Marine resources: Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act: restoration and monitoring activities.

Existing law establishes the Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act (MMAIA) , which, among other things, prescribes 6 classifications for designating managed areas in the marine and estuarine environments to ensure the long-term ecological viability and biological productivity of marine and estuarine ecosystems and to preserve cultural resources in the coastal sea. Under the MMAIA, in a state marine conservation area, it is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource for commercial or recreational purposes, or a combination of commercial and recreational purposes, that the designating entity or managing agency determines would compromise protection of the species of interest, natural community, habitat, or geological features. The MMAIA authorizes the designating entity or managing agency to permit, among other things, research, education, and recreational activities. This bill would authorize the designating entity or managing agency to also permit restoration and monitoring activities.