Asilomar State Marine Reserve

Asilomar State Marine Reserve

Asilomar State Beach lies within the Asilomar State Marine Reserve which stretches from Point Joe to Point Pinos. A state marine reserve is the highest level marine protected area which means that all natural features and wildlife are legally protected here.  

In a state marine reserve, it is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living geological, or cultural marine resource, except under a permit or specific authorization from the managing agency for research, restoration, or monitoring purposes. 

  • No fishing or harvesting (i.e. includes kelp, mussels, abalone) 
  • No collecting of any natural features (i.e. rocks, shells, sand)
  • Do not disturb wildlife (i.e. seals, otters, harbor.) 
  • Do not pick up sea life (for example: seas stars, sea anomones, crabs, etc

For a free printable information on Asilomar State Marine Reserve, visit Asilomar State Marine Reserve Brochure

    Asilomar State Marine Reserve (SMR):

    Extends from the ocean side of Point Pinos to Point Joe.

    The amazing marine life of the Monterey Peninsula draws thousands of visitors        each year to fish, dive, hike, whale watch and kayak.

    To learn more about activities allowed in MPA's near you, visit:                                       https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/MPAs/FAQs

What is a Marine Protected Area?

Monterey Peninsula Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) include: Asilomar State Marine Reserve, Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area, Lovers Point State Marine Reserve, and Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area.

Marine protected areas (or MPA) are areas designated for protection and conservation of marine life and habitat. Instead of focusing on protection of individual endangered species, marine protected areas protect our marine ecosystems as a whole. These are spaces for wildlife to rest, feed, and replenish populations with as limited human disturbance as possible. 

Just as state and national parks protect wildlife and habitats on land, marine protected areas (MPAs) conserve and restore wildlife and habitats in our ocean. Under the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) passed in 1999, California began a historic effort to establish a science-based, statewide network of MPAs through a collaborative effort that includes the California Department of Fish and Game and California State Parks.

California is taking a regional approach to the design and implementation of MPAs, and has divided the state into five regions: the north coast, south coast, north central coast, central coast and San Francisco Bay.

MPAs contribute to healthier, more resilient ocean ecosystems that can better withstand a wide range of impacts such as pollution and climate change. By protecting entire ecosystems rather than focusing on a single species, MPAs are powerful tools for conserving and restoring ocean biodiversity, and protecting cultural resources, while allowing certain activities such as marine recreation and research. There is a global body of scientific evidence about the effectiveness of marine protected areas and reserves to restore marine ecosystems (http://www.piscoweb.org).
MPA