Creel Quick answer: It depends on the type. State Marine Reserves (SMRs) prohibit all take — no fishing of any kind. State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCAs) allow specific, listed activities, which sometimes include certain kinds of fishing. The statewide network is 124 MPAs covering roughly 16% of state waters, and 157 managed areas in total once the 16 special closures and the federal marine reserves are included. Every one has its own boundary coordinates and rules, so the only safe answer is checking the specific area you’re in.
California’s Marine Protected Areas are invisible lines with very visible fines. 124 of them dot the coast from Oregon to Mexico, and “I didn’t know it was a reserve” is the most common — and least effective — defense on the water.
The MPA network in numbers
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Total MPAs | 124 (network completed 2012) |
| Coverage | ~16% of state waters (~850 sq mi) |
| Legal basis | Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) |
| Types | SMR · SMCA · SMCA (No-Take) · State Marine Park · State Marine Recreational Management Area · Special Closures |
The type determines everything
- State Marine Reserve (SMR) — the strict one: no take of any living, geological or cultural resource. No fishing, no lobster hooping, no shell collecting. Examples: Point Lobos SMR, Matlahuayl SMR (La Jolla).
- State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) — partial protection. Each SMCA’s regulation lists exactly which activities are allowed — some permit take of pelagic finfish by troll, some allow specific commercial gear, some allow almost nothing. “SMCA” alone tells you nothing; the specific area’s list does.
- No-Take SMCA — functionally a reserve, categorized differently for federal-waters technicalities.
- Special Closures — small zones (often around seabird colonies) with access restrictions, not just take restrictions.
Transiting an MPA with fish legally caught elsewhere is generally allowed with gear stowed — but actively fishing across a boundary line is where citations happen.
Why anglers get caught out
MPA boundaries are straight lines between GPS coordinates — there’s no fence, rarely a buoy, and the kelp looks identical on both sides. The classic scenarios:
- A drift that starts legal and ends 200 yards inside a reserve.
- Lobster hoops set at night off a point that’s been an SMR for a decade.
- “The guy at the launch ramp said this side of the point is fine.”
Wardens patrol MPAs specifically because they concentrate life — the fishing is better at the edges, which pulls boats toward the line.
See every MPA boundary in Creel
Creel includes California’s full MPA map — every reserve and conservation area on the official boundaries — alongside the regulations for every species in your region. Before you drop a line or a hoop net, one glance confirms whether you’re outside the line and what’s legal where you are. And because it’s cached offline, the map still works exactly where MPAs live: out of cell range.
MPA regulations are enforced from published coordinates, not from your chartplotter’s basemap. Always verify boundaries with CDFW’s official MPA descriptions.
Frequently asked questions
What is not allowed in Marine Protected Areas?
In a State Marine Reserve: taking anything — fish, invertebrates, kelp, shells from below the high-tide line. In State Marine Conservation Areas, prohibited activities vary; each SMCA lists exactly which take (if any) is allowed, such as pelagic finfish by trolling in some areas. Transiting through with legally caught fish is generally allowed if gear is stowed.
How many Marine Protected Areas are in California?
The statewide network completed in 2012 comprises 124 MPAs covering about 16% of California state waters (roughly 850 square miles), designed as a connected network under the Marine Life Protection Act. Counting every managed area you can actually be cited in — the 124 MPAs plus 16 special closures and the federal marine reserves and conservation areas around the Channel Islands and the Farallones — the total is 157. Creel carries all 157 boundaries.
What is the difference between an SMR and an SMCA?
A State Marine Reserve (SMR) is fully no-take. A State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) allows some specified uses — each one’s regulations list which species and gear are permitted. There are also no-take SMCAs, State Marine Parks and Special Closures, each with distinct rules.
How do I know if I’m inside an MPA?
MPA boundaries are straight lines between published GPS coordinates, usually anchored to obvious coastal landmarks. There are no buoys marking most of them — you need a map or app with the boundaries loaded, ideally one that works offline where the MPAs actually are.