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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Protecting Californias coastal ecosystems

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Government
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    Description
    Description
    Coastal ecosystems, including tidal marsh and estuarine wetlands, provide a range of ecosystem benefits including improved water quality, carbon storage, nursery habitat for fish, and feeding and resting areas for migrating birds. They also provide natural buffers from storms and sea-level rise, providing flood protection for shoreline development and public access. California has lost more than 90 percent of its coastal wetlands over the last century.

    To protect and restore these and other critical coastal ecosystems, the State of California, with its partners, commits to taking action to restore 8,900 acres of coastal ecosystems, primarily estuarine wetlands and adjacent habitat by 2020. This effort will include detailed planning, site design, engineering and restoration implementation focused on 2000 acres in Northern California, 5000 acres in San Francisco Bay; 600 acres in Central California and 1300 acres in Southern California.

    Additionally, the State of California commits to developing and implementing specific eco-regional conservation goals and actions based on the best available science for the conservation of 57,000 acres of coastal ecosystems including subtidal habitats, coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands. The State has already established conservation plans for tidal and diked wetlands and subtidal habitat in San Francisco Bay (totaling 43,000 acres) and is in the process of developing long-term goals and implementation strategies for restoring 14,500 acres of coastal wetlands in Southern California.
    Partners
    State Coastal Conservancy (Government), San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority (Government), Santa Clara County (Government), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Government), California Department of Parks and Recreation (Government), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Government), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Government), The Nature Conservancy, Resource Conservation Districts (Government), and others

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
    14.5 By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
    Planning, design and implementation progress towards restoring 8,900 acres of estuarine wetlands and adjacent habitat in California by 2020.
    Scientifically-based, spatially explicit goals established and/or implemented to conserve 57,000 acres of coastal ecosystems in California by 2020.
    Financing (in USD)
    175000000
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 January 2017 (start date)
    01 December 2020 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Ocean Protection Council on behalf of the State of California
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Sacramento, California, United States of America
    Ocean Basins
    North Pacific
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine and coastal ecosystems management
    Website/More information
    N/A
    Countries
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    Contact Information

    Jenn Eckerle, Deputy Director, Ocean Protection Council