Latest News
Dive into what’s new at OPC and stay informed on California coast and ocean news!
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Ocean Protection Council Meeting – June 16, 2026 – Teleconference and Public Forum
The Ocean Protection Council will hold a hybrid public meeting via teleconference and in a public forum on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The agenda is available. Meeting materials will be available starting June 5.
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Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – May 2026
The May 2026 OPC newsletter is available!
Categories: 30×30, Aquaculture, Career Opportunities, Climate Change, Coastal Habitats, Equity and Environmental Justice, Event, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Grant Projects, Habitats, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Monthly Newsletter, Offshore Wind, OPC Meetings, Other Public Meetings, Outreach and Education, Plastic Pollution, Public Comment Opportunity, Report Release, Sea Level Rise, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Strategic Goal 4: Sustainable Blue Economy, Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems, Tribal Engagement, Water Quality -
Slowing Down for Whales: How California Is Making Its Busiest Shipping Lanes Safer
Every spring, gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) travel north along the California coast, mothers and calves making a 12,000-mile round trip between their winter calving grounds in Baja California and their Arctic feeding grounds. These same waters carry an enormous volume […]
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California Ocean Day 2026: A Big Day for the Coast
On April 28, 2026, ocean advocates, scientists, tribal partners, and state leaders converged on Sacramento for the 21st annual California Ocean Day, and the day delivered on every front. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an official proclamation designating April 28 as California Ocean Day, celebrating the […]
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Monthly Newsletter – California Coast and Ocean News – April 2026
The April 2026 OPC newsletter is available!
Categories: 30×30, Aquaculture, Career Opportunities, Climate Change, Coastal Habitats, Equity and Environmental Justice, Event, Funding Opportunities and Updates, Grant Projects, Habitats, Leadership and Staff Updates, Marine Habitats, Marine Protected Areas, Monthly Newsletter, Offshore Wind, OPC Meetings, Other Public Meetings, Outreach and Education, Plastic Pollution, Public Comment Opportunity, Report Release, Sea Level Rise, Strategic Goal 1: Climate Change, Strategic Goal 2: Equity, Strategic Goal 3: Biodiversity, Strategic Goal 4: Sustainable Blue Economy, Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Ecosystems, Tribal Engagement, Water Quality -
After Years of Closures, California’s Salmon Season Returns
This spring, California’s commercial ocean salmon fishery is open for the first time in three years. After closures in 2023, 2024, and 2025 driven by drought, warming rivers, and collapsing fish populations, state and federal managers announced that key salmon […]
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Draft Statewide Marine Aquaculture Action Plan – Public Comment Period Through May 13, 2026
The Ocean Protection Council has convened an Aquaculture Leadership Team, made up of representatives from the California Coastal Commission, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish and Game Commission, State Lands Commission, the Coastal Conservancy, the California Department of Public Health, […]
Our Strategic Priorities
Our work is guided by the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan: Safeguarding Our Coast and Ocean for All Californians, with a focus on four strategic goals. Click on a goal below to learn more about the partnerships and projects shifting that vision into a reality.
Build Resilience
to Climate
Change
Prioritizing cutting-edge science, adaptation planning, and protecting coastal communities and marine ecosystems from the impacts of sea level rise, coastal flooding, ocean acidification, and other climate-driven threats.
Maximize Community Benefits and Stewardship
Centering tribal and community needs, increasing stewardship and coastal access, and ensuring all Californians have a meaningful voice in safeguarding the coast and ocean.
Safeguard Coastal
and Marine
Biodiversity
Strengthening biodiversity, restoring vital habitats, protecting coastal water quality, and addressing emerging threats to coast and ocean health.
Enable a Sustainable Blue Economy That Protects Ocean Health
Supporting thriving fishing communities, climate-resilient fisheries, sustainable aquaculture, and reducing impacts from industrial uses of the ocean.