Last week in Ontario, the California Fish and Game Commission held its first southern California meeting of the year on the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). The room was packed with south coast residents eager to weigh in on ocean protection plans, and the Commission heard over four hours of public testimony from more than seventy-five people.

Many divers, surfers and conservationists were there to lobby for stronger protections that would meet scientists’ recommendations, urging the Commission to look again at plans for south La Jolla, Rocky Point, and Catalina Island. While the compromise plan currently on the table is a good start, it would provide even better environmental and economic benefits if adjusted to protect those eco hot spots.

Ultimately, the Commission stayed the course, voting 3-2 to maintain the compromise plan, or “Integrated Preferred Alternative,” as their proposed project.

The compromise plan draws from three stakeholder proposals that were developed over a year of study and negotiations among different interest groups. It would protect beloved ocean areas like Naples Reef, Dume underwater canyon, Laguna, and Swamis Reef while leaving the vast majority of the coast, including most of the region’s most popular fishing grounds, open for fishing.

The Commission’s decision indicates initial support for the compromise plan, and is an important milestone in efforts to create the protections needed to set our ocean on the road to recovery. New peer-reviewed science unveiled at last month’s American Association for the Advancement of Science conference confirms the effectiveness of marine reserves—showing they boost fisheries yields and profits if designed well.

Here in California, we have access to excellent habitat and fisheries information, and can create a marine reserve system that will benefit both people and sea life. With so many businesses depending on the health of our ocean, we can’t afford to delay its protection.

The Commission will review environmental and economic information about the all four marine protected area plans under consideration over the coming months, with a final decision expected later this year

If they do decide to change the compromise plan, I hope they will strengthen it. The science is clear, and the case has never been stronger for targeted ocean protection.

To learn more about the Marine Life Protection Act, or get involved visit http://www.caloceans.org, or http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa.