Pyramid Point State Marine Conservation Area
Pyramid Point State Marine Conservation Area is an offshore marine protected area located one mile south of the Oregon border in Del Norte County, California.
This area protects ocean waters within three miles of the shoreline of the Oregon border, south to roughly three-tenths of a mile north of Prince Island. Within Pyramid Point, fishing and take of all living marine resources is prohibited except for the recreational take of surf smelt by dip net or Hawaiian type throw net.
History
In June 2012, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously 3-to-0 to designate waters in Pyramid Point, along with critical ocean habits in northern California, as Marine Protected Areas.The vote marked the completion of the United States' first state network of underwater parks, protecting California coastal areas and important wildlife and habitats, which help the state's tourism industry, hotels and restaurant that depend on healthy fish populations and beautiful coasts to attract guests. According to the National Ocean Economics Program, California's coast and ocean generate $22 billion in revenue and sustain 350,000 jobs each year.
The Pyramid Point Marine Conservation Area will be implemented on December 19, 2012, according to the California Department of Fish and Game.
Geography
The California Department of Fish and Game said future marine protected area “is bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order listed:42° 00.000' N. lat. 124° 12.735' W. long.;
42° 00.000' N. lat. 124° 19.814' W. long.; thence southward along the three nautical mile offshore boundary to 41° 57.500' N. lat. 124° 17.101' W. long.; and
41° 57.500' N. lat. 124° 12.423' W. long.