The Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC) recognizes that there are concerns in the Bolinas community regarding our petition (see map here) to increase protections at the existing Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) by designating it as a State Marine Reserve (SMR) and expanding its boundaries north and south to cover the entirety of the reef habitat. We are also aware that there are misconceptions about what the petition would do, and we seek to clarify them. Please also know that we can always be reached for specific questions and concerns about the petition (see contact information below).

We are requesting that the Duxbury Reef SMCA be redesignated to an SMR for multiple reasons, including science supporting the benefits and efficacy of fully protected areas, and observations of visitors, educators, marine sanctuary staff, docents, and national park staff who have mentioned visitor confusion around “partial take” Marine Protected Area (MPA) regulations.

Our goal in requesting redesignation as a State Marine Reserve is to protect the incredibly rare and biodiverse ecosystem of Duxbury Reef, which currently suffers from high levels of noncompliant take, while maintaining access for its many non-consumptive uses.

Direct harm from fin-fishing or the take of abalone has never been the focus of our petition’s argument. Rather, the petition argues that allowing for partial take in this area adds to visitor confusion, contributing to the high amounts of noncompliant take (take of anything that is not the recreational take of finfish from shore or red abalone) that occurs here. It should be noted that the abalone fishery is currently closed, and it is anticipated that it will not open any time soon due to the decline of the fishery across much of the state. In March 2025, CDFW recommended an indefinite moratorium on the red abalone fishery, reflecting their necessary precaution and focus on stock recovery.

In 2024, data reports from MPA Watch (a statewide initiative with reports publicly available online) counted 132 potential* violations at Duxbury Reef, including 65 counts of hand collection of biota (or collection of marine and plant species). These are only the violations observed during the limited times MPA Watch volunteers are present. What has been learned from years of speaking to hundreds of visitors is that the complexity of current regulations likely leads to confusion and more violations.

*This data is listed as "potential violations," because all are potential until they are actually prosecuted.

Enforcement, improved signage, and public education must all work in conjunction to truly change visitor behaviors, but these factors are either lacking, more complex, or impeded by the allowance of “some take” at Duxbury Reef.

Enforcement: For at least 5 years, we have consistently advocated to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and other local agencies for increased enforcement at Duxbury Reef and MPAs statewide, reporting the high amount of noncompliant take. Others have also presented enforcement requests to Marin County Parks and CDFW wardens. However, this lack of enforcement capacity has not been meaningfully addressed, and we do not expect it to improve soon, especially with state budget restrictions and the remoteness of the area. Wardens and rangers are stretched over a large geographical area with many competing priorities and cannot often be present at the reef.

Signage: While EAC and local residents continue to advocate for better signage, including posting our own temporary signs, signage alone is not enough to deter collection: a study evaluating the effectiveness of MPA signage in California found that less than 5% of visitors to MPAs read signs upon arrival.

Education: We also understand the importance of education, and in 2022, we started a docent program with local residents at the reef in response to increased visitation and the high amounts of noncompliant take observed. Docents frequently report confusion amongst visitors who have seen incomplete online information (“some take allowed”), seen signage indicating fishing is allowed, observed fishers with buckets and bait on the reef, or seen others passing through the SMCA from currently unprotected areas (adjacent to the current boundaries) with buckets of fish and other species. It is difficult to provide effective education when visitors see partial take (shore fishing or poke-pole fishing) occurring at the same time. Additionally, all docents are volunteers who cannot be on the reef every day.

Changing the designation of the Duxbury Reef SMCA to an SMR would likely increase compliance with regulations over time with consistent messaging, safeguarding this sensitive habitat. Due to limited enforcement, decreasing confusion is critical to the reef’s health. There is a strong body of science that supports that "no-take," full protection marine protected areas, such as State Marine Reserves, are most effective and deliver the greatest protection and benefits for marine ecosystems. Sir David Attenborough’s recent documentary Ocean explains this well. Another study also shows that full protection, no-take MPAs are most effective for public understanding.

We would like to make it extremely clear that our petition does not ask for Duxbury Reef to become a Special Closure. We understand the recreational and educational value Duxbury Reef holds for locals and visitors alike. For years, we have taken local school groups out on the reef using safe stewardship practices, providing marine education and sharing the intrinsic value of the reef.

Duxbury Reef becoming an SMR would NOT restrict visitation, beach, tidepooling, educational, surfing, boating, or research access (any “non-consumptive” uses). These nonconsumptive uses also foster a sense of stewardship and connection to the reef—a major goal of the efforts of EAC and our volunteers on the reef. Our petition seeks to maintain this access. Indeed, State Marine Reserves are not meant to remove humans from ecological areas—one of the goals of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), which is the legal authority for California’s MPA network, is to “improve the recreational, educational and study opportunities within MPAs subject to minimal human disturbance. It is not the intent of the MLPA to prevent access to MPAs for non-extractive activities.”

“Access into marine protected areas or marine managed areas for non-consumptive uses including but not limited to swimming, surfing, diving, boating, hiking and walking is allowed unless otherwise specified in subsection 632(b), areas and special regulations for use.” - Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 632.a.4 - Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Marine Managed Areas (MMAs), and Special Closures.

Duxbury Reef is one of the largest shale reefs in North America and is home to an incredible array of diverse, yet highly sensitive species. It is an extremely important habitat for rocky intertidal species, seabirds, and marine mammals. It is also one of the most important places for marine education in Marin County. We believe that, for the rare species reliant on the reef, and for the continued and future enjoyment visitors derive from seeing these species on the reef, giving Duxbury Reef full protection now is incredibly important due to the reef's vulnerability. This is an incredibly special place loved by both locals and visitors alike, and it would be devastating if future visitors could not enjoy the reef and its species as we do today. While we would love for people to keep fishing here, the current state of the oceans is so dire that this incredibly unique ecosystem should be conserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

We are happy that the desire to keep Duxbury Reef thriving is shared by so many. If others are interested in contributing to reef education, we are offering another docent training starting in January 2026.

Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns about the petition or to be added to our list for the 2026 training. We can be reached at (415) 663-9312 or email Ashley or Isabel.

Edit as of August 1st: There have been questions around the timing that petitions will be evaluated by the Fish & Game Commission. The Fish & Game Commission will not be discussing, evaluating, or making decisions on individual petitions at the August Fish & Game Commission meeting. Bin 2 petitions, which include Duxbury Reef, are more complex and require additional policy guidance and information before evaluation. The next step in the process is approving the draft petition evaluation framework at the August Fish & Game Commission. The substance of the staff recommendations and decision-making likely won’t take place on Bin 2 (including the Duxbury Reef petition) until 2026.