The core operation of our facility is managed by the Office of Spill Prevention and Response , which was placed within the Department of Fish and Game when it first became organized in 1992 (see the Introduction in the Virtual Tour for details).

Going farther up the hierarchy, Fish and Game is organized under the Resources Agency , aptly named, as it includes other departments such as State Parks.

And finally, the Office of the Governor oversees it all.

In a practical sense, this means that our facility operates under all rules and regulations set fourth by the Department of Fish and Game.

Many people think of Fish and Game as an enforcement agency, much like the California Highway Patrol. Indeed, Fish and Game does have an Enforcement Branch, but a vast amount of resources are also put into education, outreach, conservation, and research.

This facility is within OSPR, which is an office of Fish and Game responsible for cleaning up oil spills and dealing with the larger environmental ramifications they cause—for both people, and animals.

Our facility is located within the protected waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and should there be a catastrophic oil spill or discharge, we would be some of the first people on the scene to care for the affected wildlife.

How we are organized