Senate Commerce Committee Votes to Protect California's Ocean 5/15/2008

Today, the Senate Commerce Committee approved and referred to the full Senate H.R. 1187, a bill to double the size of the Gulf of Farallones - Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries and protect a unique marine environment off our coast in Northern California. Marine sanctuaries heal our damaged oceans and protect vulnerable sea animals. At various times during the year, the area hosts more than one third of the world’s whale and dolphin species including the world’s largest concentration of endangered Blue whales, the largest animal on earth. Other endangered marine animals that use the area include Humpback whales, sea turtles and sea birds. The largest concentration of breeding seabirds in the continental U.S. feasts on the rich food produced here, some migrating from as far away as the Midway Atoll in the central Pacific (protected by the new National Marine Monument) and New Zealand to feed.