Environment America *
Sierra Club * Natural Resources Defense Council
Marine Conservation Biology Institute
* Environment California
Surfrider Foundation * California Coastkeeper Alliance
Republicans for Environmental
Protection * Planning and Conservation League
Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association * The Marine Mammal
Center
Defenders of Wildlife
May
5, 2008
Dear Chairman Inouye and
Ranking Member Stevens:
On behalf of the millions of members
our organizations represent, we urge you to support H.R. 1187, the Gulf of the
Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Boundary Modification
and Protection Act, as passed by the House on March 31st under
suspension of the rules and by the Natural Resources Committee by voice vote. As
you know, the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
will hold a hearing on the bill on May 6th and a markup soon
thereafter.
H.R. 1187 expands the
boundaries of the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine
Sanctuaries and offers this priceless part of California’s coast protection from incompatible
activities. The new area is home to one of the most productive marine ecosystems
on the Pacific coast, sending nutrients and food to areas as far south as Monterey Bay.
Not
only would HR 1187 nearly double the size of the existing Gulf of the
Farallones and Cordell Bank sanctuaries, but it would also protect the source
of their immense productivity which is the California Current Coastal Upwelling
centered on Point Arena. At Point Arena
cold, nutrient rich water rises from below the continental shelf and fertilizes
the base of a vast food chain for 250 miles as far south as Monterey Bay. It is one of just four deep coastal upwelling
zones around the world and the only one in the U.S.
The
expansion area hosts rich communities of seabirds, shorebirds, fish, and marine
mammals.
Species include valuable rockfish and Dungeness
crab, sea lions, seals, and seabirds. Migratory species including endangered and threatened species like
humpback and blue whales, northern fur seals, coho salmon, black-footed
albatross and leatherback sea turtles visit the area seasonally to forage in
the food rich waters,
The bill received bipartisan
support in the House, including the two Representatives (Reps. Woolsey and Mike
Thompson) whose districts are adjacent to the proposed sanctuary expansion. Both California Senators Boxer and Feinstein strongly
support the bill. Numerous environmental
organizations and scientists have endorsed the proposal, as well as the largest
commercial fishing group in California,
the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations when it was in the
House. The commercial fishermen who are
based next to the proposed sanctuary waters in Bodega Bay
also support the expansion. A number of
counties and cities in California
surrounding the sanctuary expansion have supported the proposal.
The bill retains the current
authority of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council and the California
Department of Fish and Game over fishery regulation; fishermen support this
bill. In the past, specific national
marine sanctuary designations have been made by Congress as well as by the
regular administrative process outlined in the National Marine Sanctuary
Act. In fact, about one third of the
wonderful sanctuaries we have today were created by specific acts of Congress.
The area encompassed by H.R. 1187 has been subject to extensive public comment
at the state and local level; and in the House of Representatives this bill received
thorough review. The California State
Lands Commission, a California state commission made up of the Lt. Governor,
State Controller, and Director of Finance that manages the state’s tidal and
submerged lands some of which would be included in the sanctuary expansion,
passed a resolution of support for this proposal in May 2007 which is attached.
We urge you to support H.R.
1187 in the Senate. The current bill
strikes a careful balance between protection and utilization of resources
within the sanctuary. The oceans and their fish, marine mammals, turtles and
birds deserve this important protection.
Sincerely,
Anna Aurilio, Washington
DC Office Director
Environment America
Carl Zichella, California
Regional Staff Director
Sierra Club
Sarah Chasis, Director Ocean
Initiative
Natural Resources Defense
Council
Bill Chandler, Vice President
for Government Affairs
Marine Conservation Biology
Institute
Dan Jacobson, Legislative
Director
Environment California
Sarah Corbin
Central California Regional
Manager
Surfrider Foundation
Mike Frey
Sonoma Coast Chapter
Surfrider Foundation
Linda Sheehan, Executive
Director
California Coastkeeper Alliance
David Jenkins, Government
Affairs Director
Republicans for Environmental
Protection
Gary
A. Patton, General Counsel
Planning and Conservation League
Bob Wilson, Interim Executive
Director
Farallones Marine Sanctuary
Association
Ginny Quick, Acting Executive
Director
The Marine Mammal
Center
Kim Delfino, California
Program Director
Defenders of Wildlife
cc. Members of Senate Oceans,
Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee
