Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve

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Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve is a protected marine area in Carmel Bay, near Carmel-by-the-Sea on California’s central coast. It protects an underwater pinnacle, a nearby kelp forest, a submarine canyon head, and surfgrass. The reserve was established in September 2007 as part of California’s Marine Life Protection Act Initiative, which aims to create a statewide network of marine protected areas along the coast. It covers a small area bounded by the mean high tide line with straight boundary lines. The reserve protects all marine life within its boundaries, and fishing or taking living marine resources is prohibited.

Scientists from Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station, the University of California, Santa Cruz, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo monitor the area to study ocean health and the reserve’s effectiveness. Research methods include hook-and-line sampling, intertidal and scuba surveys, and the use of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).