Biodiversity in California

Off the coast of California lie four national marine sanctuaries, where whales, porpoises, sea lions, dolphins, and other marine wildlife roam. Together, these areas comprise our "Yosemite of the sea" and are a favorite destination for local sailors and divers. The Cordell Bank, Monterey Bay, and Gulf of the Farallones marine sanctuaries are under threat as industrial shipping increases, threatening the wildlife these sanctuaries are meant to protect. Virtually unregulated, about 11,000 oil tankers and cargo ships travel to our busy ports annually, adding to global warming and posing a significant threat to the survival of marine mammals, fish, and other marine species - including many species that communicate and survive largely by sound. Large vessels are a major cause of whale deaths by ship strike and are the largest producers of low frequency ocean noise, which interferes with whales' ability to communicate, navigate, find food, and detect prey.

Pacific Environment employs advocacy, public education, and media strategies to strengthen protections for the rich biodiversity along California's coasts, including within our national marine sanctuaries. We created a Joint Working Group of the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank Advisory Council to investigate shipping impacts on our sanctuaries. We sponsor important legislation to protect our waters and our coast from oil spills. And we are working to ensure proper implementation of President Obama's National Ocean Policy in California.

Learn More: