In Reply to: Lobsters and Abalone Cove posted by Diver Z on December 27, 2006 at 15:23:16:

About the most helpful background I've found so far is the excerpt below from the linked DFG document. But it doesn't really give a specific objective for the reserve. It does sound like it implies that it has something to do with the runoff in the area.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Site name: Abalone Cove State Marine Park

Year established: 1977

Approximate Area: 0.09 nm2

Approximate Shoreline length: 1.01 nm

Approximate Depth range (feet): 0 to 30

Habitat types: Rocky outcrops, otherwise sand in the subtidal zone. Western shoreline is rocky with sand/cobble to the east.

Surrounding habitat types: Rocky points with kelp forest and reef habitat. Sandy coves and soft bottom areas offshore.

Summary of existing regulations: Take of all living marine resources is prohibited except the recreational take of finfish by hook and line or spear.

Primary objectives: This area was originally designated as an ecological reserve. Fish and Game Code Section 1580 (ecological reserves) states that "the policy of the state is to protect threatened or endangered native plants, wildlife, or aquatic organisms or specialized habitat types, both terrestrial and nonmarine aquatic, or large heterogeneous natural gene pools for the future use of mankind through the establishment of ecological reserves.? Although the language does not specifically refer to ecological reserves in marine areas, the Fish and Game Commission has extended this policy to those areas. A specific purpose of the Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve was to allow recreational take of finfish while protecting other biological and geological resources.

Existing Enforcement: Included as part of normal Department of Fish and Game marine patrol activities for this general area based on available patrol resources and level of fishery activity in the area. Local park staff may provide added enforcement presence.

Baseline and ongoing monitoring and research studies: Miller and Lawrenze-Miller included this site in black abalone surveys of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Basic Evaluation: Provides limited protection to selected resources in an area currently subject to disturbance from terrestrial runoff, siltation and human use. Kelp restoration efforts at this area in the 1970s provided a source of recruitment for kelp recovery over much of the Palos Verdes Peninsula as water quality and habitat conditions improved. Red abalone recovered to relatively high numbers in this site during the 1980s as a result of successful natural recruitment, but declined severely by 1990 as habitat conditions deteriorated.

• http://www.dfg.ca.gov/MRD/MLPA/descriptions/entire.pdf