Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

Click here for Biodiversity Survey findings

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is located in the North Central Coast region of California, within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This site is located within the Montara State Marine Reserve and San Mateo County Park. This site is also located in an Area of Special Biological Significance (James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve ASBS). This site receives high visitation by tidepoolers and is often visited by school groups. This gently sloping site consists of relatively flat terrain.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is dominated by a mixture of consolidated bedrock and sandy beach and the area surrounding the site is sandy beach. The primary coastal orientation of this site is west/southwest.

Biodiversity Surveys were done in 2002, 2006, 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2020. The Biodiversity Survey grid encompasses one section that is approximately 30 meters (along shore) x 40 meters (seaward). Click here to view Biodiversity Survey findings at this site.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve was also sampled in 2007 and 2009 as part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). Photo plot and motile invertebrate surveys were done as part of the NRDA.

This site is also regularly surveyed by LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students) which is an environmental monitoring and education program for students, educators, and volunteer groups. You can access site specific data from this citizen scientist and educational broad scale trend monitoring program.

For more information about Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, please contact Pete Raimondi (raimondi@ucsc.edu).