Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area

Coastline of the Piedras Blancas SMCA. Piedras Blancas Light Station is in the background.
Elephant seal mother and pup, Piedras Blancas rookery 2009
Piedras Blancas SMCA and seal colony
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal rookery, January 2013
Elephant seals

Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve (SMR) and Piedras Blancas State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) are two adjoining marine protected areas that lie offshore of San Luis Obispo County on California's central coast. The combined area of these marine protected areas is 19.68 square miles (51.0 km2). The SMR protects all marine life within its boundaries. Fishing and take of all living marine resources is prohibited. Within the SMCA fishing and take of all living marine resources is prohibited except the commercial and recreational take of salmon and albacore.[1]

  1. ^ California Department of Fish and Game. "Online Guide to California’s Central Coast Marine Protected Areas". Retrieved on December 18, 2008