California Holds Hearings on Mishopshno Tribal Marine Conservation Area — First Tribally Led MPA Petition

The California Fish and Game Commission held public hearings on May 5–6, 2026, in Goleta, California on 20 petitions to modify the state's Central Coast Marine Protected Area network. The most significant petition — led by the Chumash Nation — proposes the 'Mishopshno' State Marine Conservation Area: a 9-acre protected zone in the coastal waters off Carpinteria, California, named for a historic Chumash village that once occupied the site. The proposed MPA would prohibit take of all living, geological, and cultural resources except recreational hook-and-line finfish from shore, while explicitly preserving the Chumash people's traditional hand-fishing rights. If approved, it would represent California's first tribally led MPA — a milestone for Indigenous marine stewardship. Of the 20 petitions reviewed, the Fish and Game Commission recommended denial of 10 non-tribal petitions and advanced the Mishopshno proposal for further consideration. A final commission decision is planned for June 17, 2026.