Protecting the Pacific Ocean

Despite the grandeur of California’s vast neighbor to the west, the Pacific Ocean is a vulnerable and sensitive resource facing threats on multiple fronts: from rising sea levels and ocean acidification to overfishing and marine pollution. The California Ocean Protection Council is a state agency tasked with managing efforts to protect the vitality of this rich resource and the ecosystems and economies that rely on it.

In this interview, new Deputy Secretary for Oceans and Coastal Policy and Director of the Ocean Protection Council, Mark Gold, speaks to his time as Associate Vice Chancellor for the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA and what he hopes to accomplish at the council. The veteran California water maven discusses opportunities for research collaboration and innovation to address the challenges facing the state’s ocean resources, commenting: 

"We have such a tremendous and diverse coast with a wide variety of habitats and ecosystems and different current systems. Setting a one-size-fits-all set of priorities just does not make sense for the coast. What really matters is working with the agencies and the public on setting those priorities to make sure that they become a reality. That to me is the big challenge in front of me, the Ocean Protection Council, and the state in the year ahead."

Read the full interview on The Planning Report.