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    FALL 2009

    Channel Islands 2009 Condition Report
    The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary’s condition report was released in September 2009. The report summarizes the pressures the sanctuary is facing as well as the status and trends of water quality, habitat, living resources, and marine archaeological resources. The report finds that water quality is in generally good condition due to the sanctuary’s offshore location and distance from major urban population centers. However, habitat quality and living resource conditions have deteriorated somewhat due to a variety of human activities, as well as changing ocean conditions and disease. Many management and regulatory efforts are already in place to help counter these effects and development of the report has helped to identify areas where more monitoring and research is needed. The report is available at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/condition/welcome.html

    Thank You Ocean logoStaci Kaye-Carr, Channel Islands Naturalist Corps Volunteer of the Year 2009! Staci has been a volunteer in the Channel Islands Naturalist Corps program since 2004. She is truly enthusiastic , knowledgeable, and always willing to help out and share information with others. To know Staci is to catch her humor and energy. Whether on a whale watch boat, leading an island hike, manning an outreach booth, or putting on a puppet show, Staci goes beyond the call of duty to teach the public about our local marine and Channel Islands environment. She volunteered over 700 hours this year with the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park program. Congratulations and thank you, Staci, for your significant contribution!
    Photo caption: Staci Kaye-Carr, Volunteer at left and Shauna Bingham, Volunteer Outreach Coordinator with Channel Islands Naturalist Corps Blue Whale Award, October 20, 2009.

    Marine Life Protection Act Initiative – Stakeholder Process Wrapping Up in Southern California- An important stakeholder-based phase of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative process is being completed in southern California to assist the state of California in redesigning marine protected areas (MPAs) along the coast from Point Conception to the Mexican border (excluding existing MPAs within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary). The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) directs the state to reevaluate and redesign California’s system of MPAs to: increase coherence and effectiveness in protecting the state's marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems, and marine natural heritage, as well as to improve recreational, educational and study opportunities provided by marine ecosystems subject to minimal human disturbance. For more information about the process, including maps and public meeting schedules: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa
    The science, controversy and impacts of Marine Protected Areas were reported on in a recent article in the Ventura County Star: http://www.venturacountystar.com/special/mlpa

    Ship Strike Recommendations Adopted by Sanctuary Advisory Council
    Click here for Report     pdf
    The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) Advisory Council met Friday September 18, 2009, and voted unanimously to approve recommendations to reduce the threat of ship strikes on large whales in the Santa Barbara Channel and CINMS. In general, the recommendations include consideration of research and monitoring, education and outreach, ship speed reduction, changes in vessel patterns, and engagement of agency partners and industry. The Advisory Council has devoted considerable effort to this issue since several blue whales were struck in 2007. The advice was developed by the council’s Ship Strike Subcommittee, a group composed of agency, business, conservation community, and public partners working with CINMS staff, and in consultation with shipping industry leaders, whale experts and others.
    For more information, please contact sean.hastings@noaa.gov

    Latest National Marine Sanctuaries Video - Unique Places Addressing Key Issues Facing Our World http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/pgallery/video/chow09.mov
    During this challenging period marine sanctuaries continued to connect communities while working on solutions to complex problems. Now more than ever the protection of sanctuaries is critical to the health of fragile ecosystems.

    Sanctuary Events Calendar fourth quarter 2009

    *Don't miss our From Shore to Sea Lectures in Santa Barbara & Ventura the 2nd consecutive Tuesday & Wednesday of each month! pdf

    The November 10 and 11 lecture topic is Exploring the Origins of Indigenous People of San Nicholas Island. Steven Schwartz, senior archeologist and historian from the United States Navy, will be presenting exciting new research based on latest findings of the aboriginal inhabitants of the island.
    Robert Schwemmer, maritime heritage coordinator for the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries West Coast Region and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Kelly Minas, archaeologist from Channel Islands National Park will be speaking about the Submerged Cultural Resources Program at the Channel Islands on December 8 and 9. Through this program more than two dozen historic shipwrecks and airplanes have been located!

    Wrecked ships and planes ensnared by Channel Islands now offer window to the past…What lies beneath
    Some 700 shipwrecks and plane crashes have occurred in the Santa Barbara Channel off our coast from Point Mugu to Point Sal. Take some time and explore some of them. Read the Ventura County Star article with interactive shipwreck map.

    Update! Construction to begin soon on CINMS/UCSB Ocean Science Education Building With construction expected to begin in early 2010, the new Ocean Science Education Building will house the Outreach Center for Teaching Ocean Science (OCTOS) and incorporate the educational outreach programs of UCSB's Marine Science Institute (MSI) and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS). Half of the building will house OCTOS and include state-of-the-art interactive exhibits in marine science. The balance of the structure will be a new home for CINMS administrative offices. For more information about OCTOS: http://www.msi.ucsb.edu/education/outreach-center-teaching-ocean-science-octos

     

    Thank You Ocean logoNOAA bans commercial harvesting of krill
    On July 13, 2009 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published a final rule in the Federal Register prohibiting the harvesting of krill in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. The rule goes into effect on August 12, 2009. Krill are a small shrimp-like crustacean and a key source of nutrition in the marine food web. The idea to save krill for marine life originally came from superintendents of the national marine sanctuaries off California, who became concerned in 2003 after rockfish populations declined, and later in 2005 when a downturn in krill populations was blamed for starving sea birds and other West Coast marine life.The krill prohibition was adopted as Amendment 12 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which was developed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Click here for more information and a printable copy.

    Thank You Ocean logoUpdated Thank You Ocean Web Site ThankYouOcean.org has a new Web site! Enter the 30-second promotional video contest (end date July 10, 2009), join them on a social network, take the ocean pledge, or listen to the latest podcast! The new site discusses four major threats to the ocean, features news reports updated daily, lists ocean events all over California, and describes actions people can take every day to protect the ocean.

    Spring 2009 Sanctuary Watch – Be sure to read this issue about Climate Change with Dr. Jane Lubchenco!


    National Ocean Service Podcast NOAA’s National Ocean Service has a weekly podcast series on marine topics called Making Waves. Also available is the Diving Deeper podcast series with interviews of scientists. Learn about harmful algal blooms with National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science in October!.

    Check out the Sanctuaries on YouTube
     "Discover the marine life and extraordinary habitats that make up your nation's 13 national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument. And find out more about continuing efforts to conserve these ocean and coastal treasures."
    "NOAA's National Ocean Service also features a You Tube video overview of the National Marine Sanctuary System @ http://www.youtube.com/usoceangov

    "NOAA's National Ocean Service also features a You Tube video overview of the National Marine Sanctuary System at http://www.youtube.com/usoceangov."

    Other Links

    • State of the Sanctuaries Report 2008
    • CINMS Accomplishments Report 2008
    • CINMS Advisory Council Superintendent’s Report
    • CINMS Revised Management Plan Regulations
    • Sanctuaries on Google Earth

     

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Revised October 28, 2009 by CINMS Web Coordinator | Contact Us
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