In 2012, California’s Marine Life Protection Act created 52 unique protected areas along the Pacific coast where fishing is either prohibited or severely restricted. The Act was a source of disagreement in the Crystal Cove area between environmentalists who supported it and fishermen who felt it threatened their livelihoods by limiting commercial fishing activity. Crystal Cove Alliance (CCA), a non-profit organization whose mission includes conservation in the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area, envisioned a partnership that would further conservation efforts as well as provide fishermen with new opportunities for sustainably keeping boats on the water with non-consumptive educational K-12 field trips. This case study tells the story of the resulting collaboration, an example of innovative social enterprise that paved the way for the park’s sustainable future and benefited parties from all sectors.