Discussion on Catalina's protected habitats

The staff of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative will give a presentation on the South Coast Study Region from 5 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, in the Avalon City Council Chambers.
Passed into California state law in 1999, the Marine Life Protection Act requires all existing state marine protected areas be reevaluated. The act also requires the creation of a statewide system of protected areas. The goal is to protect, among other things, marine life, habitat and ecosystems.
In pursuit of that goal, MLPA Initiative staff are inviting members of the public to join the discussion of the South Coast Study Region. The study is in the initial planning stages. The study will look at state waters from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County south to the California border with Mexico, including offshore islands.
For more information about the MLPA Initiative, visit the Web site http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa
For more information on the public presentation, contact Kelly Sayce at (310) 738-2665 or Craig Shuman at (310) 869-6574.