Protect the Protected – California's Marine & Coastal Zones

California’s Central/Northern Coast is incomparable. Stretching from Santa Barbara to Mendocino, it’s replete with sandy & rocky beaches, classic beach communities, amazing surf & recreational opportunities, and a stunning richness of marine life. Californians recognize its value; they have spent the last 20-30 years implementing a vast network of marine protected areas, sanctuaries & monuments designed to conserve & preserve these incredible natural, cultural & economic resources. Yet these outstanding marine ecosystems & adjacent communities are now at grave risk. The Trump administration recently issued an executive order to expand oil drilling off California (and most other U.S. coastlines) and review the need for its National Marine Sanctuaries. Surfrider Foundation will defend California’s conservation legacy with a grassroots campaign that protects the coast from new offshore oil drilling & defends existing conservation areas. Using our grassroots strength, Surfrider will activate our network of citizens, chapters, businesses & NGO partners to fight this destructive proposal and protect California’s precious marine & coastal resources & communities for generations to come.

This project will have several areas of significant impact. First is ensuring a healthy and thriving marine ecosystem. Legislated marine protections, like California’s MPA network, are relatively recent conservation mechanisms and are already proven to work; research is showing that MPAs are effective at increasing the abundance and diversity of marine life within their boundaries. This extraordinary effort over the past 20-30 years has improved California’s ocean health, and a healthy ocean and coast in turn supports a healthy coastal recreation economy. So by “protecting the protected” through this project, we are also protecting a $19 billion ocean recreation and tourism economy for the state...another significant impact. Surfrider Foundation creates community leaders, so yet another impact is the increased grassroots strength and capacity built around coastal protection. As more people (and businesses) learn about the importance of protecting these resources and become more and more involved and take actions to campaign, the more powerful we all become as a movement. That momentum and force then serves as the foundation for action to stop the next threat to a healthy ocean and coast.

Vision

Clean water, healthy beaches. Always.

Our vision is that federal moratoria on new offshore drilling are reinstated into perpetuity. Our nation’s ocean, waves and beaches are vital recreational, economic and ecological treasures that will be polluted by an increase in offshore oil drilling. Building and sustaining a community of ocean stewards will ensure that these precious resources are not sacrificed for our insatiable energy needs.

Surfrider Foundation

Protect the Protected – California's Marine & Coastal Zones

Model and Strategy

Impact

Leadership

Dr. Chad Nelsen

Pete Stauffer