The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

The 1st Tribal-nominated national marine sanctuary in the nation, nominated by The Northern Chumash Tribal Council

It is an opportunity to promote environmental justice, public health, and economic growth on the Central Coast of California.

Exciting Update! On 10/11/24: NOAA announced they are designating the sanctuary and released the final documents.

“Successfully designating the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will protect ocean life, sacred Chumash sites, strengthen Indigenous communities & serve as a model of environmental justice,”

- Violet Sage Walker, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council Chairwoman

Join us on the journey towards making the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary part of the Central Coast

FAQ with whale tail

What is a National Marine Sanctuary?

“The goal of the sanctuary system is to protect important natural and cultural places, while still allowing people to enjoy and use the ocean” (NOAA).

A national marine sanctuary is an expanse of waters federally designated by NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in order to protect ecosystems, cultural sites, and oceanographic formations all while promoting sustainable public access, stakeholder input, education, research, and local economic growth in the region.

National marine sanctuaries exist across the US with diversity in size and scope. Each national marine sanctuary is designed to fit the local needs, making each national marine sanctuary’s management and regulations unique. All regulations are “developed and updated through a public process” (NOAA), demonstrating the key role of public involvement.

Though management begins with NOAA, it also includes state/local governments and community engagement. They require a Sanctuary Advisory Council, composed of representatives from community stakeholders, to advise management, science, service, and stewardship actions. Management of these irreplaceable cultural and natural resources requires all hands on deck and the expertise of those most connected to these waters: the local community.

What will the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary do?

The goal of the CHNMS is to protect the Central Coast’s cultural, biological, and geographical diversity, while simultaneously organizing and stimulating education, research, equitable access, and economic growth.

Protect Ocean & Coastlines

The Central Coast is a rare, pristine biogeographic region, home to high biodiversity and unique oceanographic features. Numerous current and potential threats to this irreplaceable region have been identified. The CHNMS’s main proposed protections, which are typical across most national marine sanctuaries, include prohibiting offshore drilling, seabed mining, and toxic waste dumping in our coastal waters. It will also prohibit any disturbance of marked Chumash cultural sites, both submerged and onshore, as well as certain historical shipwrecks.

Tribal Co-Management

The Chumash Peoples, “one of the few ocean-going bands among the First People of the Pacific Coast,” (CHNMS Nomination) have lived on the Central Coast for over 18,000 years, stewarding the land and waters throughout this time. “The Chumash understanding and culture-based respect for Nature comes from their long and profound relationships with coastal marine ecosystems” (CHNMS). Their stewardship continues to this day and is the core reason that this national marine sanctuary is a possibility. Tribal co-management is a key component of this proposal. The Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is the first Tribal-nominated national marine sanctuary, nominated by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council. The proposal includes a focus on enhancing Tribal partnerships and co-management.

Community Engagement & Involvement

One of the biggest changes that a national marine sanctuary brings is community involvement in the regulations and management. If the CHNMS is designated there will be a Sanctuary Advisory Council, composed of representatives from community stakeholders, to advise management, science, service, and stewardship actions. They have a large number of council members representing a wide array of community interests including conservation, education, research, fishing, whale watching, recreational activities, boating and shipping, tourism, harbors and ports, maritime business, agriculture, and maritime heritage; and jurisdictional partners from local, regional, state, tribal, territorial and federal agencies. This widespread community engagement in decision making is not currently present in the management of our waters, but the CHNMS can bring it to the Central Coast.

Boost Local Economies

The Central Coast economies are deeply tied to the multitude of resources that the ocean and shorelines provide. The CHNMS is expected to bring numerous direct and indirect economic benefits. NOAA’s establishment of a local sanctuary office and investment in local infrastructure is connected to economic growth in the region. This has been studied at the North Central Coast’s already established national marine sanctuaries (NOAA, 2015). According to a 2014 economic impact study, the CHNMS is predicted to bring “at minimum 23 million dollars per year to the local economy and create almost 600 new jobs” (Scorse and Kildow, 2014). Additionally, the health of these waters and surrounding ecosystems are intrinsically connected to economic wellbeing. Neglect of our oceans has compounding and long-lasting negative impacts on everything from fisheries to recreation and tourism to public health. When we invest in maintaining these resources for present and future generations, the Central Coast economies stand to gain a lot.

Research & Monitoring

NOAA is a key player in researching and monitoring coastal ecosystems, to ensure that we understand what is happening in our coastal waters. The CHNMS will further promote researching these irreplaceable ecosystems, especially the impacts of climate change on them. The CHNMS can also contribute to researching how the proposed wind farms influence the Central Coast. With many submerged Chumash heritage sites and various shipwrecks, there are opportunities for archeological research as well. Consistent monitoring of the ocean means that data will be collected on the health of the Central Coast ocean in order to be aware of any potential changes in these ecosystems over long periods of time. The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) guides programs on research, monitoring, and more.

Education & Outreach

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) also invests in partnerships with local schools, education & outreach programs, and citizen science opportunities. They are also proposing the addition of educational centers and museums, including as part of the CHNMS official facilities. This provides an abundance of opportunities for students of all ages. K-12 educational resources have already been developed by ONMS for other regions to be shared virtually and in person. Partnerships with college and university classrooms and research is also emphasized in the CHNMS proposal. NOAA also offers additional grants for community projects. The implementation of new infrastructure will emphasize education programs and potentially new natural history and cultural education centers. It also means collaborations with local organizations already on the forefront of environmental, cultural, and historical education.

Where is the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary?

The CHNMS lies between the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary, extending from Avila to Point Conception. It will reach up to 13 miles offshore. Including many submerged ancient Chumash sites, historic shipwrecks, and geologic formations like Arguello Canyon, the Santa Lucia Bank, and Rodriguez Seamount. This adds 4,500 square miles of ocean protection. The Chumash Heritage NMS are consistent with the Biden-Harris Administration's complementary goals of conservation and tackling the climate crisis. NOAA’s suggested boundaries exclude the area that overlaps with Morro Bay 399 Area, slated for offshore wind energy development and stretch from Avila to Cambria needed for offshore wind cabling.

NOAA's final management plan includes a Boundary Adjustment Action Plan which outlines pathways to sanctuary expansion, initiated no later than 2032. Should sanctuary expansion occur, this will require another public process.

Credit: NOAA

Why on the CA Central Coast?

The Central Coast holds immense multi-cultural, economic, and ecological importance. This stretch of coastline is home to diverse ecosystems, many of the Chumash Peoples’ multi-cultural sites, thousands of years of history, and currently has a population of over 300,000 people. A national marine sanctuary along this coastline is an opportunity to further protect and prioritize this important area.

Chumash Heritage

The proposed Chumash Heritage NMS is essential for the protection of the heritage of the Chumash, an ocean-going band among the First People of the Pacific Coast, and submerged Chumash Sacred sites ranging from villages to solstice alignments. Their stewardship continues to this day and is the core reason that this national marine sanctuary is a possibility. The Chumash Peoples are the original stewards of the Central Coast and still are to this day. A reverence for the interconnectedness of humans as part of our ecosystems is a core part of their motivation for protecting our coasts, as well as the presence of several Sacred Chumash sites onshore and offshore within the Proposed Chumash National Marine Sanctuary boundaries. This includes some completely submerged sites up to 13 miles offshore, as well as coastal sites which have been continuously occupied for over 9,000 years. The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is an opportunity to ensure that these sites and the irreplaceable ecosystems around them are afforded the protection they deserve and need. “Natural resource protection is in harmony with the Chumash history of nurturing health and balance” (CHNMS Nomination).

Biodiversity & Vulnerable Species

The Central Coast is part of California’s biodiversity hotspot. This means that there is an abundance of unique species and ecosystems throughout the area, some found nowhere else in the world. These coastal and oceanic ecosystems face many threats, from climate change and ocean acidification to oil spills, toxic waste dumping, and more. An abundance of species makes the central coast their permanent home or migrate through these waters, including, but not limited to, 13 species of whales and dolphins, sea otters, and various birds. Many of these species are in need of protection, including the endangered western snowy plover and the threatened California sea otter. Protecting these ecosystems and species is an integral part of maintaining the health and resiliency of our coastal waters, which cannot be separated from their connection to the health and wellbeing of our communities up and down the coast.

Oceanographic Features & Unique Habitats

All along the Central Coast are unique oceanographic features which make it an irreplaceable stretch of marine coastline. It is an ocean current transition zone, where the northern temperate ocean current meets the southern subtropical current. It also has three upwelling sites that bring nutrient-rich water from the deep ocean to the surface waters. Its unique geological features also contribute to this region’s importance. The Santa Lucia Bank is home to dense biodiversity. Whales and birds travel thousands of miles to feed in this region because of the upwellings and unique ocean floor formations. Other geologic formations include the Arguello Canyon and Rodriguez Seamount, both of which hold similarly unique ecosystems. The combination of these oceanographic features creates feeding grounds that act as pivotal drivers of the oceanic food chain all along the Pacific Coast and beyond. The often still mysterious ocean floor presents opportunities for scientific research and discovery just waiting to be unlocked. It also holds a myriad of archeological and cultural treasures, which provide a deep connection to the Central Coast’s history. This includes numerous submerged ancient Chumash sites and historic shipwrecks. Protecting these vital ecosystems and archeological sites is essential to the cultural heritage, public health and environmental resiliency on the Central Coast.

Climate Change Resiliency

The Central Coast’s irreplaceable ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change, including ocean acidification, sea level rise, warming waters, and more. As the compounding impacts of climate change increase in severity, the resiliency of ecosystems becomes increasingly important. They are vital to natural carbon sequestration and widespread ecosystem health. Protecting these ecosystems can help them retain their resiliency in the face of climate change. It also allows us to research this unique ecosystem to understand the impacts of climate change on a global scale. Especially because California’s waters are seeing ocean acidification rates twice as fast as the global average. Investment in the protection and research of the Central Coast plays a critical role in combating and understanding climate change.

Popular for Recreation & Tourism

The Central Coast attracts millions of visitors each year with popular recreational and tourist attractions. It is a vital part of the local economy and the second largest regional economic driver in San Luis Obispo County. The national marine sanctuaries invest in programs and partnerships with local organizations to promote sustainable recreation and tourism. They provide the opportunity to further invest in and unite the numerous, preexisting outreach and education programs centered around the outdoors and cultural history. Not to mention that the ability for these industries to function is reliant on the health of our waters and land on the central coast. The CHNMS presents the perfect opportunity to enhance the already thriving recreation and tourism industry on the Central Coast.

A brief history of the Chumash Heritage NMS

Years of advocacy have gotten the CHNMS to where it is today: on the brink of designation.

2015, July: The Northern Chumash Tribal Council submitted the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary nomination.

2015, October: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) accepted the nomination, putting the CHNMS on the inventory list for consideration.

2020, September: NOAA conducted a 5-year review and decided the nomination would be extended until 2025.

2021, November: A milestone for the Chumash Heritage NMS was announced: the designation process was initiated. NOAA published a Notice of Intent to initiate the beginning of the designation process. This ~2 year long process begins with public scoping, which is collecting the public input in order to create the sanctuary draft proposal.

2022, January: This was the end of the public scoping process, which was an opportunity for the public to say what they want in a sanctuary. This 3 month long public comment period gathered well over 22,000 public comments with over 99% support of the sanctuary.

2023, August: NOAA released their draft management plan, EIS, and proposed rule for public review. over 110,000 comments were submitted to NOAA and over 99% in support.

2024, August: The California Coastal Commission agreed with the federal consistency determination that the Chumash Sanctuary aligns with California's coastal policies.

2024, September: NOAA released the final EIR for the Chumash Sanctuary.

2024, October: NOAA announced they are designating the Chumash Sanctuary and released the final management plan and proposed rule.

NOW: we are waiting 45 congressional session days for a CA governor and congressional review. After which the Chumash Sanctuary will be designated.

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