Carmel Bay
| Carmel Bay | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Monterey County, California |
| Coordinates | 36°32′36″N 121°57′17″W / 36.54333°N 121.95472°WCoordinates: 36°32′36″N 121°57′17″W / 36.54333°N 121.95472°W |
| River sources | Carmel River |
| Ocean/sea sources | Pacific Ocean |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 4 miles (6.4 km) |
| Max. width | 2 miles (3.2 km) |
| Settlements | Carmel-by-the-Sea, California |
Carmel Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California in Monterey County. The bay is 4 miles long and 2 miles wide with its mouth about three miles across, between Point Carmel to the south and Point Cypress to the north; Monterey Bay is about four coastline miles north, with Point Pinos intervening.
The bay's coastline includes Carmel City Beach and Carmel River State Beach, with wildlife largely protected by the 'Carmel Bay Ecological Reserve'. The City of Carmel, formally "Carmel-by-the-Sea", adjoins Carmel Bay, with the cities of Monterey and Santa Cruz about 5 miles and 45 miles north, respectively.
Several areas in Carmel Bay have been designated marine protected areas under California's Marine Life Protection Act. 'Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area' (SMCA) is entirely underneath Carmel Bay, and both 'Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve' (SMR) and 'Point Lobos State Marine Reserve' are partially underneath Carmel Bay.
Along with the immediately adjoining 'Point Lobos State Marine Conservation Area', nearly 17 square miles (44 km2) of marine protected areas in the waters in and around Carmel Bay are like underwater parks, helping to conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems. No living marine resources may be taken from these areas, except from 'Carmel Bay SMCA', and from there only recreational fishing for finfish and limited "by hand" commercial harvesting of giant kelp and , by permit.
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