Funders Statement

The Resources Legacy Fund Foundation (RLFF) is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the quality of life by supporting projects that conserve and restore natural landscapes and marine ecosystems. Consistent with this mission, RLFF created a public private partnership in 2004 with the California Resources Agency and the Department of Fish and Game. This partnership is dedicated to ensure and enhance healthy oceans and conservation of California's marine biodiversity.

This partnership and its financial support will allow the Resources Agency and the Department of Fish and Game to enhance public participation and provide additional scientific information necessary to implement the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative. (For an overview of the MLPA Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding formalizing this public private partnership see www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa). All policy decisions relating to the MLPA Initiative rest with the Department of Fish and Game and the Fish and Game Commission under California law.

RLFF's role in this public private partnership is to provide support for the California Resources Agency and Department of Fish and Game to perform their work on the MLPA Initiative. Additional analytical and technical resources made available through this financial support will result in a more thorough public process based upon sound science that supports an ocean environment with rich and abundant marine wildlife. Funders of RLFF's work to conserve and restore marine ecosystems include the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Marisla Foundation, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. These philanthropic foundations have programs that seek healthy oceans, healthy fisheries, and vibrant fishing communities for generations to come. For information about these foundations, see: www.packard.org and www.moore.org .