Coastal Management

California’s coastal cities continue to face unprecedented population growth and associated development pressures placing demands upon coastal marine ecosystems, water supply, and vibrant, diverse communities. As the largest urban center on the West Coast and the second largest in the nation, the city of Los Angeles is recognized as a “megacity” and is at the heart of the debate about the effects of urbanization on our coastlines. USC Sea Grant has been and will continue to follow issues related to coastal zone management, marine spatial planning, marine protected areas (MPAs), alternative energies in the coastal zone (e.g. wind, waves), desalination, and other coastal-dependent uses.