Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area
Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) is one of two adjoining marine protected areas off the coast of San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, on California’s central coast.The area is approximately 55 miles south of San Francisco. The SMCA is 11.07 square miles. Except for limited taking of giant kelp, all living marine resources are protected.
The Año Nuevo SMCA was established in September 2007 by the California Department of Fish and Game. It was one of 29 marine protected areas adopted during the first phase of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. The Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (or MLPAI) is a collaborative public process to create a statewide network of marine protected areas along the California coastline.
The SMCA was designed to protect marine life while keeping nearby favored recreational fishing grounds open to fishing. Important fishing grounds to the north of Point Año Nuevo and from Moss Landing to Davenport remain open to fishing.
Año Nuevo SMCA is adjacent to Ano Nuevo State Park, and includes the waters surrounding Point Ano Nuevo and Ano Nuevo Island. Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area adjoins the site to the south.
This marine protected area is bounded by the mean high tide line and a distance of 200 feet seaward of mean lower low water between the following two points:
The area then continues southward bounded by the mean high tide line and straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed:
Point Año Nuevo is used by thousands of breeding seabirds and marine mammals and supports a world famous elephant seal haul out and breeding ground. The waters surrounding the point attract a concentration of great white sharks and include documented “hotspots” for depleted canary rockfish. Threatened marbled murrelets rest on shore and forage in the lee of the point.
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