Marine Sanctuaries -
2014 Columns
December, 2014 Fishing and Harbors in the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
The intent of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS) is to work with the harbors and fishers to preserve their historical connections and economic productivity. Therefore, the CHNMS will not add additional regulations to either harbors or commercial and recreational fishing. The CHNMS proposal includes statements regarding the important issues of maintaining harbors and dredging, and commercial and recreational fishing.
October, 2014 Sanctuary Nomination Process For Consideration of New National Marine Sanctuariesy
After two decades, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) invites coastal and Great Lakes communities to nominate their most treasured places for consideration as national marine sanctuaries. Residents of the California Central Coast have waited twenty years to be able to once again nominate their treasured nearshore coastal and offshore waters. Many individuals and groups have been hard at work over the last few years to reach this point to nominate a national marine sanctuary newly named, The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.
September, 2014 Chumash Thrivability of Marine Ecosystems & Mission Blue
The concept of sustainability, while considered a lofty and progressive ideal within the wider philosophy of environmental protection, has a major flaw. Given the actual political process with its gives and takes among the variety of vested interests, the bench mark for sustaining a particular area at its current level is where political compromise begins. That is to say, the variables required to actually sustain a system become unreachable. Thus, the very attempt to work for sustaining the planet at its current state actually maintains the downward spiral.
August, 2014 Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Location on California’s Central Coast – A Special Place
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.
July, 2014 New National Marine Sanctuary Nomination Announcement of Final Criteria and Process
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June, 2014 Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal Presentation in Cambria, June 4th
Presentations for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal are being given by various leaders representing the Northern Chumash Tribal Council (NCTC), the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club, the San Luis Obispo Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, the Marine Sanctuary Alliance, and other local, state, and national grassroots organizations.
May, 2014 Expansion of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
The expansion of the Gulf of the Farallones and the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries was announced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in an April 14, 2014 press release. NOAA is accepting public comments through June 30, 2014..
April, 2014 Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal Maps of Seven Core Areas
The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary has seven significant core areas of importance.
In a national marine sanctuary, a core area is usually an internationally or nationally significant oceanographic and or ecological unit that needs primary protection and becomes the central focus of a sanctuary. Vital ecosystems supporting significant marine life are clear candidates for protection. Nationally significant historical and cultural features are also nominated for protection.
March 2014 Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal Presentations
Presentations for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal are being given by various leaders representing the Northern Chumash Tribal Council (NCTC), the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club, the San Luis Obispo Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, the Marine Sanctuary Alliance, and other local, state, and national grassroots organizations.
February, 2014 Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal Gains Support
and The Importance of Chumash Heritage to National Marine Sanctuaries
Support for the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is gaining both local and statewide support to fill the gap with sanctuary protection between the Channel Islands and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries.
January, 2014 California Central Coast Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Proposal
The Northern Chumash Tribal Council (NCTC), in collaboration with local, state, and national grassroots organizations is proposing the nomination of the California Central Coast Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.