Naples Reef

Naples Reef is a reef located off the Gaviota Coast of Santa Barbara County, California. It is an underwater pinnacle and cave system that is a popular scuba diving area.

Ecology

Naples Reef is a rich, productive habitat, with anemone-covered underwater walls rising 30-feet from the sea floor and a kelp forest that supports various fish and wildlife. White seabass, kelp bass, rockfish^{[disambiguation needed ]}, colorful nudibranchs, red gorgonians, pelicans, harbor seals and a variety of crabs, lobster and scallops all share the reef. This coastal area is home to many threatened and endangered animals such as the steelhead trout, the tidewater goby, the white-tailed kite, and the red-legged frog.

Environmental Concerns

Naples reef faces a variety of threats including overfishing, coastal development and climate change. It is one of the most biologically productive locations in all of Southern California and despite being a mainland reef, it is ecologically more connected to the northern Channel Islands.

Cultural Concerns

The area has immense historic and cultural importance for local Native American tribes. The United States Department of the Interior has declared the adjacent undeveloped coastline "globally significant".

References