Nautilus

When and where we dive with Nautilus has been a moving target this past week with equipment failures and bad weather conditions (wind and swell). We’ve be hiding in the lee of Channel Islands and just completed two dives over the past two days. A week sooner than anticipated – we all rallied and Lizzie Duncan pulled it off. We saw tons of sponges and corals and made numerous collections. Continue reading “Nautilus”

Feinstein Calls on Commerce Secretary to Accelerate Designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today called on Commerce Secretary Ross to accelerate the designation of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary in an effort to combat rising carbon levels in the oceans.

“California’s waters are rising in acidity at twice the global average, threatening marine life and contributing to a growing number of costly fishery disasters,” Feinstein wrote to Secretary Ross. “In addition to creating 600 new jobs, designating the proposed ‘Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary’ would protect sacred sites of the Chumash people, major animal migratory routes, and kelp habitat.”

Full text of the letter follows:
Continue reading “Feinstein Calls on Commerce Secretary to Accelerate Designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary”

BOS oppose

Supervisors oppose Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary proposal

BY PETER JOHNSON

Following a contentious hearing that lasted most of the day on Feb. 7, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to oppose the formation of a Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of SLO and Santa Barbara counties.

The Northern Chumash Advisory Council submitted an application to create a marine sanctuary, stretching 140 miles from Cambria to Santa Barbara, to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2015. That application is currently under review by NOAA and a final decision on it may take up to five years, according to NOAA. Continue reading “BOS oppose”