After years of talk, a federal agency announced Friday it’s approved plans to create a major new national marine sanctuary off the Central and South Coasts.
The Chumash National Heritage Marine Sanctuary would include more than 4500 square miles of ocean and coast along the Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo County coastlines.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries released the final ruling to create the new nature preserve. The designation would take effect following reviews by the Governor and Congress.
The sanctuary would help protect everything from kelp forests to sandy beaches. It also would provide new protections for Chumash cultural heritage in the region.
It would extend from just west of Goleta to north of Pismo Beach. Parts of it would stretch some 60 miles out to sea. The southeast end of the sanctuary would connect with the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
It would be the first new national marine sanctuary of its type in three decades.
Plans call for eventually expanding the sanctuary to Monterey County, as part of a deal with its supporters and the wind power industry. The goal is to first lay underwater cables from shore to offshore wind facilities which are being built. Once the cables are in place, that section of ocean may be added to the sanctuary.
The Northern Chumash Tribal Council has been championing creation of the sanctuary, first proposing it in 2015.
