A team appointed within each study region by the director of the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) to help advise the science used in the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) process. Members of the SAT are technical experts in a range of fields including marine ecology, fisheries, the design of marine protected areas, economics, and social sciences. The SAT provided scientific information and technical judgment while reviewing MPA proposals and master plan documents, and responding to any scientific issues or questions raised by the Blue Ribbon Task Force  (BRTF) or the members of the Regional Stakeholder Group (RSG).