MPA Meeting December 13

Despite its name, less than one percent of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary is
fully protected from take of all marine life. Marine protected
areas -- which can provide a true sanctuary for fish, wildlife and our
special places -- are currently being considered by the Sanctuary's
Advisory Council.

On December 13th, the Sanctuary's Advisory Council will host a public
comment period to hear your views on marine protected areas within the
federal waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. If they
don't hear from you, the Sanctuary may not pursue this important step in
helping to protect California's treasured and threatened underwater
ecosystems.

WHAT: A public meeting to gather community input on marine
protected areas in the federal waters of the Monterey Bay National
Marine Sanctuary. See the meeting agenda here.

WHO: The Monterey Bay Sanctuary's Advisory Council

WHEN: Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 6pm

WHERE: Hilton Garden Inn Monterey, 1000 Aguajito Road, Monterey

Not an ocean expert? Don't worry. The Advisory Council just needs to
hear that you support Marine Protected Areas in the Monterey Bay
Sanctuary.

Click here to RSVP online: http://oceanconservancy.org/ca-rsvp

If you cannot attend, please send a letter to

Sanctuary Superintendent Paul Michel
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
299 Foam Street
Monterey, CA 93940

or email him at mbnms.comments@noaa.gov.

Background

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary was established fifteen years
ago in response to public opposition to offshore oil drilling. Since
then new ocean threats have emerged, and marine protected areas, which
restrict taking and destroying wildlife and habitat, have been shown to
be important and effective conservation tools to combat those threats.

In September 2007, the state of California implemented a network of
marine protected areas in coastal waters along the central coast.
However, offshore federal water areas, including submarine canyons,
deepwater sponges, and delicate hydrocoral forests, remain unprotected.
Extending marine protected areas into these deepwater habitats could
help ensure the long-term protection of some of the Sanctuary's most
vulnerable species and ecosystems.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
has a unique opportunity to build upon and leverage the
state's protection by extending the new protection into deeper water
habitats offshore and linking them to marine protected areas established
in the nearshore waters. In spite of California's new protections, less
than 1% of the Sanctuary is included in fully protected marine reserves.

Marine Protected Areas all over the world and right here in California
protect biodiversity, ecologically sensitive areas and special places.
This is important because healthy and intact ecosystems are more
resilient to unpredictable catastrophes, like oil spills or global
warming.