benefits and barriers: understanding social dimensions of ocean access and marine protected areas across california's coastal counties
ABOUT US
Coasts and oceans provide countless benefits to coastal communities including improving our health and wellbeing, providing a place for ocean activities, helping us connect with nature, and providing an uplifting place for communities to come together. Thus it is incredibly important to ensure that all coastal communities can access coasts and oceans, and the benefits that they provide. In California access to the ocean’s benefits are supported through mandates such as the California Coastal Act (1972), the Marine Life Protection Act (1999), and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (1972). To ensure that these benefits of oceans are realized, it is critical to recognize and address the social factors that mediate the distribution of costs and benefits.​
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In this project, we aim to learn more about how people across California’s coastal communities - including Tribal and underserved communities - access, use, relate to, and/or value the ocean. Additionally, we are investigating the ability of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to amplify or diminish benefits for people across different locations, communities, and user groups (Figure 1).
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MPAs are ocean spaces that are managed to protect and sustain marine seascapes, species, cultures, and/or habitats. Working with community partners dedicated to community engaged research, we conduct interviews, administer surveys, hold focus group discussions, and develops community outreach. The ultimate goal of this effort is the co-development of local strategies for increasing the benefits ocean access and MPA management for all Californians.
For Phase I (2023-2025) we worked in five coastal counties in central California: Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco. From 2023-2025 we interviewed 23 community leaders and Tribal community members, surveyed over 2,000 residents, and held seven focus groups with 72 people across the Phase I counties.
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For Phase II (2025-2027) we will be working in five new coastal counties: San Diego, Los Angeles, Sonoma, Humboldt, and Del Norte. In the summer of 2025 we are conducting surveys and interviews with community members. As we expand the project to the new counties, we are working to build new partnerships with local non-profit organizations who work with communities that have had high barriers to ocean access. If you work with an organization that fits this bill, we’d love to talk with you. Please reach out to us!
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OBJECTIVES
Learn about how the ocean and coastal marine life benefit California’s communities including through activities, values, and cultures
Document barriers to accessing the ocean and coasts across California’s communities
Evaluate the capacity of MPAs to support and enhance ocean benefits
Co-develop recommendations about how state and federal agencies can support strong and thriving coastal communities
Build community partnerships
Develop a blue economy workforce by training students
RESEARCH pROCESS
COLLABORATORS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
