Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
Location on California’s Central Coast – A Special Place

Introduction

The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS) is located along the pristine south Central California coastline, from Gaviota Creek to the south to Santa Rosa Creek in Cambria to the north. The western boundary of the CHNMS would be west of the submerged Santa Lucia Bank along the Santa Lucia Escarpment. The eastern boundary would be the mean high tide line along the coastline. These pristine coastal waters are between the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). There are seven nationally and internationally important core areas within this proposed sanctuary that were originally identified in the 1990 proposal to become the Central Coast National Marine Sanctuary; however, the proposal died because of Congressional inaction.

Seven Core Areas

Detailed maps of the core areas can be found in the April 2014 SLO Coast Journal and on the Chumash Sanctuary website.

Core Area One is the nearshore area from mean high tide line out 3 to 13 miles offshore of this proposed sanctuary coastline. This area contains many of the submerged Cultural Chumash Sacred Sites ranging from villages to possible solstice alignments. Chumash records suggest occupation of the central coast area for more than 15,000 years with an older recorded date at Point Conception, an extremely important Chumash Sacred Place known to Native Americans as the Western Gate. Other sites adjacent to or extending into submerged land include: Jalama; two 10,000 year- old sites within Vandenberg AFB; sites at Point Sal; four major Chumash Sacred sites onshore San Luis Bay of which three are known to have been continuously occupied for at least 9,000 years: the site for which the City of Pismo Beach is named, the site where the Chumash people return to renew the Traditional Ritual Ceremony Cycle, the old Chumash Capital in the area of Avila Beach, now partially covered by sea level rise; the Chumash Sacred site at Diablo Cove along the coastline of the Pecho Coast dated over 9,000 years; the Chumash Village Sacred site in Los Osos; hundreds of Chumash Sacred sites ringing Morro Bay; the Chumash village Sacred site of Cayucos (continuously occupied for 8,000 years); other large sites found in the area to a mile north of Pt. Estero; and two Chumash village Sacred sites in Cambria continuously occupied for 10,000 years.

Core Area Two is located off the California Central Coast between the Channel Islands and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries. Within its boundaries are an upthrust block, a mile deep sea canyon, and a seamount. The Santa Lucia Bank upthrust block rises to within 400 meters of the ocean surface 30 to 40 miles offshore from the north face of the Arguello Canyon to offshore Morro Bay. This area lies within the Oceanographic and Meteorological transition zone of the Oregonian and Californian Providences at the complex meeting place of south and north moving major warm and cold ocean currents.

The complex topography is the result of the meeting place of three major tectonic plates. Topography within the boundary — the Rodriquez Seamount, the Arguello Canyon, Santa Lucia Bank and the Santa Lucia Escarpment — and adjacent topography to its south area outside the boundary line — the Southern California Bite and the Channel Islands — enhances a meeting place of these major ocean currents that guides and funnels the West Coast’s only persistent upwelling that rises between Points Arguello and Sal feeding whales and birds throughout the Pacific.

Core Area Three is from Gaviota Creek, south of Point Conception, to Purisima Point. This area contains thriving kelp forests, wetlands, Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area, two state Marine Protection Areas (MPA), historic major shipwrecks, and onshore Gaviota State Park and Jalama Beach County Park. The richness of the marine habitat is dependent upon the adjacent permanent upwelling waters.

Core Area Four is from Point Sal to Arroyo Grande Creek. This area contains kelp forests, wetlands, and onshore National Natural Landmark (the largest California Coastal Dunes Complex), Point Sal State Beach, Oceano Dunes State Beach, and Pismo State Beach.

Core Area Five, a rocky intertidal area of northern San Luis Bay, begins at the northernmost end of the 26-mile stretch of sandy beach called Pismo Beach. From this rocky cliff area along the coastline to the southern end of Avila Beach, another high rocky cliff, the boundary arcs offshore to the 200 meter bathymetric line back to the Pismo Beach rocky cliffs in order to protect prominent offshore rock habitat in the San Luis Bay.

Along this stretch of coast is a major complex of kelp forests; none are found southward until Point Sal. The coastline varies from rocky cliffs with no beaches to cliffs with some beach. Despite the beach areas, the dominant rocky hard bottom offshore provides appropriate habitat for the kelp forest and its lush populations of plant and animal life. The area is host to the last significant southernmost population of southern sea otters in the Southern Sea Otters Range.

This area is also adjacent to four major onshore Chumash sites -- three known to have been continuously occupied for 9,000 years. One is the site for which the city of Pismo Beach was named, one is a site to which the Chumash have returned to renew the traditional ritual ceremony cycle, and one is the old Chumash capital in the area of Avila Beach, now partially covered by sea level rise.

Core Area Six includes the shoreline of the Pecho Coast, located between Point San Luis and the Morro Bay Sandspit, the Morro Bay Sandspit to the north flank of Morro Rock, and the nearshore waters out to the 200-meter bathymetric line.

The Pecho Coast marine environment consists of a 13-mile stretch of intertidal rocky reef beginning at Hazard Canyon in the north to Point San Luis. The shoreline is characterized by sheer, wave-eroded cliffs, jutting headlands, and massive offshore submerged and exposed rocks. Above shoreline the narrow coastal bench is flanked by hills. The tidal zone is generally narrow and may terminate abruptly where protection from wave shock is minimal and deposition is reduced or absent. These topographical features form a highly irregular coastline. The coast provides many different exposed and protected habitats that extend or control the abundance and composition of marine plants and animals. This area has 2 state MPAs and is adjacent to the Morro Bay National Estuary.

Onshore, are found the oldest known Chumash site on this segment of coastline at Diablo Cove, a continuously occupied 9,000-year-old Chumash village site, the Chumash village site in Los Osos, hundreds of Chumash sites ringing Morro Bay, the sacred site and Bird Refuge of Morro Rock, Montana de Oro State Park, Point Buchon, and the historic Point San Luis Lighthouse.

Core Area Seven is from Cayucos Creek to Santa Rosa Creek. At its northern end, the Sanctuary would protect the North Estero Bay Intertidal Zone, extending from the Chumash village site of Cayucos and other large sites found in the area to a mile north of Pt. Estero. Comprised of rocky intertidal zones associated with dense kelp forests and other algae populations, the area supports a wide diversity of life. One of the largest southern sea otter population clusters resides within this zone. Offshore rocks provide rookeries and roosting sites for birds and haulouts for pinnipeds. 500 to 600 harbor seals are found here. Whales other than gray whales occasionally visit within this zone. Gray whales stack at Point Estero during migrations. Onshore are found Cayucos State Beach, White Rock, and Cambria MPAs.

To summarize, the proposed sanctuary area encompasses submerged Sacred Chumash sites and possible solstice alignments, historic major shipwrecks, a Permanent Upwelling, Arguello Canyon, seasonal upwellings, the Santa Lucia Bank upthrust block, the Rodriguez Seamount, the Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area, several California Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Protected Areas, southernmost sea otter cluster, marine mammals and haulouts, wetlands, rookeries, kelp forests, and other significant nationally and internationally important marine life and marine ecosystems.

The unique oceanographic combination of the mile deep canyon, through which California's and also the West Coast's only persistent upwelling flows, the Santa Lucia Bank upthrust block, and the Rodriguez Seamount create the ideal conditions for an internationally and nationally significant diverse density of marine life attracting whales and birds throughout the Pacific Ocean to feed at the Santa Lucia Bank.

Onshore along the coast of the proposed marine sanctuary are California’s largest coastal dunes complex, Gaviota State Park, Jalama Beach County Park, Pismo State Beach, Point Sal State Beach, Oceano Dunes State Beach, Morro Bay National Estuary, Morro Rock State Landmark and Bird Sanctuary, the historic Point San Luis lighthouse, Cayucos State Beach. Also, the California Coastal National Monument includes rocks, islands, exposed reefs, and pinnacles along the California Coastline.