West Coast Region
Point Arena Lighthouse, which sits near the northern boundary of Greater Farallones
National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: Matt McIntosh, NOAA
Overview
The West Coast Regional Office of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries manages 19,876
square miles of marine protected areas around Channel
Islands, Chumash Heritage, Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones, Monterey Bay and Olympic Coast. Each of the six national marine
sanctuaries in the U.S. West Coast is a jewel unto itself. Yet each of our sanctuaries is
intimately connected not only with the others, but also to the entire coast from Alaska to Baja
and to the far reaches of the world ocean via ocean
currents.
The West Coast Regional Office, like the two other regional offices (East Coast, and Pacific
Islands), plays an important role in enhancing the Office of National Marine Sanctuary’s mission
effectiveness, primarily through coordination and communication between headquarters and sites.
They provide policy, operational, and day-to-day administrative support to the leadership and
staff of all national marine sanctuaries or marine national monuments. These offices also
address issues of broad regional concern and are responsible for assisting the director and
deputy director in the administration of all regional resources and providing input to the
administration as a whole. The regions also oversee the analyses and public processes required
for designating a new sanctuary in their region.
The links on this page will take you on a tour of America’s West Coast sanctuaries where you will
discover more exciting news about the work we do to keep our marine sanctuaries safe and
thriving.
Designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
The West Coast Region led the process for the 2024 designation of Chumash Heritage National
Marine Sanctuary, an area encompassing approximately 4,543 square miles, along 116 miles of
mainland coast, stretching from just south of Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo
County to Naples Reef on the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County. The region’s lands and
waters hold cultural, spiritual, and historical significance to coastal, ocean-going Indigenous
Peoples that have resided here since time immemorial. Special geological features like Rodriguez
Seamount create unique ecological conditions in the area. This, combined with an important
biogeographic transition zone and upwelling, support large populations of marine life and boost
both biodiversity and productivity. Over 200 shipwrecks are documented in the region, including
the Gold Rush-era steamship Yankee Blade, which is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.
Due to threats to the area from human activities, industrial uses, and environmental shifts,
additional
protection and management is needed. Rather than focusing on a single species, issue, or
activity, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries uses an ecosystem-based management
approach that considers interactions among physical features, marine life, and human activities
within the sanctuary environment.
The designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary brings comprehensive community- and
ecosystem-based management to the area’s nationally-significant natural, historical,
archaeological, and cultural resources, while meaningfully involving local Tribes and Indigenous
groups, to help guide sanctuary management and programming.
West Coast Vessels
The West Coast Regional Office operates three research vessels on behalf of Cordell Bank, Greater
Farallones and Monterey Bay national marine sanctuaries: its flagship, the 67 foot Fulmar and the newly
acquired 22 foot Tegula.
Additionally, the Fulmar is equipped with a 13 foot inflatable skiff, the R1306.
The vessels are based in Monterey, but the Tegula can be trailered and easily deployed from a
boat ramp. The vessels are specially designed to complete projects that fulfill the Office of
National Marine Sanctuaries’ mission. They support a wide variety of missions and provide access
to offshore sites and extensive stretches of the coastline that cannot be reached by land.
Resource protection and management are at the core of the projects supported by the vessels, but
education and outreach are also a priority for the vessels.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary operates the 52 foot Storm Petrel off the
remote Olympic Peninsula. This newer vessel provides a greater opportunity to conduct research
opportunities with a larger platform and bigger A-frame.
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary operates the 62 foot Shearwater and the
29 foot Minke to conduct research and diving operations around the Channel Islands.
Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries acquired the 22 foot Hurricane
from Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary to use for the vessel mooring program in Tomales
Bay.
California Current World Heritage Nomination – Proposed Nomination
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification,
protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be
of outstanding value to humanity. World Heritage is the designation for places on Earth that are
of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future
generations to appreciate and enjoy. To be included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, a site must
meet one or more of the ten World Heritage Committee selection criteria, by on a State Party’s
(e.g., the U.S.) Tentative List, and go through a nomination process before being considered for
inclusion on the World Heritage List.
The California Current Conservation Complex includes a contiguous group of federally-designated
marine protected areas along the central California coast: Greater Farallones, Cordell Bank, and
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries; marine waters and certain coastal areas of Point Reyes
National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area; Farallon Islands National Wildlife
Refuge; California Coastal National Monument; and a network of special marine protected areas
designated by the State of California. This upwelling system supports a highly productive and
diverse ecosystem, including a broad mosaic of marine and coastal habitats such as offshore
canyons, banks, seamounts and islands; rocky shorelines; and kelp forests.
Collectively, the protected areas of the California Current Conservation Complex conserve an
extremely productive marine environment driven by strong upwelling within the California Current
large marine ecosystem. Seasonal upwelling initiates an annual productivity cycle that supports
a rich resident biological community as well as migratory populations of sea turtles, fishes,
sea birds, and marine mammals that travel thousands of miles to feed or breed in these fertile
waters. Many threatened and endangered species are highly dependent on these waters. The area is
remarkable for its beauty, productivity, biodiversity, geologic features, and history of
conservation management that reconciles diverse recreational and commercial uses with the
protection of globally significant wildlife and habitat.
The application for the California
Current Conservation Complex to be considered for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage
List was submitted to the Tentative Lists for the U.S. on December 4, 2017. The next step in the
process is to submit the full nomination
proposal to the World Heritage Centre for review.
Sanctuary Advisory Councils
A sanctuary advisory council is a community-based organization of
representatives from various user groups, local businesses, government agencies and the public
at large. Advisory councils provide advice to their respective sanctuary superintendents on
management of that particular sanctuary. Each west coast sanctuary has a sanctuary advisory
council that meets at various times throughout the year and are open to the public.
Key Regional Documents
Consolidated Management Documents for the West Coast Region
Staff in the West Coast Regional Office has compiled relevant regulatory/management
documents for all five west coast national marine sanctuaries into one comprehensive
document. The purpose of this document is to assist staff and the public in easily finding
information related to these five west coast national marine sanctuaries without having to visit
multiple websites. This document will be updated as changes are made to site
regulatory/management documents. Following are descriptions of the various components in this
consolidated management document.
Management Plans
Management plans are site-specific documents that the Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries uses to manage individual sanctuaries. Management plans:
- articulate visions, goals, objectives and priorities for an individual sanctuary;
- summarize existing programs and regulations;
- guide preparation of annual operating plans;
- guide management decision making;
- ensure public involvement in management processes; and
- contribute to attaining national system goals and objectives.
Terms of Designation
Terms of designation are the official documents that designate a sanctuary and defines
why the sanctuary was designated and summarizes how it is to be managed. Terms of
designation also provide background information about NOAA's regulations within the
sanctuary. At the beginning of the document, one will find a "Response to Comments"
section that describes NOAA's responses to public comment on a suite of issues during
the sanctuary's designation.
Regulations
ONMS regulations prohibit specific kinds of activities, describe and define the
boundaries of the designated national marine sanctuaries, and set up a system of permits
to allow the conduct of certain types of activities (that would otherwise not be
allowed). In general, regulations are used by the ONMS to implement the National Marine
Sanctuaries Act and national marine sanctuary management plans. Each sanctuary has it's
own set of regulations, as well as regulations that apply to the entire ONMS system.
Federal Register Notices
The Federal Register informs citizens of their rights and obligations and
provides access to a wide range of federal benefits and opportunities for funding. The
Federal Register is printed each business day and contains information on
federal agency regulations, proposed rules and public notices, executive orders,
proclamations and other presidential documents. A list, with web links, of the important
Federal Register notices for the five west coast national marine sanctuaries
has been provided in the consolidated management document.
Condition Reports
The National Marine Sanctuary Program Condition Reports provide a summary of resources in each
sanctuary, pressures on those resources, the current condition and trends, and management
responses to the pressures that threaten the integrity of the marine environment. Specifically,
the reports include information on the status and trends of water quality, habitat, living
resources and maritime archaeological resources and the human activities that affect them. View
each sites respective Condition Report below or view the web-enabled condition reports that combine
artwork with science information.
Channel Islands
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary contains spectacularly rich and diverse marine
life. With a variety of habitats including kelp forests, sandy bottom, and open ocean,
it is home to diverse fish and invertebrate communities, serves as part of the migratory
route of whales...
Channel Islands
Condition Report
Cordell Bank
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is an extremely productive marine area off the
west coast of United States in northern California. With its southern-most boundary
located 42 miles (68 km) north of San Francisco, the sanctuary is entirely offshore,
with the eastern boundary six miles...
Cordell Bank Condition
Report
Greater Farallones
Located off the central California coast and encompassing 3,295 square miles, Greater
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary protects a diversity of highly productive marine
habitats and supports an abundance of species. It is a complex system of bays,
estuaries...
Greater Farallones
Condition Report
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the second largest national marine sanctuary
and the largest marine protected area in the continental United States. Within the
boundaries of the sanctuary is a rich array of habitats...
Monterey Bay Condition
Report
Olympic Coast
Designated in 1994, the sanctuary's mission is to protect the Olympic Coast's natural and
cultural resources through responsible stewardship, to conduct and apply research to
preserve the area's ecological integrity and maritime heritage, and to promote
understanding through public outreach and education...
Olympic Coast
Condition Report
Resource Protection
Whale Conservation
Several endangered whale species (humpback, blue, and fin) migrate seasonally to west coast
national marine sanctuaries where they feed on dense aggregations of krill, northern anchovies,
and Pacific sardines. On the U.S. west coast, ship strikes and entanglement in marine debris are
the main sources of human-caused mortality for these whales. Research shows that whales have a
better chance of avoiding and surviving vessel collisions with vessels travelling at slower
speeds. Efforts to minimize the risk of ship strikes by national marine sanctuary staff, in
coordination and collaboration with National Marine Fisheries Service staff and affected
stakeholders, have been extensive. NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency
administer a seasonal voluntary vessel speed reduction (VSR) program from May 1 to December 15
requesting all vessels 300 gross tons or larger transit at of 10 knots or less in zones located
in southern California and the San Francisco Bay region. Additionally, west coast national
marine sanctuary staff administer a successful incentive-based VSR program - known as the Protecting
Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program - to further motivate container, bulk and car carrier
companies to slow down their fleets in California VSR zones to reduce risk of fatal ship
strikes, harmful air emissions and ocean noise. The program, which began in 2014, employs
monetary and public relations incentives to raise voluntary cooperation with VSR requests and is
administered in collaboration with county air district agencies and foundation partners.
In partnership with the National Marine Fisheries Service Marine Mammal Stranding Network, west
coast sanctuary staff also respond to whale entanglement incidents to free whales entangled in
various types of debris found discarded in the ocean by humans. Sanctuary staff and vessel crew
are trained and ready to support disentanglement of marine mammals.
For more information on whale conservation, visit Channel Islands
National Marine Sanctuary’s website.
Seabirds
The five national marine sanctuaries on the west coast are home to the largest concentrations of
seabirds in the contiguous United States. Seabirds, including shorebirds, serve as indicators of
ocean health within national marine sanctuaries. This is one of several reasons why national
marine sanctuaries invest hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to better understand these
creatures, protect them and educate the public about them. Recently, we developed a new brochure on seabirds to provide information on
the importance of seabirds, research conducted on seabirds and how to reduce human disturbance
to seabirds. In addition, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, in cooperation with
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, have established the California Seabird Protection
Network.
Ears in Sanctuaries
Sound and its propagation properties are essential features of the ocean, as nearly all marine
life depends on producing and receiving sound to forage, socialize, reproduce, and migrate.
Sanctuaries work with many agency, academic, non-profit, and industry partners to characterize
"soundscapes", or acoustic communities, in and around sanctuary habitats. Understanding acoustic
interactions within an environment involves integrating biological, anthropogenic,
climatological, and geological sound sources to holistically describe an ecosystem. West Coast
sanctuaries have established baseline understanding of ambient acoustic conditions, species presence and seasonal patterns in both shallow and deep water
environments, which is allowing us to better assess the status and trends of protected resources
and human activities in these special
places. With our nationally coordinated, standardized, continuous monitoring approach, we are
also able to describe variability across time and space, glean new understanding of animal
behavior, and conduct before-during-after studies of acute acoustic events, such as the
covid-19
pandemic or cruise ship
visits. The California Current ecosystem along the west coast is a globally important
region for both whale populations and a thriving economy. With this in mind, we are using
acoustic information to support management
actions and multi-sector partnerships to safeguard whales and a sustainable blue economy. For example, the West Coast
Region is dedicated to reducing ship strike risk, air pollution emissions, and vessel noise
inputs by slowing large
ships transiting through sanctuaries. All of the sound data collected in sanctuaries is
open access and archived at NOAA's National Center for
Environmental Information. Users can learn more about studying ocean sound in
sanctuaries, our data collection efforts, ongoing analysis approaches, browse a sound clip
library, and interact with our data using our web
portal. Please visit the ONMS Ocean Sound and
Impact of Noise Resource Collection for educational resources.
Education and Outreach
Visitor Centers and Exhibits
Visiting one of the sanctuary visitor centers along the west coast is a great way to learn more
about the natural and cultural treasures protected by sanctuaries. Experience hands-on exhibits,
participate in educational programs and investigate the science and history of these special
places.
West Coast Field Guide and Travel Writer Brochure
The West Coast Field Guide introduces you to the natural and cultural wonders of your national
marine sanctuaries. The California current, many marine species and historic ocean uses all
connect these sanctuaries to each other, and to the human communities on the west coast. You can
view an electronic version of the field guide online or have a
free copy hard copy mailed to you by emailing nicole.capps@noaa.gov.
To further tourism within the west coast national marine sanctuaries, a Travel Writer Brochure has been developed and is
available for download only.
Wildlife Viewing
The west coast sanctuaries are renowned for their abundance of wildlife and it is important we
know how to properly interact with that wildlife. Please visit the Wildlife Viewing website for general marine wildlife viewing
guidelines that help promote safe wildlife viewing. Take
the wildlife pledge to be a responsible wildlife watcher!
LiMPETS
LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training
for Students) is an environmental monitoring and education program for students, educators and
volunteer groups throughout California. As part of this network, teachers and students collect
rocky intertidal and sandy beach data.
Research
Changing Ocean Conditions in the West Coast Region
The impacts of climate change are intensifying both globally and locally, threatening America’s
physical, social, economic, and environmental well-being. West coast national marine sanctuaries
must contend with rising water temperatures and sea levels, water that is more acidic and
contains less oxygen, shifting species, and altered weather patterns and storms. In April 2021,
these impacts were detailed for the West Coast Region in a climate
impacts profile, highlighting regional climate change trends and impacts, as well as
opportunities for collaboration. Information contained in the West Coast Region Climate Impacts
Profile reflects the state of the science as of the date of publication (April 2021). Our
understanding of climate change and its impacts can change as new science is conducted. This
profile will be updated periodically as scientific understanding changes. In an effort to
respond to one particular climate impact, the West Coast Regional Office published the National
Marine Sanctuaries of the West Coast Ocean
Acidification Action Plan. This plan was produced in response to the five west
coast sanctuary advisory council resolutions calling for some form of action on the topic of
ocean acidification. Following a workshop of 90 participants, the National NOAA
Ocean Acidification Education Implementation Plan was developed to help the public
understand the complex issues arising from changes in ocean chemistry in response to ocean
acidification.
Deep-Sea Habitats
Deep-sea habitats in the national
marine sanctuaries off the West Coast are home to vibrant deep-sea coral and sponge communities.
These deep-sea invertebrates provide refuge and food for many other species of invertebrates and
fishes. Visit this Story Map to
learn more about the locations and unique ecology of deep-sea corals. Explore techniques
scientists at national marine sanctuaries use to study deep water habitats, and the threats
these fragile animals face. Learn ways you can protect these extraordinary deep-sea communities.
Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network
Comprehensive, long-term monitoring is a fundamental element of resource management and
protection. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary's Research Program monitors ecosystem
resources through SIMoN, the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network. SIMoN, now expanded to Greater Farallones and
Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries, is an integrated, long-term program that takes an
ecosystem approach to identify and understand changes in each sanctuary. It provides resource
managers with the information needed for effective decision-making and integrates ongoing
efforts at the over 30 regional marine research institutions.
Maritime Heritage
The West Coast Region seeks to support research into human connections to the sea that include
indigenous native cultures, seafaring traditions and the discovery and protection of maritime
heritage resources. Today, indigenous people continue their seafaring cultural activities that
include building traditional watercraft and traversing sanctuary waters. Maritime heritage
resources such as shipwrecks, and those objects which remain in place to remind us of historic
activities such as lighthouses, historic wharves, docks and piers, populate the coastline from
the State of Washington to California. Please visit the West Coast Region's
maritime heritage webpage for more information.
In addition to fixed moorings, the sanctuary program's sister vessels R/V Fulmar and R/V
Shearwater, collect and transmit oceanographic and meteorological data in near real time.
See an interactive
map of the latest vessel locations and recent data reports.
The information from these platforms is archived in an IOOS compatible format and is fed into the
NOAA-wide PaCOOS project which will help decision makers with resource management authority,
including the sanctuary program, in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem.
WCRO Contact Information
William Douros, Regional Director
Paul Michel, Regional Policy Coordinator
Laura Ingulsrud, Regional Policy Analyst
Dave Lott, Regional Operations Coordinator
Jean de Marignac, Regional Vessel Operations
Coordinator
Nicole Capps, Management Support Specialist
Nishan Perera, Regional IT Specialist
LTJG John Atnip, NOAA Corps
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
West Coast Regional Office
99 Pacific Street, Bldg. 100, Suite F
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 647-1920
Maps
West Coast Region
West Coast Region Map
Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
Area Proposed for Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary