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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Seven Years of Action: California’s Fight Against Ocean Litter – The Ocean Litter Strategy Accomplishments Report is Now Available
In May 2026, the California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy Accomplishments Report: January 2018–August 2025 was published by the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), in partnership with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program (NOAA MDP), California Sea Grant, and USC Sea Grant. California has long recognized marine debris as a threat to communities, human health, ecosystems,…
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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 of the world’s trade. Container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers…
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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 state’s 1,100-mile coastline, world-class marine protected areas, the $51 billion coastal economy…
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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 runs have improved enough to allow commercial fishing to resume.…



