San Diego-Scripps Coastal Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) and Matlahuayl State Marine Reserve (SMR) are adjoining marine protected areas that extend offshore from La Jolla in San Diego County on California’s south coast. The two marine protected areas cover 2.51 square miles. San Diego-Scripps Coastal SMCA prohibits the take of all living marine resources except that coastal pelagic species, not including market squid, may be taken recreationally by hook and line. Matlahuayl SMR prohibits the take of all living marine resources. History San Diego-Scripps Coastal (SMCA) and Matlahuayl (SMR) are both a part of the southern region of California's network of Marine Protected Areas that were established in 1999 with the passing of the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), the first act of this nature to be passed across the United States. With the passing of this act, California resorted to regional delegation by splitting the state into five large sections: the north coast, the south coast, the north-central coast, the central coast, and the San Francisco Bay. This act built upon the Marine Life Management Act passed in 1998, which was created to protect specific marine species. The drive behind this new act for marine protection was largely influenced by the desire to protect entire ecosystems and habitats to more effectively provide a safe haven for marine life. They are two of the 37 marine protected areas adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission in December, 2010 during the third phase of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. They were added to the set of pre-existing MPAs, totalling 50 MPAs within the southern region and 355 square miles of marine protected waters. The set of MPAs in California was finalized in 2012, leading to the current protection of 16% of California's waters and creating a much higher level of protection for the valuable marine life diversity along the California Coast. The MLPAI is a collaborative public process to create a statewide network of protected areas along California’s coastline. The name Matlahuayl was adopted in honor of the Kumeyaay, a local indigenous people. The Kumeyaay referred to the area now known as La Jolla as mat kulaaxuuy ("land of holes"), probably in reference to the numerous sea caves in the area. The south coast’s new marine protected areas were designed by local divers, fishermen, conservationists and scientists who comprised the South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group. Their job was to