Double Point and Duxbury Reef Fact Sheet:

The State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) between Double Point and Bolinas Point is necessary because:

• It protects critical reef habitat in the southern portions of the SMCA: one small northern fraction of Duxbury Reef, which still allows ample fishing opportunities while protecting key habitat.

• Double Point and Duxbury Reef are both Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) that were established by the state because of the importance of the habitat, and Double Point is currently one of the few ASBS sites in the study region that does not have an adjacent MPA. 

• Over 1000 harbor seals haul out at the beaches between the North and South points to breed and molt.  Over 16,000 seabirds, including Brown Pelican, Common Murres, Brandt’s Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, and Ashy Storm Petrals utilize the islands off of Double Point.   A marine protected area here would help address disturbances to the harbor seals and protect the juvenile rockfish forage base upon which these birds and seals depend;

• Duxbury Reef is the largest shale reef in California and Double Point has extensive reefs at both the North and South points with lush algal and marine life.

• A marine protected area (MPA) at Double Point would bolster the success of the Point Reyes Headlands marine protected area, and vice versa, via spillover and network effects; 

• Without this SMCA, the next MPA south of Point Reyes Headlands is at the Fitzgerald/Pillar Point area, which represents a distance of 47 miles;

• The docent and volunteer programs at Point Reyes National Seashore are extensive, with 1,428 individuals working over 25,200 total volunteer hours in FY2007, representing a large non-consumptive user population in the West Marin area. Many of these volunteers work with marine mammals and seabirds, which are directly affected by the health of the adjacent marine ecosystem.  These volunteers and docents, along with the 2.2 million annual visitors to Point Reyes National Seashore, recognize the importance and significance of the marine environment at Point Reyes National Seashore, which includes not only the Point Reyes Headlands but also Double Point and Duxbury Reef as well.

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