Four marine protected areas surround Carmel: Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve, Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area, and Point Lobos State Marine Reserve and State Marine Conservation Area. Carmel Pinnacles was set up in September 2007 and covers about half a square mile with an underwater pinnacle formation, kelp forest, surfgrass and the head of a submarine canyon.
At Point Lobos, the no-take zone runs from the east side of Monastery Beach to the mouth of Malpaso Creek, and divers may not take fish or mollusks within the reserve. These areas were among the first 29 adopted under the state’s Marine Life Protection Act.
Scientists monitor them to learn how well protection works.