Southwest Seal Rock Special Closure (California)

Year-round no-entry special closure around Southwest Seal Rock, an isolated Steller sea lion rookery about 8 km west-north-west of Crescent City (Del Norte County). 14 CCR 632(b)(3) closes the water band running from the mean high tide line out to 300 feet beyond the mean lower low tide line of any shoreline of the rock: no vessel may be operated or anchored there and, under subsection (C), no person at all may enter that band without department permission. Because the closure bars entry to the water itself - not merely to the rock - spearfishing inside the 300-foot band is unlawful at any time of year. CDFW: "People are not allowed in the special closure, to protect the sea lions that use Southwest Seal Rock as a rookery."