Steve Wertz is a Senior Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Since 1991, he has served CDFW on variety of marine research and management projects. In 2008, Steve became involved in the design and implementation of California’s globally recognized network of marine protected areas (MPAs). Designed using a scientifically guided, stakeholder-driven approach, the MPA Network consists of 124 individual MPAs and 14 special closures that encompass approximately 16% of California’s jurisdictional waters, with 9% in no-take MPAs. As California approaches the 10-year anniversary of network completion, Steve and his amazing crew are preparing the first comprehensive review of the MPA Management Program and progress of the MPA Network towards meeting the ecosystem-focused goals of the Marine Life Protection Act.

MARNE PROTECTED AREAS UPDATE
One of the requirements in creating the network of MPAs was that they be adaptively managed. This means that periodically, CDFW and the various stakeholders would review the individual MPAs to see if they're working as intended and makes decisions about how to change that one way or the other to better fulfill the requirements of the Marine Life Protection Act. The first review was completed at the end of 2022 and Steve will update you on what changes and adaptations were deemed necessary moving forward.

Doug and Lorenza Sloss have worked in the tourism and hospitality business for several years aboard the Aggressor liveaboards in Kona, Hawaii and Palau, Micronesia. There, they have taught hundreds of people how to dive and shoot photography. Their passion for teaching translated into the creation of a successful series of video tutorials that help photographers of all levels to effectively and professionally post-process their images. Their award-winning photography has appeared in Sport Diver, Scuba Diving, Scuba Diver Australasia, Islands, Asia Diver and many other magazines and books worldwide. Doug has been Field Editor and regular columnist for Scuba Diver Australasia magazine. They also lead photo workshops teaching photography and digital editing, both above and below the waterline.

TAKE BETTER PICTURES - IF SAM CAN DO IT, WHY NOT YOU?
Everyone who has ever held a camera in their hand wants to take better pictures than they currently do. And for those who are on that quest to be the next underwater Ansel Adams, Doug & Lorenza can help point you there. In this talk, they'll go through some of the basics and will share with you how they got their son, Sam, interested and involved in underwater photography.