Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary: Summary of Resource Conditions

The various resource status and trend evaluations presented in this report are summarized below. Each question used to rate the condition of and trends in sanctuary resources is listed, followed by:

1. A set of rating symbols that display key information. The first symbol includes a color and term to indicate status, the next symbol indicates trend, and a shaded scale adjacent to both symbols indicates confidence (see key for example and definitions).
2. The status description, which is a statement that best characterizes resource status and corresponds to the assigned color rating and definition as described in Appendix A. The status description statements are customized for all possible ratings for each question.
3. The rationale, which is a short statement or list of criteria used to justify the rating.

Key:

Drivers and Pressures

Question 1: What are the states of influential human drivers and how are they changing?

Rationale:

ONMS and GFNMS staff decided not to rate the status and trend of influential human drivers at GFNMS. The primary purposes for rating the status and trends of resources are to use condition reports to assess program effectiveness and to influence management of human activities and certain natural resource actions. For the most part, drivers are not manageable, at least not under the authority of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, nor do most of them originate at scales relevant to national marine sanctuary management. While understanding them is important, rating them is not necessary to achieve the goals of the condition report.

Cultural Services (Non-material Benefits)

Science—The capacity to acquire and contribute information and knowledge

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service is compromised, but performance is acceptable.

Rationale: Long-term scientific data on resources in the sanctuary have been collected for over 30 years, and some projects have grown over time. Data on the sanctuary have been disseminated through online data portals, publications, reports, and GFNMS-supported symposia. However, staffing and funding levels have not been adequate to fully support science activities and data collection in all areas of the sanctuary. Accessing some areas of the sanctuary was also challenging due to weather, the presence of white sharks (which limits diving operations), and limited vessel capabilities.

Education—The capacity to acquire and provide intellectual enrichment

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service is compromised, but performance is acceptable.

Rationale: The quality, diversity, and reach of education programs provided or supported by GFNMS were considered excellent by experts. Programs reached a wide range of socioeconomic status levels, geographies, and ages. Educational partnerships were strong and could be expanded to reach more target audiences with additional financial support. The diversity of programs offered and the number of participants and collaborators were robust. The number of people served by various education programs was stable or increased during the study period. The lack of increased participation for some programs was determined to reflect limited staff capacity rather than reduced ecosystem function or a lack of desire for programs among the community. Staff capacity did not meet the community demand for intellectual enrichment during the study period.

Heritage—Recognition of historical and heritage legacy and cultural practices

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service has remained unaffected or has been restored.

Rationale: There has been a gradually increasing amount of recognition of the importance of heritage by GFNMS staff, community members, and some government agencies. The expansion of the sanctuary in 2015 approximately doubled its size, thus associating with it a broader set of communities and additional aspects of maritime heritage (inclusive of historical and heritage legacy and cultural practices). The ecosystem service of heritage was already well supported prior to 2010 through events, stories, and management of historic places by various agencies. New partnerships, events, and exhibits on heritage were initiated by various groups and agencies, including GFNMS staff. With the 2015 expansion of the sanctuary, new connections have been made with communities adjacent to the northern area of the sanctuary, including coastal Indigenous communities. There is a need to include more experts, particularly from Indigenous communities, in future assessments of this ecosystem service.

Sense of Place—Aesthetic attraction, spiritual significance, and location identity

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service is compromised, but performance is acceptable.

Rationale: Many communities have deep connections to the sanctuary and recognize its unique power as a place that sustains, nurtures, and inspires. These connections to the sanctuary have been reflected in a variety of exhibits, film, photography, books, and businesses, as well as in long-term commitments to supporting sanctuary conservation. Experts stated that although environmental conditions were highly variable and increasingly unpredictable due to climate change, the aesthetic attraction of the sanctuary remained uncompromised, and it continued to offer inspiration for individuals and communities. Additionally, experts noted an increase in coastal recreation activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an increase in community awareness of the sanctuary since its expansion in 2015.

Consumptive Recreation—Recreational activities that result in the removal of or harm to natural or cultural resources

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service is compromised, and existing management would require enhancement to enable acceptable performance.

Rationale: Though data were limited, there is evidence that commercial passenger fishing vessel fishing activity and shoreline angling have increased over the past decade. The number of recreationally harvested rockfish (unspecified species) and Dungeness crab also increased, while other species varied without a clear trend. Although the Chinook salmon ocean fishery was reopened following statewide closures just prior to the study period, some stocks that inhabit the sanctuary were listed as endangered or threatened, and progress toward recovery has been mixed. Additionally, the sport abalone fishery has been compromised by multiple stressors and has been closed since 2017.

Non-consumptive Recreation—Recreational activities that do not result in intentional removal of or harm to natural or cultural resources

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service is compromised, but performance is acceptable.

Rationale: Many types of recreational activities take place in the sanctuary, and its capacity to provide non-consumptive recreation opportunities appeared to be robust. Common activities included wildlife viewing, surfing, and other board sports, which increased during the study period, as well as kayaking, tidepooling, and beachgoing, which varied without trend. The decline of kelp likely contributed to a decrease in scuba diving in the northern portion of the sanctuary, although more information is needed to fully assess patterns in this activity. Data on recreational boating in the sanctuary were limited, and available data did not suggest a clear pattern during the study period. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were apparent for multiple indicators.

Provisioning Services (Material Benefits)

Commercial Harvest—The capacity to support commercial market demands for seafood products

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service is compromised, but performance is acceptable.

Rationale: Although certain high-value fisheries, including Dungeness crab and Chinook salmon, have been impacted by management interventions and environmental pressures, stock assessments and catch trends indicated satisfactory performance across most key fisheries in the sanctuary. Despite some challenges, there appeared to be continued participation across a variety of fisheries. Shellfish aquaculture in Tomales Bay also contributed to commercial harvest in the sanctuary.

Regulating Services (Buffers to Change)

Coastal Protection—Flow regulation that protects habitats, property, coastlines, and other features

Status Description: The capacity to provide the ecosystem service is compromised, and substantial new or enhanced management is required to restore it.

Rationale: Significant external (e.g., dams and culverts) and some internal built infrastructure (shoreline armoring) has disrupted the supply of sediment in numerous areas along the already naturally eroding coastline of GFNMS. The effects have likely been far ranging, and are being exacerbated by changes in climate that directly affect sediment delivery to coastal ecosystems. The extent of these influences is not fully understood, but it is clear that substantial management would be needed to restore natural control of sediment delivery and movement, as the entirety of the GFNMS coast is actively erosive. There was a lack of information on changes in shoreline hardening and habitat condition during the study period.