The California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP) is a partnership of people and communities interested in fisheries sustainability. By combining the expertise and ideas of fishermen, scientists, and resource managers, CCFRP aims to collect valuable data on economically important marine species to evaluate the effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) and to provide information for fisheries management. In order to do so, standardized hook-and-line surveys are conducted with the assistance of volunteer anglers to catch and release nearshore fish species inside MPAs and associated reference sites (REF). Research scientists identify, measure, and tag caught fishes prior to release, while engaging with volunteers to provide information on life history traits of fishes and MPA implementation. Each sampling trip provides information regarding species compositions, sizes, and catch rates of fishes in and around California MPAs that will be used by resource managers to assess stock health and MPA performance through time.
CCFRP has several goals:
- conduct scientifically sound research to better inform resource managers
- collaboratively work with local fishing communities to collect fisheries data
- provide rigorous baseline/monitoring data for the evaluation of MPA performance
- better understand nearshore fish stocks and the ecosystems upon which they rely
- educate the public about marine conservation, stewardship and research
Statewide Expansion
In 2017, after ten years of data collection in the central California coast management region, CCFRP expanded statewide. Utilizing the same standardized protocols, CCFRP now actively monitors fourteen specific areas in partnership with 6 academic institutions (Humboldt State University, Bodega Marine laboratories, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UC Santa Barbara, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography) as a statewide program. To learn more about our research efforts across the state, please visit our statewide CCFRP website.
Current Updates
Get Involved with CCFRP!
Data/Reports
Interactive Data App
CCFRP Statewide Website
Fisheries & Conservation Biology
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
8272 Moss Landing Road
Moss Landing, CA 95039
p: (831) 771-4479
f: (831) 632-4403
e: mlml-ccfrp@sjsu.edu