Wondering what CMSF is all about?

Check out our newly launched blog to learn about our different programs working to advance the understanding and stewardship of ocean resources in California!

Our most recent blog posts highlight voluntary vessel speed reduction initiatives designed to protect endangered whales, a decade of marine protected areas in California, and healthy soils that help conserve the ocean!

Check it out here!

Sustainable water resource management efforts in the Lower Salinas Valley will benefit from a $10 million grant awarded through the California Department of Conservation’s Multi-Benefit Land Repurposing Program, part of Governor Newsom's comprehensive response to the ongoing drought. The award given to the Monterey-based California Marine Sanctuary Foundation will support the Greater Monterey County Integrated Regional Water Management Program and the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency in working with local land trusts to repurpose under-performing ag lands for multi-benefit conservation and to improve overdraft of groundwater supplies.

“One of the greatest challenges to restoring watershed processes, including groundwater recharge, flood protection and habitat restoration, is the lack of funding to compensate the farmers and landowners,” said Ross Clark, Director of the Central Coast Wetlands Group at Moss Landing Marine Labs, which coordinates the water management program. “This strategic state funding supports our efforts to fairly compensate landowners for their contributions to creating more sustainable Central Coast water resources.”

The award funds the implementation of the Lower Salinas Valley Multi-Benefit Land Repurposing Strategy, which will develop a decision-making process to acquire portions of farmlands for floodplain enhancement and groundwater recharge purposes.

For more information, reach out to Robert@californiamsf.org.

Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies is a voluntary Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Program along the coast of California.By creating seasonal and predictable slow speed zones, the program helps protect endangered whales, reduce fuel use and regional greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality. SmartWay is an EPA program that helps the freight transportation sector improve supply chain efficiency. Cargo shippers, retailers, ports, and NGO partners play a very important role in the success of both these programs to reduce the environmental impacts of shipping. 

In this co-hosted webinar, you will hear from program participants about why they got involved, and how you can too.

When: Tuesday, September 27 @ 11am 

Click here to register.

CMSF's Marine Resource Protection Program Director, Jess Morten, co-authored a recent publication in PLOS ONE - led by partners from ProtectedSeas - that analyzed vessel track data from shore-based radar monitoring systems, known as Marine Monitor (M2), being piloted in California by CMSF and partners.

Figure: Total M2 track hours across the study areas. Blue to red shading indicates low to high values, respectively

Using the M2 vessel track data, the authors identified and compared site-specific use patterns over one year of monitoring and, among other findings, found distinct concentrations of vessel activity near Marine Reserve (No-Fishing Zone) boundaries at all sites, demonstrating that vessels purposefully target the narrow area at the Marine Reserve boundary -- otherwise referred to as fishing the line.

The full publication can be accessed here. 

In April of this year, the results of the 2021 Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program (BWBS) were compiled and announced. During the 2021 season, which ran from May 15 - November 15, 18 global shipping lines voluntarily reduced their vessels' speeds for nearly 180,000 miles while transiting along the California coast during peak whale migration. These reduced speeds are estimated to have lowered the risk of fatal whale strikes by 50%, reduced over 22,000 metric tons of regional greenhouse gases and 650 tons of smog-forming NOx, and decreased underwater noise by an average of 5 dB per transit.

The 2022 BWBS program is in effect May 1 - December 15 and includes an expanded VSR zone area in the San Francisco region. 24 global shipping lines have enrolled in 2022. 

Photo credit: Jess Morten/CMSF/NOAA CINMS

Figure credit: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program

In April of this year, the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program (BWBS) also announced the launch of its Brand Ambassador Initiative. Now, the program is collaborating with companies and corporate brands who make sustainable shipping choices.

Since its inception in 2014, the BWBS program has worked with ship operators to reduce vessel speed when transiting along the coast of California. Each successive year of program implementation has yielded large increases in both participation and in the environmental benefits generated. The program recognizes that there is a larger ecosystem of key stakeholders in maritime shipping, most notably the companies that ship goods on BWBS-participating vessels. By creating a space for these companies to engage with the program, BWBS and CMSF aims to help them advocate for more sustainable shipping within their supply chain and share in the enhanced environmental benefits.

The first brands to join the new initiative are Summit Coffee Roasting Co., a subsidiary of Summit Coffee™, and Nomad, a consumer electronics and lifestyle products company, and Peak Design. For more information on the BWBS program and the brand ambassador initiative, head to https://www.bluewhalesblueskies.org/cargo. 

Photo credit: Jess Morten/CMSF/NOAA CINMS

Our annual First Flush citizen science event for stormwater monitoring the first rain of the year is coming up as we approach the rainy season. This program is entering its 22nd year. Over the past 21 years, we have seen significant improvements in the water quality of storm runoff, as municipalities adopt practices to reduce pollutants and improve water quality.

Every year we need help from volunteers who are willing to go out and brave the rain during First Flush to collect water samples and take water quality measurements. It's a fun adventure and provides valuable information used by cities and other entities to bring about improvements in the quality of water that enters our magnificent Marine Sanctuary. 

Our preparatory training and dry run event are coming up in late September. We hope you will join us as a citizen scientist.

Training: Sept 22 5:30 - 6:30

Dry Run Event: Saturday, September, 24 9:00 - 12:00 (Saturday)

For more information or to sign up contact Bridget Hoover: bridget.hoover@noaa.gov

Boots in the ground, a blanket of compost, and mycorrhizal fungi ready to deliver nutrients to an organic farm. This is one of the innovative ways in which the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF) helps conserve the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

In 2019, CMSF and collaborative partners led a healthy soils project at JSM Organics – a 200-acre organic farm that grows over 30 varieties of vegetables, berries, flowers and herbs in Monterey County. In this demonstration project funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, we worked closely with Javier Zamora, owner/grower, to demonstrate two healthy soil practices – compost addition and mycorrhizal fungi application. These practices along with other healthy soil practices that Mr. Zamora implemented helped sequester about 718 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the three-year period. That is equivalent to about 52 cars each year. 

An increase of carbon sequestration within the soils means less agricultural runoff and less overall carbon entering the sanctuary, which would otherwise increase the acidity of the ocean water and impact marine wildlife. 

Watch our recent webinar, Increases in Soil Health at JSM Organics: Implementing Multiple Practices for a deeper dive on the results of this healthy soils project and the impact this has on both land and marine conservation. 

A long-standing water quality pollution problem at the Bayside Marina has been fixed. The parking area near the Bayside Cafe and kayak rental area has been regraded, repaved, and storm water pollution prevention equipment was installed. This was needed because runoff from golf courses, streets, and commercial properties from the watershed was running straight into the Morro Bay National Estuary, contributing to loss of eelgrass, health issues for sea otters, and infilling of sediment into the Bay.

With the cooperation of California State Parks, Morro Bay National Estuary Program and CMSF worked to fix the problem. Bonus additions to the parking area include access for disabled persons, new electric charging stations, and interpretive signage. Take the stroll along the estuary to view herons, otters, crabs, and leopard shark.

Thank you to all who made this happen!

If you gaze out across the horizon, the view may be changing soon. With President Biden and Governor Newsome’s bold commitments to renewable energy, offshore wind energy is planned for California’s ocean. CMSF, in partnership with California Ocean Alliance and Southall Environmental Associates, gathered some of the world’s expert marine mammologists and sea turtle biologists to assess threats and risks to whales, dolphins, pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), and sea turtles.

This workshop was a part of a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) funded project to determine vulnerability to sound, disturbance, and entanglement from the placement of offshore wind turbines. Large-scale wind turbines reaching 700 feet or more into the air are planned for Morro Bay and Humboldt County. The work this team is producing will help locate wind energy areas in areas of least conflict and harm.

The 10-year anniversary of California’s MPA Network is here- lets celebrate!

The 124 protected areas along our coast have helped conserve important marine life in rocky reefs, tidepools, sandy beaches, wetlands, and deep canyon areas. Scientists have been tracking progress with thousands of dives in wetsuits and remotely- and autonomously- operated vehicles. Preliminary results are promising, showing that giving marine life a safe haven to grow and breed results in healthier and more abundant marine ecosystems.

A symposium is planned for March 2023 as California Department of Fish and Wildlife report on all of the research to date. 

Thank you, California!!! Time to celebrate. 

Let's connect on social media!

We post a lot of program related updates on our social channels so you can keep up on all things CMSF.