Hopkins Marine Life Refuge

The Hopkins Marine Life Refuge is defined by the rugged, erosion-resistant rocks of Point Cabrillo, where harbor seals frequently haul out to rest along the shoreline. Established by the California Legislature in nineteen thirty-one, this protected coastal area surrounds the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. The refuge was created at the urging of local advocates and researchers who sought to halt the widespread depletion of marine invertebrates like abalone, urchins, and shellfish caused by human harvesting.