California Sea Grant Extension

... To discover and transfer science-based knowledge to help California and its residents better balance the competing needs of using and conserving coastal and marine resources for future generations.

California's Need for Extension Services

Nearly 30 million of California's 36.5 million residents live in the state's 20 coastal and San Francisco Bay area counties, creating the largest ocean-based economy in the country. Just the top six coastal-
dependent industries generate about $43 billion annually.

California is home to six major seaports, more than 200 marinas and harbors, and more than 1,000 coastal recreation areas that receive about 100 million visitors a year. This level of commerce and tourism in the coastal zone places immense pressure on natural resources and creates a need for unbiased, science-based approaches to resolving conflicts over resource use, while contributing to resource management and conservation.

A Statewide Team, Problem Solving

Ten advisors with diverse areas of expertise, geographically spread along the coast, function as a statewide team, uniquely positioned to conduct applied research and share findings with relevant stakeholders. Environmental stewardship, long-term economic development and responsible use of California’s resources are at the heart of Sea Grant’s mission.

Our research, education and outreach programs aim to:


• Protect water quality

* Ensure safe and sustainable seafood

• Control aquatic invasive species

• Recover endangered salmon, restore watersheds and protect marine habitats

* Understand socioeconomic factors affecting fishing and fishing communities

• Develop ecosystem-based management, a new paradigm, involving a diverse group of stakeholders in an era of climate change

• Create partnerships to address critical needs in aquaculture, coastal community development and fisheries management, among others