Sonoma Coast State Marine Conservation Area
Encyclopedia
Sonoma Coast State Marine Conservation Area is a protected area
along the coast of northern California
, part of the North Central Coast Study Region.
It is bounded by the mean high tide line, the 3-fathom depth contour, and several points along 3 miles (4.8 km) of coast between Mussel Point and Schoolhouse Beach in Sonoma County
.
Within this Area, the recreational taking of all marine aquatic plant
s and some invertebrate
s is prohibited. Commercial taking of giant kelp
and bull kelp is also prohibited.
Marine Protected Area
Marine Protected Areas, like any protected area, are regions in which human activity has been placed under some restrictions in the interest of conserving the natural environment, it's surrounding waters and the occupant ecosystems, and any cultural or historical resources that may require...
along the coast of northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, part of the North Central Coast Study Region.
It is bounded by the mean high tide line, the 3-fathom depth contour, and several points along 3 miles (4.8 km) of coast between Mussel Point and Schoolhouse Beach in Sonoma County
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
.
Within this Area, the recreational taking of all marine aquatic plant
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
s and some invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s is prohibited. Commercial taking of giant kelp
Macrocystis
Macrocystis is a genus of kelp . This genus contains the largest of all the phaeophyceae or brown algae. Macrocystis has pneumatocysts at the base of its blades. Sporophytes are perennial, and individual stipes may persist for many years...
and bull kelp is also prohibited.