Whenever I arrive at a new spot, my instinct is to look around for signs. I’m curious to know the local rules, the species I might see, and any unique features of the area. I assumed this was common—that most people also stopped to read signs before heading out. But that assumption got flipped on its head when I started digging into how effective marine protected area (MPA) signage really is. 

At its February 2024 meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) referred 20 petitions with over 80 unique requests to amend...