlighting the resilience of native oysters and restoration sites led by the Coastal Conservancy and partners! www.sfchronicle.com/climate/arti...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: California’s Marine Protected Area Network Recognized as International Gold Standard for Marine Conservation Read the full press release: opc.ca.gov/2025/06/for-...

The Ocean Protection Council meeting will start at 1PM! Watch it live on YouTube: youtube.com/live/bE7i6ss...

The sun has set on #WorldOceanDay, but our work to protect California's coast and ocean continues. Learn more at opc.ca.gov.

OPC hosts two California Sea Grant Fellows every year! Maybe 2026 is YOUR year!

California’s iconic kelp forests are in crisis—but there’s hope. On June 17, tune in to the California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Speaker Series "Saving California’s Underwater Forests". 🔗 Register: ca-water-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b73MXKvRTdSTBX-DGXzS1A#/registration

🏳️‍🌈 June is Pride Month! OPC is proud to join California Natural Resources Agency in honoring the LGBTQ2S+ individuals who protect our coast and ocean, build inclusive communities, and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders. 🔗 Explore events and resources: resources.ca.gov/Pride

🌊 #WorldOceanWeek is a time to celebrate, explore, and protect our blue planet. There’s no better place to do that than along California’s coast! Read - Where Land Meets Sea: Celebrate World Ocean Week in California’s Interconnected State Parks and Marine Protected Areas 🔗 bit.ly/OPC-WOW25

The meeting materials for the June 10, 2025 Council Meeting are now available! ⬇️

This shy creature, posing for our May Photo of the Month, is a horn shark (Heterodontus francisci), spotted near Catalina Island. 📷 Photo: Allie Smith, San Diego Submit YOUR CA coast and ocean photo: opc.ca.gov/2024/08/submit-photo Read the May newsletter and subscribe: bit.ly/OPC-MAY-2025

Read the May California Coast & Ocean Newsletter! 📌 June Council meeting 📌 SB 1 Sea Level Rise Grants 📌 AAPI Heritage Month 📌 California Ocean Day 📌 Microplastics workshops 📌 OPC Engagement Survey 📌 Kyla Kelly, Water Quality Program Manager 📸 Photo of the Month by Allie Smith 🔗 bit.ly/OPC-MAY-2025

Help shape the future of California’s coast and ocean by taking our Engagement + Partnerships Survey. Your input will guide how OPC connects w/ communities, invests resources, and ensures programs are accessible, inclusive, and community-informed. 🔗 Take the survey: bit.ly/OPC-SURVEY-25 by July 20

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! OPC is proud to join California Natural Resources Agency in honoring the many AAPI individuals who protect our coast and ocean, uplift their communities, and inspire the next generation! Learn more + explore events: bit.ly/CNRA-AAPIHM

🌊 Ocean Protection Council meets June 10! 🗓️ 1–5 PM | Hybrid On the agenda: ✅ Federal Impacts ✅ Strategic Plan Draft ✅ Tribal Cultural Resources Funding ✅ 30x30 Framework ✅ MPA Funding ✅ SB 1 Grants ✅ General Grant Guidelines Details + agenda: bit.ly/OPC-JUNE2025

🌊🌿 Kelp forests need our help! Join OPC’s Pike Spector + TNC’s Tristin McHug for a free webinar hosted by Channel Islands Restoration on restoring California’s iconic underwater forests. 📅 May 13 | 🕔 5–6 PM 🔗 Register: cirweb.org/calendar/kelp-forest-restoration-webinar

📽️ Join us TODAY for a free screening of Sequoias of the Sea, a powerful new documentary highlighting the loss of Northern California’s kelp forests. 🎤 Stay after the film for a dynamic panel discussion. 🔗 Register: opc.ca.gov/2025/04/california-ocean-day-and-film-screening-of-sequoias-of-the-sea

📷 Calling All Photographers: Submit Your Photo for the “Photo of the Month” Have a stunning shot of California’s coast or ocean? We want to showcase your work in the Photo of the Month feature of our monthly newsletter! Submission details ➡️ opc.ca.gov/2024/08/submit-photo