Youth Involvement with Sanctuary Advisory Council

On January 20, 2012 the Sanctuary Advisory Council expressed support for their education working group, the Sanctuary Education Team (SET), moving forward with plans to invite a group of high school students to learn about and get involved with council meetings and issues. Invitations subsequently went out to high schools in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties soliciting interested students and teachers to apply for this unique opportunity, which will be supported by NOAA’s Ocean Guardian School Youth Ocean Steward Program. This will be a new pilot program to encourage high school students currently participating in environmental science clubs or service learning programs to become involved with the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council to focus on current issues affecting local watersheds and/or the ocean while promoting best environmental practices. Through a school or community-based project, the selected high school group will work to make a difference in the health and protection of their local watersheds, ocean and national marine sanctuaries. One high school environmental science club or service learning project will be selected for this pilot project and will receive up to $6,000 in funds depending on the level of the project and number of students involved. For more information, contact mariapetueli@hotmail.com or laura.francis@noaa.gov.

2012 Priorities Established by Sanctuary Advisory Council

On January 20th, 2012 the sanctuary advisory council voted on and established work plan priorities for the year 2012. By collectively setting these priorities, the council ensures that it will remain in touch with and engaged in important issues faced by the sanctuary. Highest priority activities that the council agreed to work on include:
• Continuing development of external support for the sanctuary mission;
• Providing council advise on sanctuary actions related to ship strikes on large whales;
• Remaining informed of US Coast Guard plans to adjust shipping lanes within and near the sanctuary region and providing council input;
• Receiving updates on and providing support for biological and socioeconomic monitoring of the Channel Islands marine protected areas (MPAs)
• Discussing recently designated state MPAs along the mainland coast adjacent to CINMS and integrating related education and outreach efforts;
• Learning about the latest work to advance understanding of ocean acidification and remaining informed of the implementation of the sanctuaries’ west coast action plan;
Full work plan details are available here pdf

Sanctuary Advisory Council supports U.C. Santa Barbara Study of Non-Market Valuation of Private Recreational Boat Users

On January 20, 2012 the Sanctuary Advisory Council voted 16-1 to express support for a graduate student socioeconomic study being proposed to the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management (Bren School) at the University of California, Santa Barbara by Masters students Kiya Gornik and Brandon Doheny. The study, titled “Marine Protected Areas and the Non-Market Value of Private Recreational Boating in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary,” would be a collaboration between the students, their advisors, sanctuary staff and the Environmental Defense Center (EDC). The proposed project aims to translate private recreational boat user choices into economic value, thus providing CINMS managers with a net worth for recreational boating use. By utilizing the Random Utility Model (RUM) for the first time in a Sanctuary setting, managers will be informed of bio-geographic attributes (such as bottom composition, fish abundance) and management attributes (such as MPAs) of the CINMS that are valuable to recreational users. If the project is accepted by the Bren School, the student group will be advised by faculty members Christopher Costello and Paulina Oliva, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Economist Bob Leeworthy, and will work closely with its clients CINMS and EDC. The advisory council’s letter of support is available here pdf.
For more information, contact Sean Hastings.

Resolution Supporting Ban on Plastic Bags Adopted by Sanctuary Advisory Council

On July 22nd the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council adopted a resolution in support of a ban on single-use plastic bags. The advisory council had been inspired to consider this action after a similar resolution was adopted by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, and also noted that several local governments within California have been considering or enacting local ordinances to address growing concerns about the environmental impacts of plastic grocery bags. The advisory council’s resolution was approved by a vote of 10-0, with 5 agency seat abstentions, after a thoughtful discussion of many views and ideas. The adopted resolution acknowledges that marine debris has increased drastically over time, that plastic grocery bags are a common source of such debris, that plastic bags pose a threat to wildlife, habitats and human use of marine environments, that the bags never fully biodegrade, that recycling is important but not a sufficient solution, and that alternatives to single-use plastic bags are readily available. The advisory council’s resolution encourages that federal and statewide legislative efforts and local ordinances by municipalities and counties to ban the use and distribution of single-use plastic bags. Additionally, the council’s resolution supports efforts by local businesses to transition away from single-use plastic bags, and efforts to remove plastic bag litter from the shores and waters of the Sanctuary. The council’s resolution is available here pdf.