Steven D. Gaines, Ph.D.

Research

Steve Gaines is a dean and professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Gaines used his Pew fellowship to help implement California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). Signed into law in 1999, the MLPA required California to establish a statewide network of coastal marine reserves. Implementing the MLPA required a science-based process, involving the active participation of marine experts, to plan and create a network of marine protected areas along the state’s extensive coastline. The network was designed to provide both conservation and fisheries benefits. Due to California’s considerable coastline, the diversity of its sea life, and the enormous number of people and industries that depend upon its oceans, the MLPA is an international model for management of urban coastlines. Gaines helped develop the science that played a prominent role in the implementation of the MLPA and has been extending the principles to other marine spatial planning efforts. To learn more about Gaines, visit his bio online. http://www.marinesanctuary.org/?s=steve+gaines