The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that the Gulf of the Farallones and the Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries off northern California will be expanding more than double in size to better protect coastal and marine habitats, special ecological features and biological resources in the region. From 1,282 square miles, the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary will be growing to 3,295 square miles, while the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary will go from 529 square miles to 1,286 square miles.
Thrilled about the expansion of the two sanctuaries in California, Holly Bamford, Ph.D., deputy administrator and conservation and management acting assistant secretary for NOAA, said conservation was important in the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank because the sanctuaries foster partnerships in management, technology, science, education and the community and that expanding covered areas will further support conservation efforts.
Before expansion plans were finalized, the NOAA engaged the public and did their research with scientific partners to identify the high-nutrient upwelling originating from Point Arena, which then flows south to the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank sanctuaries. Finding this upwelling zone was crucial because it's one of North America's most productive.
The two California sanctuaries represent marine ecosystems that have been deemed extraordinarily diverse, making them globally significant. Various areas are covered by the Gulf of Farallones and Cordell Bank sanctuaries, like rocky inter-tidal habitats, estuarine wetlands, shallow marine banks and the open ocean. The sanctuaries already have numerous upwelling zones that support a wide range of sea life, like 36 species of marine mammals, 25 threatened or endangered species, more than a quarter million breeding seabirds and one of the most important populations of white sharks on the planet, and more of these upwelling zones will be protected once Point Arena is included in the expansion.
"This expansion is the outcome of a tremendous collaborative effort ... It presents a bold vision for protecting the waters off the northern California coast for current and future generations," said Daniel J. Basta, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries director.
The Gulf of the Farallones was designated as a national marine sanctuary in 1981. Cordell Bank followed suit in 1989. Both offer great contributions to coastal and ocean management by involving the public and educating it, promoting stewardship alongside applied and scientific research and the creation of and support for programs geared toward strengthening the protection of resources for the long-term benefit of the region.
Photo: Sharon Mollerus | Flickr
