Marine Protected Areas of Washington, Oregon, and California

This document begins to identify for the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) some of the protected areas or sites of special designation that could affect the marine environment off the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. It reflects only the information which could be collected in the time available under this contract. The listed sites include those specifically designated for some level of protection, as well as those which might be considered �"de facto” protected areas. �"De facto” protected areas are those where fishing access could be affected by regulations implemented for other purposes, or by the presence of man-made obstacles or hazards to navigation. While all of these sites are coastal, they may include a variety of subtidal and/or intertidal zones, and limitations on fishing (if any) vary at each site.