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Looking for more resources? Check out our Wakelet Collection!

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The purpose of this collection is to provide resources for educators and their students in preparation for their upcoming field trip to the Gaviota Coast!

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Check out this incredible Live Dive from Gaviota State Park! This hour long video will showcase life under the sea, while also sharing our region's rich cultural history from members of the Santa Ynez Chumash.

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Dive into Chumash Culture for Native American Heritage Month

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Explore actions

Actions are simple everyday things that you can do to reduce your impact, and many also save you money. Click on a category below to explore the actions.

How it works

Create your profile

It's easy to get started. Create your household profile and enter some information on your current activities so we can track your success!

Take sustainable actions

Browse a list of actions that will help reduce your impact, then add them to your dashboard. We'll help with next steps, costs, and questions.

Work together

Create a team of households so you can collaborate together. Discuss actions with the whole community. And compete with other communities too!

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Actions are simple everyday things that you can do to reduce your impact, and many also save you money. Click on a category below to explore the actions. It's easy to get started. Create your household profile and enter some information on your current activities so we can track your success!

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The Gaviota Coast is home to several marine protected areas (MPAs).  These marine protected areas are like our California State Parks, but are underwater!

Check out this great introduction to our network of 124 marine protected areas in California!

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The California MPA Network:  Safeguarding an Underwater Wilderness

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Looking for something fun to learn about our most treasured natural resource and marine protected areas? Check out this awesome interactive booklet.

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Who likes to hop on the beach?  I do!

Discover more about these small crustaceans, known as beach hoppers, who call our shores their home.

After you watch this video...
1. Why are beach hoppers important?
2. Where can beach hoppers be found?
3. What threats face beach hoppers?

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These Acrobatic Beach Hoppers Shred All Night Long | Deep Look

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Amazing opportunity to explore the underwater world of marine protected areas along the Gaviota Coastline at Naples State Marine Conservation Area!

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If you could live the inside of the kelp wrack, you would be amazed at what you would see!

Why is the kelp wrack important?
Name three species who rely on the kelp wrack.
What is the difference between a groomed and a natural beach?

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The Gaviota Coast is home to a vast array of ecosystems, including the sandy shore!  Read this article about the sandy shore study right here along our coastline.

After you read the article:
1. Name two things that you learned.
2. Describe who lives along the sandy shore?

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"One more time, I'm going to start the camera now," Jessica Madden takes a deep breath and dives ten feet down to the sea floor, where she has just placed an instrument known as a Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV). The BRUV consists of a GoPro attached to a piece of PVC pipe, the camera aimed at a bag of chopped squid. Anchoring herself to the ocean floor with slow kicks of her flippers, she checks the camera alignment, then presses the record button and flutters back up to the surface for another deep breath. "Now we wait."

Madden, a graduate student at UC Santa Barbara, and her colleagues have placed six BRUVs this afternoon-a beautiful day in September-just past the breaking waves near Scripps Pier in La Jolla. They will wait an hour before diving back in to collect the equipment, and later download and carefully screen through the videos to catalogue all the species they caught on camera, attracted by the bait.

In the meantime, she joins the rest of their team who are preparing to drag a large beach seine net through shallow water to shore. They'll then catalog and weigh all the fish, invertebrates, and seaweed they pull in, before carefully releasing them all back into the ocean. The team will also measure the waves and swash and survey the beach, counting seaweed, birds, and people they observe, as well as any trash and oil they may find on the beach.

The data they collected today, along with 27 other beach sites along California's long coastline over the summer and fall, will be sorted and analyzed over the next two years. It is one of seven large-scale Marine Protected Area (MPA) monitoring projects funded by the California Ocean Protection Council in partnership with California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California Sea Grant. (For a preview of the underwater footage, scroll down).

Led by UC Santa Barbara researcher Jenny Dugan, the team-which includes researchers from six different institutions, a number of graduate students, and volunteers, have just wrapped up their first year of monitoring, and are continuing with statewide bird surveys on the study beaches through the winter months.

"The overall goal is to evaluate the performance of MPAs statewide, in our case looking at sandy beaches and surf zones," says Dugan. "We're surveying beaches and surf zones at paired sites located inside and outside of MPAs, measuring indicator species-birds, kelp wrack, invertebrates, and fish-to learn if these indicator groups differ in numbers, size, biomass, and diversity inside MPAs compared to reference sites that are relatively similar." Wherever possible the new data will be compared with data from the baseline and other studies to analyze changes in these indicators since the MPAs were established.

These data-along with the other long-term MPA monitoring projects -will help researchers and California natural resource managers understand if California's MPA system is working as intended as a refuge for ocean species and a tool to enhance abundance and diversity of ocean ecosystems. Combined with previous baseline monitoring projects and continuing monitoring efforts, the data will contribute to a long time-series that should help California both assess the success of the MPA system in achieving conservation goals, as well as provide insights in how climate change is affecting the ocean ecosystem.

Clues from the beach

Dugan's team has only begun the huge task of analyzing their data, which includes hundreds of hours of underwater video footage, as well as pages of field data on animal types and counts, seaweed types and weights, and other observations. So it's too early to draw conclusions from the study. Yet already, Dugan said, it's clear just how much the beach and surf zone can tell us about the health of the nearby ocean.

"Sandy beaches and surf zones are a great place to evaluate both indirect and direct responses of marine life to MPAs," explains Dugan "There's a lot of recreational fishing in the surf zone of beaches. This means in an MPA where fishing is restricted you could see increased numbers and sizes of commonly fished species. This MPA effect might be especially noticeable for species like surfperch or sharks and rays, whose young do not disperse far from their parents."

While the direct effects of fishing closures may be easy to see, the condition of surf zones and beaches may also show the influence of what's happening deeper in the ocean, Dugan says. "One of the major questions about MPAs is the potential for spillover of harvested species or other beneficial species as either adults or larvae -this is one way that MPAs could positively affect areas outside of MPAs," Dugan said.

The kelp exported from healthy reefs and kelp forests is a major source of organic matter that fuels the rich food webs of beach ecosystems. This drift kelp export is another potentially beneficial type of spillover from MPAs. Dugan said, "Our MPA baseline studies showed that sandy beaches located close to healthy kelp forests tend to have higher diversity and abundance at all levels of the food web reaching from sand crabs up to birds and fish. In our beach seines and surveys, we estimate the extent of this spillover by measuring the abundance of drift kelp or wrack delivered from rocky reef and kelp forest ecosystems. Tracking the cascade that starts in nearshore kelp forests and reefs and extends to beaches and surf zones via kelp wrack will provide valuable insights on one of the key indirect effects of MPAs on California's coastal ecosystems."

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MPA update: Sandy beaches and surf zones offer clues to ocean health

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"One more time, I'm going to start the camera now," Jessica Madden takes a deep breath and dives ten feet down to the sea floor, where she has just placed an instrument known as a Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV).

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A group of researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara conduct studies of fish populations at several locations along the Gaviota Coast. What fish species can you spot?

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Discover the amazing diversity of sharks and rays within the Santa Barbara Channel!

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Who is the king of the kelp forest?  Watch this webinar to learn about these royal fish and discover why they serve as an important part of the Santa Barbara Channel.

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October 22, 2020

Dr. Ryan Freedman, Research Ecologist, NOAA's Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Giant Seabass are a species of large fish that live in the cool waters off the coast of California. This fish is the top predator of the kelp forest ecosystem, but the population has been low because of overfishing. Thanks to government protections in California, Giant Seabass are beginning to return to Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and NOAA is working with other groups to study them. The fish is unique because scientists believe it uses sounds to communicate. NOAA is working to record these sounds in the wild and study how these fish move around Santa Barbara Island, a small offshore island in the sanctuary.

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national oceanic and atmospheric administration

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Giant Seabass are a species of large fish that live in the cool waters off the coast of California. This fish is the top predator of the kelp forest ecosystem, but the population has been low because of overfishing.

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Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area

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Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area

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Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area is the MPA that you will explore with us at Gaviota State Park!  Some of our older scholars may love to check out some more detailed information on this unique marine protected area.

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Gaviota State Park is commonly referred to as the southern most boundary for sea otters in California!

Dive into the conservation efforts and history of sea otters along the California Coast with this interactive Story Map.

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Discover Marine Protected Areas – California Coastal Explorer Guide

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Discover Marine Protected Areas – California Coastal Explorer Guide

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Check out this amazing resource on discovering the world of MPAs!

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This content has been reviewed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) staff in an effort to ensure accuracy and consistency with statewide outreach product formats, and foster public understanding and compliance in a way that also supports CDFW enforcement efforts. Outreach products that undergo the CDFW review process are eligible to use the CDFW logo for added recognition.

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Discover Marine Protected Areas - California Coastal Explorer Guide

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This content has been reviewed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) staff in an effort to ensure accuracy and consistency with statewide outreach product formats, and foster public understanding and compliance in a way that also supports CDFW enforcement efforts.

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What's the difference between a marine protected area and an unprotected area?  What do you notice in this short video?

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The Santa Barbara Channel is one of the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet!  Incredible, huh?

Explore more about the underwater diversity of the Santa Barbara Channel through this live ocean camera.

As you watch the camera...
What creatures do you spot? What do you notice? What do you wonder about this underwater world?

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If there is a problem with the video on this page, please view the live stream at Explore.org. There is no technical support regarding the this stream. However, we do welcome your feedback: e-mail us

Partnership
The Ocean Webcam is made possible through an educational partnership between the National Park Service, Explore.org, and Ventura County Office of Education.

Location of Ocean Webcam
The Ocean Webcam is located within the landing cove on Anacapa Island.

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Channel Islands Live Ocean Webcam - Channel Islands National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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If there is a problem with the video on this page, please view the live stream at Explore.org . There is no technical support regarding the this stream. However, we do welcome your feedback: e-mail us Partnership The Ocean Webcam is made possible through an educational partnership between the National Park Service, Explore.org, and Ventura County Office of Education.

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Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area

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Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area

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Interpretive panel with great information regarding this MPA.

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Here is a link to the California State Parks Marine Protected Area PORTS Program Website for Gaviota State Park!

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The Santa Barbara Channelkeeper is a nonprofit organization that supports research and education of waterways and coastlines in the Santa Barbara Channel.

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Santa Barbara Channelkeeper - Keeping Watch for Clean Water

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The environmental nonprofit organization protecting and restoring the Santa Barbara channel through advocacy, education, field work & enforcement.

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Take a tour of the South Coast network of MPAs!

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Tour Builder - Put your story on the map.

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Tell your stories with photos, videos and rich text on Google Earth.

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Great resources provided by the Santa Barbara MPA Collaborative.

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Mini-ROV Expeditions

Marine Protected Area (MPA) Collaborative Members statewide are field-testing More information about Collaborative expeditions focusing on MPA outreach, compliance, and citizen science projects can be found on our Trident mini-ROVs (remotely operated vehicles or underwater drones) in collaboration with SoFar Ocean, National Geographic and the S.E.E. Initiative. Resources page.

Be sure to follow the Del Norte Expeditions below on National Geographics digital field journal platform, Open Explorer.

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Mini-ROV Expeditions Marine Protected Area (MPA) Collaborative Members statewide are field-testing More information about Collaborative expeditions focusing on MPA outreach, compliance, and citizen science projects can be found on our Trident mini-ROVs (remotely operated vehicles or underwater drones) in collaboration with SoFar Ocean, National Geographic and the S.E.E. Initiative. Resources page.

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Amazing opportunity to explore the underwater world of marine protected areas along the Gaviota Coastline at Naples State Marine Conservation Area.

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Welcome to Channelkeeper's Naples Reef Dive Portal! Here, you can explore the reef using an interactive dive map, discover why Naples Reef is such an important place, and learn about upcoming opportunities to visit this unique coastal gem.

MPAs offer excellent recreational opportunities. While Naples SMCA is relatively remote compared to other MPAs, its biodiversity and pristine features make it an ideal ecotourism destination. Whether you want to dive in for snorkeling or SCUBA adventures, discover what's below before a kayaking trip, or experience the underwater beauty from the comfort of your own home, Channelkeeper's Naples Reef Dive Map is an excellent resource to explore the reef. Click on the image above to access a PDF with clickable links to videos that show the incredible diversity and scenery of highlighted features along the reef. Printed versions of the map (includes QR codes for videos) will soon be available at several local dive shops.

Naples State Marine Conservation Area is one of the crown jewels of our coastal MPA network. This small MPA has been designed to provide protection for a highly productive, unique offshore rocky reef with exceptional substrate diversity, intertidal areas, surfgrass, kelp forest, and a harbor seal haulout. This is a well-known and iconic area used by divers, surfers and kayakers and includes long-term scientific research and monitoring sites for PISCO and LTER. SCUBA diving here features arches, pinnacles and ledges filled with colorful anemones, nudibranchs and cowries, along with reef fish like kelp bass, sheephead and even the occasional white sea bass or yellowtail. Learn more about Naples SMCA.

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Naples Dive Portal | Santa Barbara Channelkeeper | Keeping watch for clean water

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Welcome to Channelkeeper's Naples Reef Dive Portal! Here, you can explore the reef using an interactive dive map, discover why Naples Reef is such an important place, and learn about upcoming opportunities to visit this unique coastal gem. Naples Reef Dive Map MPAs offer excellent recreational opportunities.

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Check out our YouTube Channel to discover even more about the history and nature that surrounds our state parks!

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Welcome to the Gaviota Coast State Parks YouTube Channel! Our state parks are located along the beautiful Gaviota Coast just north of Santa Barbara, Californ...

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Information on Naples State Marine Conservation Area from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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Information on the MPAs like Kashtayit SMCA which are located in Southern California.

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The south coast region was the third of the statewide regions to establish a network of MPAs. In that region of our coast marine biodiversity hot spots such as Lover's Cove on Catalina Island, the lush kelp beds of South La Jolla, and the scuba diving destination of Naples Reef are protected while leaving over 80% of the coast waters open for fishing. Fifty MPAs and 2 special closure areas were designated from Point Conception in the north to the U.S./Mexico border in the south. The network of MPAs includes 13 MPAs and 2 special closures that were previously established at the northern Channel Islands. All together these MPAs cover approximately 354 square miles of state waters and represent approximately 15% of the region. These MPAs went into effect in 2012.

Take an interactive tour of California's South Coast MPAs

Third of the statewide MPA regions to be implemented

Ranges from Point Conception in the north to the U.S./Mexico border in the south

Consists of 50 MPAs and 2 special closure areas

Of the 50 MPAs, 37 are new and 13 were pre-existing MPAs of the northern Channel Islands

Represent approximately 354 square miles or about 15% of state waters

Of the 37 new MPAs established, 4.9% or 116 square miles are no-take

Was adopted in December 2010 and went into effect in January 2012

Includes:

21 State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCA)

10 no-take State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCA)

19 State Marine Reserves (SMR)

2 Special Closures (SC)

Leaves 85% of South Coast state waters open for fishing

Click on individual MPAs below to see additional information on permitted and prohibited uses of the MPA, boundaries, and associated educational resources available for download.

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The south coast region was the third of the statewide regions to establish a network of MPAs. In that region of our coast marine biodiversity hot spots such as Lover's Cove on Catalina Island, the lush kelp beds of South La Jolla, and the scuba diving destination of Naples Reef are protected while leaving over 80% of the coast waters open for fishing.