SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND
WATER COMMITTEE WILL COME TO
ORDER CALIFORNIA IS HOME TO ONE
OF THE MOST DIVERSE COASTAL AND
OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS IN THE WORLD
WITH OVER 1100 MILES OF
COASTLINE. UH, THIS COAST AND
OCEAN IS TREASURED BY RESIDENTS
AND VISITORS. I. I THINK IT'S
SAFE TO SAY THIS IS A PART OF
OUR CULTURAL IDENTITY PART OF
OUR CALIFORNIA LIFEBLOOD, AND IT
SUPPORTS A MARINE ECONOMY OF
OVER $41 BILLION AS OF 2020, YET
CALIFORNIA'S COAST AND OCEAN ARE
THREATENED BY THE TWIN CRISES OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY
LOSS AND IN PARTICULAR, OUR
COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
FACE RISK FROM MARINE HEATWAVES,
POLLUTION AND HABITAT
DESTRUCTION AND LOSS, AMONG
OTHER THINGS. 30 BY 30 IS AN
INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT TO
PROTECT 30% OF THE WORLD'S LAND
AND COASTAL WATERS IS INTACT
NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS BY THE YEAR
2030. IT'S A MILESTONE TO A
LARGER GOAL TO PROTECT 50% OF
THESE AREAS BY 2050 IN ORDER TO
HALT AND REVERSE THE WORLD'S
EXTINCTION CRISIS. TO COMBAT
THIS CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM ISSUED AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER IN 2020 ADOPTING
A GOAL TO CONSERVE AT LEAST 30%
OF CALIFORNIA'S LAND IN COASTAL
WATERS BY THE YEAR 2030. UH, MY
BILL S¼ P THREE. 37 LATER
CODIFIED THIS GOAL INTO LAW IN
THE YEAR 2020 THREE. THE STATE
HAS ALREADY MADE STRONG PROGRESS
BY CONSERVING 16.2% OF ITS
COASTAL WATERS THROUGH ITS
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS, NETWORK
AND 24.4% OF LANDS. BUT TO REACH
THE COASTAL WATER GOAL, THE
STATE MUST ACT AGGRESSIVELY
CONSERVING APPROXIMATELY 500,000
MORE ACRES OF OUR MARINE
ENVIRONMENT. LAST YEAR, THIS
COMMITTEE CONVERT CONVENED A
HEARING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
NEWSOM ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH
AND PROGRESS ON THE 30 BY 30
LAND GOAL. THIS YEAR, AND TODAY
THIS COMMITTEE IS CONVENING A
HEARING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
NEWSOM ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH
AND PROGRESS ON THE COASTAL
WATERS, PART OF THIS GOAL. THIS
HEARING WILL ALSO REVIEW THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE STATE'S
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS NETWORK,
WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN ITS
CURRENT FORM IN THE YEAR. 2012.
THIS WILL INCLUDE REVIEWING THE
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM THIS FIRST ONCE IN A DECADE
REVIEW OF THE NETWORK THAT WAS
FINALIZED LAST YEAR. FINALLY A
GOAL OF THIS HEARING IS TO ASK
STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC TO
WEIGH IN ON THESE TOPICS. PLEASE
NOTE THAT WE'LL BE HEARING ALL
THE PANELS ON THE AGENDA PRIOR
TO TAKING ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL ONLY BE
ON THE TOPIC OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
AND I WILL ENFORCE THAT. UH, I
WOULD LIKE TO ALSO THANK OUR
PANELISTS IN ADVANCE FOR SHOWING
UP THIS MORNING TO SHARE YOUR
INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES. I
KNOW YOU'RE ALL VERY BUSY. AND
YOUR TIME HERE IS VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED. I KNOW YOU. A
NUMBER OF OUR ADMINISTRATION
MEMBERS WERE DEALING WITH AN OIL
SHEEN IN HUNTINGTON BEACH JUST
EARLIER THIS WEEK OR LAST WEEK.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW
MINUTES TO ALLOW MY SENATE
COLLEAGUES THE OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE THEIR OWN OPENING REMARKS.
DO ANY OF OUR MEMBERS ANY OF THE
MEMBER HAVE ANY I THINK THE
ENTIRE REST OF THE COMMITTEE
THAT'S HERE IS PREPARED TO MAKE
SOME COMMENTS. UM THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING
THE HEARING. AND THANKS TO
EVERYBODY WHO'S GETTING PREPARED
TO CONTRIBUTE, I THINK FOR ME. A
LOT OF THIS HAS FOCUSED ON THE
LAND BASED PART OF 30 BY 30. SO
I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT THE
COMMITTEE IS HAVING THE HEARING
ON THE OCEAN SIDE OF IT. AND IS
YOU YOU YOU LAID OUT THE NUMBER
OF MILES THAT SYSTEM OF
CALIFORNIA COASTLINE AND I
REPRESENT JUST UNDER A QUARTER
OF IT. AND UH UH, HAD
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OF IT AS
AS A CHAIR OF THE OCEAN
PROTECTION COUNCIL FOR EIGHT
YEARS, AND I THINK THAT IT IT
TOOK YEARS. UH, YOU KNOW, TO GET
THE MARINE PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM
UP AND RUNNING, DESIGNATED UP
AND RUNNING. IT WAS, UH UH, THE
FIRST REAL DESIGNATIONS HAPPEN.
10 YEARS AFTER THE ACT. WAS
ENACTED, AND SO IT REALLY TELLS
THE DIFFICULTY AND THE
COMPLEXITY WITH DOING THAT, AND
IT IS SCIENCE BASED, AND AS I
LOVE TO TELL THE STORY OF
MARCHING IN THE SCIENCE MARCH IN
SANTA CRUZ AND HAVING EVERYBODY
SAY, WHAT DO WE WANT SCIENCE?
WHEN DO WE WANT IT? AND THE
CROWD WILL GO NOW AND THEN THE
CROWD WOULD GO WITH PEER REVIEW.
AND UH UH, IT IT WOULD MAKE ME
CRAZY BECAUSE IT WOULD ADD A
WHOLE A LEVEL OF TIME. TO IT
WHEN WE HAD THE POLITICAL WILL
TO MOVE BEFORE THAT HAPPENED,
AND SO, UH, IT IT THE STAFF
REPORT IS SO GOOD ABOUT THE
OPTIONS, BUT SOME OF THEM WILL
TAKE A WHILE TO GET A FULLY IN
ORDER. AND AS WE SEE WITH THE
CURRENT BUDGET, YOU ALSO TRY TO
GET IT MOVING WHEN YOU HAVE
MONEY AND NOT HAVE IT FINALLY
COME UP WHEN YOU DON'T AND SO
AND I KNOW THAT, UH UM I
HAPPENED TO STRONGLY SUPPORT A
PROPOSED SANCTUARY THAT'S OFF OF
MY DISTRICT, AND I SOME OF THE
ADVOCATES ARE HERE TODAY, AND IT
HAS TO BE CO ORDINATED WITH
OFFSHORE WIND, WHICH I ALSO
SUPPORT TO MEET OUR RENEWABLE
GOALS, WHICH IS REALLY GOING TO
GET TO THE ISSUE OF OCEAN
ACIDIFICATION AND HEATING OF THE
OCEAN AND SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT ARE VERY MUCH CHALLENGING.
AH AH TO THE OCEAN ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
DO THIS IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN
OR OR THOSE TWO THINGS CAN
COEXIST IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS
THE OCEAN AND MOVES US TOWARD
OUR CLIENT GOALS. AND SO I
REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE
TESTIMONY ON BALANCING THIS AND
ON A SPECIFIC ROAD MAP BECAUSE,
I THINK SOME OF US ARE READY TO
START MARCHING DOWN THE ROAD
WITH SPECIFIC TASKS AND KNOWING
WHAT IT IS THAT HAVE TO DO TO
LEAD TO THE PROTECTION AND THE
PERSON THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
30 BY 30 THAT'S NOW AT THE
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD, WHO
IS A RESPECTED COLLEAGUE AND
DOES A GREAT JOB. I ALWAYS
PRESSED FOR WHERE THE
SPECIFICITY IS. AND IT IS THERE
NOW AND NOW WE NEED TO KNOW A
PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF OUR
BUDGET SITUATION WHERE WE CAN
PUT OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE MOVE AHEAD AND DON'T
LOSE TIME ON THIS SO I THANK THE
CHAIR FOR STRUCTURING THIS
HEARING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
THE TESTIMONY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UH,
SENATOR AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
ON THIS TOPIC, UH SO WE'LL MOVE
NOW TO OUR FIRST PANEL ON
STATEWIDE PERSPECTIVES. AND UH,
WE HAVE 40 MINUTES FOR
PRESENTATIONS FOLLOWED BY 15
MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. UH, OUR
FIRST PANELIST, UH, WE'RE
HONORED TO HAVE SECRETARY
CROWFOOT WADE CROWFOOT,
SECRETARY OF THE CALIFORNIA
NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY, AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'LL BE
SPLITTING THE 1ST 30 MINUTES
WITH DEPUTY SECRETARY SECRETARY
ECKERLE AND DIRECTOR BONHAM
THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR,
SENATOR LAIRD. THANK YOU FOR ALL
OF YOUR YEARS OF WORK AS A
PRECURSOR TO WHAT WE'LL TALK
ABOUT HERE TODAY, UH, WHEN YOU
SERVED AS SECRETARY AND SENATOR
MIN FORK, AS YOU SAY, AS YOU
EXPLAINED, CODIFYING 30 BY 30 AS
A LAW OF THE LAND IN CALIFORNIA,
UH, MY JOB MIGHT BE THE EASIEST
HERE AND THAT'S JUST TO PROVIDE
SOME BIG PICTURE CONTEXT FOR THE
DISCUSSION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TODAY. AS YOU POINTED OUT THE
GOVERNOR, THE LEGISLATURE ARE
ALIGNED TO PROTECT 30% OF OUR
LAND IN COASTAL WATERS BY 2030.
IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THREE
MONTHS AFTER THE GOVERNOR ISSUED
HIS INITIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER
PRESIDENT BIDEN VICE PRESIDENT
HARRIS EMBRACED 30 BY 30,
CALLING IT AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
AND THE PRESIDENT INVOKED HIS
COMMITMENT ON 30 BY 30 AS
RECENTLY AS THE STATE OF THE
UNION JUST A FEW DAYS AGO. IT'S
ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT AT THE
END OF 2022, VIRTUALLY EVERY
NATION IN THE WORLD CAME
TOGETHER ON THE SHARED
COMMITMENT TO CONSERVE 30% OF
THE EARTH BY 2030. AND I'LL SAY
THIS. THE WORLD IS WATCHING
CALIFORNIA BECAUSE, FRANKLY, AS
I, I MOVE AROUND IN THESE
INTERNATIONAL FORA, CALIFORNIA
HAS MORE, UH MORE SPECIFIC ROAD
MAP THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER PLACE
IN THE WORLD AROUND HOW TO
ACHIEVE THAT. AND THAT IS OUR
OUR PATHWAYS TO 30 BY 30, WHICH
IS AS YOU POINT OUT, BOTH ON THE
LAND SIDE AND ON THE COASTAL
WATER SIDE. AND I'M PROUD OF OUR
PROGRESS WITH A LOT MORE WORK
AHEAD. I THINK WE CAN ALSO ALSO
VERY MUCH BE PROUD OF ALL OF THE
PROTECTIONS AND ALL OF THE WORK
HAPPENING BOTH ON OUR COAST AND
MARINE ENVIRONMENT. IN
CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE THE
STRONGEST COASTAL PROTECTIONS IN
THE FORM OF THE COASTAL ACT. WE
HAVE THE COASTAL COMMISSION, THE
COASTAL CONSERVANCY, OUR STATE
LANDS COMMISSION, OUR OCEAN
PROTECTION COUNCIL, OUR MARITIME
DIVISION OF OUR FISH AND
WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT, AND OF ALL
OF THOSE ENTITIES ARE WORKING
TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THESE
CHALLENGING ISSUES. 30 BY 30. I
TALK ABOUT IT AS A MEANS TO AN
END. WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE
CONSERVED AREAS BOTH ON LAND AND
WATER. BUT WE KNOW WE ALSO NEED
TO DO A LOT MORE. SO TODAY WE'LL
TALK ABOUT PATHWAYS THAT WE'RE
EXPLORING THAT WOULD BENEFIT OUR
COASTS AND OCEANS. THAT WOULD
ALSO BENEFIT OUR 30 BY 30 GOALS.
I THINK I WOULD STRESS MAYBE
JUST A COUPLE POINTS. ONE IS,
UH, REGARDING OUR MARINE
PROTECTED AREA NETWORK. I THINK
WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF THIS
NETWORK 124 UNDERWATER PARKS.
UH, PEOPLE LIKE ME GET TO TRAVEL
AROUND THE WORLD AND TAKE CREDIT
FOR THE HARD WORK OF OTHERS
ESTABLISHING THIS AND IT'S
REALLY AN INTERNATIONAL MODEL.
UH AND AS SENATOR LAIRD POINTED
OUT, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO
ESTABLISH BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY
COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY THIS.
OUR FISHING COMMUNITY, OUR
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. CERTAINLY
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
COMMUNITIES AS WELL. AND SO AS
WE CONSIDER ANY MODIFICATIONS TO
THE MARINE PROTECTED AREA, WE
NEED TO DO THAT BASED ON SCIENCE
, AND WE NEED TO DO IT WITH A
WHOLE LOT OF THOUGHTFUL
ENGAGEMENT WITH ALL OF THESE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BY
ANY CHANGES THAT WE'D BE MAKING.
I'LL ALSO POINT OUT THAT I DON'T
THINK THERE'S ANY SILVER BULLET
TO ACHIEVING OUR 30 BY 30 IN OUR
COASTAL ENVIRONMENT, AND MY
COLLEAGUE, DEPUTY SECRETARY
ACKERLY WILL TALK ABOUT OTHER
PATHWAYS BEYOND MODIFICATIONS TO
MP S¼ THAT WERE CONSIDERING THAT
COULD COULD QUALIFY UNDER OUR
STRONG DEFINITION OF CONSERVED
AND PROTECTED AREAS FOR 30 BY
30. SO MOST OF ALL HUGE THANKS
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR
PARTNERSHIP ON ON 30 BY 30. I'M
REALLY MOTIVATED ON THE GOAL
BECAUSE IT'S TIME BOUND AND WE
CAN HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE
FOR MAKING PROGRESS. AND WE ARE.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW Tð MINUS SIX
YEARS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, BOTH
ON THE LAND SIDE AND ON THE
SALTY SIDE, AS WE SAY, AND WE'RE
UP FOR THE TASK, SO I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO DIRECTOR BONHAM NOW TO
TALK MORE ABOUT THE NUTS AND
BOLTS OF THE WORK ON THE DECATO
REVIEW FOR THE MARINE PROTECTED
AREAS AND OUR WORK ON 30 BY 30.
CHAIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. OCEAN
CHAMPIONS IN THE AUDIENCE AND ON
THE DÍAS. MY NAME IS CHUCK
BONHAM I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH
AND WILDLIFE IN CALIFORNIA.
LOVES THE OCEAN. CALIFORNIANS
LOVE THE OCEAN. IT MIGHT
ACTUALLY BE THE MOST NONPARTISAN
, NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUE OUT
THERE. AND I WANT TO START WITH
THIS SINCERE THANK YOU TO EACH
OF YOU, MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS
PANEL. CALIFORNIANS UP AND DOWN
THE COAST AND EVERYWHERE.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE
CALIFORNIA MARINE PROTECTED AREA
NETWORK. IN THE WORLD. AND IT'S
BECAUSE OF THAT COLLECTIVE
EFFORT. OVER A LONG JOURNEY. AND
I WANT TO SHARE THAT JOURNEY A
LITTLE BIT WITH YOU TO SET THE
STAGE BEFORE THE REST OF THE
PANEL. IT'S A QUARTER OF A
CENTURY STORY. AT LEAST. ALMOST
25 YEARS. SO IF I HAD TO GO BACK
IN TIME MACHINE, I'D GO TO THREE
MOMENTS IN THE CALENDAR. I'D
TAKE US BACK TO 1999. SO BEFORE
1999. THERE WERE MPAS CREATED.
IT WAS AD HOC. IT WAS NOT
COMPREHENSIVE. IT WAS PIECEMEAL.
YOU, THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE.
INJECTED YOURSELF. AND PAST THE
MARINE LIFE PROTECTION ACT. IT
GAVE AN INSTRUCTION TO OUR
DEPARTMENT. AND OUR SISTER,
CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME
COMMISSION. STEP BACK. DO
SOMETHING COMPREHENSIVE REDESIGN
THE NETWORK BASED ON SIX GOALS.
THOSE GOALS ARE DESCRIBED IN
YOUR STAFF AGENDA TODAY ON PAGE
THREE. THAT'S THE FIRST MOMENT.
JUMP FORWARD IN THE TIME MACHINE
ABOUT 10 YEARS. YOU LAND IN
2012. SO AFTER MANY FITS AND
STARTS A LOT OF MONEY SPENT. AT
SEVEN YEARS. OUR FISH AND GAME
COMMISSION FINALLY FORMALLY
CREATES AN ENTIRE NETWORK. AS
THE SECRETARY MENTIONED 124
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS. 14
SPECIAL CLOSURES. ABOUT 850
SQUARE MILES. WHICH IS ABOUT
16.2. PROTECTION OF OUR COASTAL
AREAS. NOTABLY BEFORE THAT
MOMENT. THAT LEVEL OF PROTECTION
WAS ABOUT 2.7. SO A LARGE JUMP
BUT HALF THAT AREA ABOUT 9% IS
WHAT WE CALL MARINE RESERVE,
WHICH IS KIND OF THE HIGHEST
PROTECTION NÓ HARVEST. YOU'VE
EUPHEMISTICALLY WE SAY TAKE SO
NÓ TAKE AND THEN THE OTHER HALF
IS IN THE OTHER DESIGNATIONS,
PRIMARILY THE MARINE
CONSERVATION AREA. THIRD MOMENT
IN TIME. WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO
PRESENT DAY. IS JUST LAST YEAR.
SO WHY WAS LAST YEAR A BIG YEAR?
LAST YEAR WAS A REALLY BIG YEAR
BECAUSE OUR DEPARTMENT WORKING
WITH THE OCEAN PROTECTION
COUNCIL, THE OCEAN SCIENCE TRUST
ALL KINDS OF ACADEMICS, TRIBES
AND OTHERS PRODUCED THE FIRST
EVER REVIEW OF THIS NETWORK. SO
THE NETWORK IS GLOBALLY
SIGNIFICANT. THERE'S NOTHING
ELSE LIKE IT. THEREFORE THE
REVIEW OF IT ITSELF IS UNLIKE
ANYTHING ELSE ON THE PLANET. AT
A SCIENTIFIC AND ANALYSIS LEVEL.
IT REVIEWED THE NETWORK. THE
FIRST EVER IT'S A 10 YEAR CYCLE,
AND IT TURNS OUT WHEN YOU LOOK
BACK AT SOME OF THE ORIGIN
DOCUMENTS IN 2008. THE PROPOSED
REVIEW CYCLE WAS FIVE YEARS. SO
WHY 10 YEARS? THE COMMUNITY
DECIDED. 10 IS A MORE
BIOLOGICALLY SOUND CYCLE TO TRY
TO JUDGE TRENDS AND TRAJECTORIES
IN THE ECOSYSTEMS. PLUS FRANKLY,
AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THIS. IT'S
ACTUALLY MORE ADMINISTRATIVELY
DOABLE THAN A FIVE YEAR CYCLE.
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF KIND
OF 2017 AND 18 WAS THIS
CONSORTIUM OF INTEREST AND
EXPERTISE. DESIGNED A MONITORING
ACTION PLAN. THEY CREATED A
SERIES OF EVALUATION QUESTIONS.
WE WENT OUT TO 50 UNIVERSITIES,
SCHOLARS UP AND DOWN TRIBAL
LEADERS, AND THEN WE PRODUCED
THE REPORT. APPENDED TO THAT
REPORT ARE 21 PARTNER REPORTS.
SO THIS COMMUNITY SUBMITTED
THEIR OWN DOCUMENTATION THAT WE
INCLUDED IN THE ASSESSMENT.
WITHOUT CHANGE. WE RELEASED IT
IN JANUARY OF 2023, THE
DEPARTMENT WE VETTED IT AND
DISCUSSED IT IN PUBLIC AT A
FEBRUARY FISH AND GAME
COMMISSION MEETING AND ALMOST TO
THE DAY ONE YEAR AGO, WE
CELEBRATED IT. AT A SYMPOSIUM
OVER TWO DAYS IN MONTEREY IN
MARCH OF 2020 THREE. A FINE
PIECE OF WORK. IT BREAKS DOWN
INTO FOUR KIND OF PILLARS. WE
LOOKED AT WITH EVERYONE INVOLVED
RESEARCH AND MONITORING.
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION POLICY
AND PERMITTING ENFORCEMENT AND
COMPLIANCE. WITHIN THE REVIEW
ITSELF ARE 28 RECOMMENDATIONS
AND 82 ACTIONS FOR THE NEXT
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT CYCLE.
BETWEEN NOW AND THE SUBSEQUENT
SECOND REVIEW 10 YEARS OUT. HERE
ARE SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS AND
I DON'T WANT TO BURY THE LEAD.
UH SO HERE IT IS. IT'S WORKING.
IT IS WORKING. SO TAKE A LOOK AT
FISH BIOMASS, WHICH SOME MIGHT
SAY IS THERE. UH MOST IMPORTANT
INDICATOR ARE THERE MORE FISH
AND ARE THEY BIGGER? SOMETHING
THAT'S OFTEN ON THE MINDS OF ANY
ANGLER. ARE THERE MORE FISH? AND
ARE THEY BIGGER? THE ANSWER IS,
YES. OVERALL BIOMASS OF FISH
SPECIES IS HIGHER INSIDE THE
NETWORK. THEN OUTSIDE THE
NETWORK ACROSS MOST OF THE
STATE. THAT RESPONSE OF BIOMASS
IS ACTUALLY MORE SIGNIFICANT IN
THE DATA IN OUR SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA BIOREGION. WHERE
HISTORICAL FISHING PRESSURE IS
ACTUALLY HIGHER. FOR EXAMPLE,
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS
BIOMASS INDICATOR MORE THAN 70%
OF THE FISH SPECIES OBSERVED
THINK ABOUT THAT 70. I MEAN,
THAT'LL PUT YOU IN THE HALL OF
FAME, UH, IN SOME STATISTICS
WORLDS IS THOSE FISH SPECIES ARE
OBSERVED LARGER IN BOTH SIZE AND
NUMBERS INSIDE THE MPAS WHEN
COMPARED TO OUTSIDE.
CONNECTIVITY IS ANOTHER METRIC
WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM. NETWORK
IS WORKING. SO CONNECTIVITY
ITSELF ECOLOGICALLY, AS I
UNDERSTAND IT CAN BE A RESPONSE
TO CLIMATE CHANGE BECAUSE IT
CONNECTS LIFE. AND THE ABILITY
TO MOVE BETWEEN HABITATS AND
SPECIES IS A RESPONSE TO A
WARMING CLIMATE. SO WHEN YOU
LOOK IN THE DATA AT ROCKY AND
HER TIDAL KELP FOREST, MID DEPTH
ROCKY REEF HABITATS INSIDE THE
NETWORK. THOSE THINGS ARE MORE
CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AND TO
OTHER PARTS OF THE COAST THAN
OUTSIDE THE NETWORK. ECOLOGICAL
RESPONSE. SO IT VARIES. WHAT
YOU'RE LOOKING AT SURVEY METHOD
USE BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING
SPECIES AND COMMUNITY LEVEL.
POSITIVE RESPONSE WAS STRONGEST
IN THE SOUTH. AND IN THE CENTRAL
BIOREGIONS. YOUR STAFF AGENDA,
TALKS ABOUT CLIMATE RESILIENCY
AND CORRECTLY POINTS OUT. WE HAD
A MARINE HEATWAVE PERIOD,
PROBABLY SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS
AGO. IN OUR JUDGMENT. THE MPAS
DON'T APPEAR IN THE DATA TO HAVE
MITIGATED AGAINST THE INITIAL
EFFECTS OF THAT HEAT WAVE. BUT
YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT SOME OF
THE ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES
WITHIN THE NETWORK WERE MORE
RESILIENT AND SHOWED SIGNS OF A
HIGHER RATE OF RECOVERY AFTER
THE HEAT WAVE. SO IT MIGHT BE
THE CASE THAT THE NETWORK CAN
PROVE THAT THIS CONCEPT OF
CONSERVATION ACROSS LANDSCAPES
IN THE MARINE OCEAN IS ITSELF A
RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND
COULD BE IMPORTANT FOR
RESILIENCY. THOSE ARE SOME OF
THE FINDINGS. WE'VE BEEN BUSY.
ON MANY THINGS. SINCE 2012.
DON'T FORGET. YOU AS THE
LEGISLATURE HAVE BEEN VERY
ACTIVE SINCE 2012. YOU CREATED
THE OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL. IT
HAS POLICY RESPONSIBILITY FOR MP
A DECISION MAKING OUR DEPARTMENT
HAS MANAGEMENT RESPON, AND OUR
COMMISSION HAS LIKE DESIGNATION.
AND FORMAL RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.
BUT YOU'VE DONE MORE THAN THAT.
YOU GAVE OUR WILDLIFE OFFICERS
GREATER ABILITY TO ENFORCE AN MP
A S¼. YOU INCREASE PENALTIES AND
FINES FOR VIOLATIONS WITHIN
MPAS. AND WE'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY
ADMINISTRATIVELY. SO WE'VE BEEN
IMPLEMENTING ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
SINCE 2012. WE'VE CHANGED SOME
BOUNDARIES TO DO TECHNICAL
CORRECTIONS. WE'VE VISITED
CERTAIN ACTIVITIES WITH MARINE
CONSERVATION AREAS. IN MANY
INSTANCES IN THE LAST SEVERAL
YEARS, WE'VE CHANGED THE
REGULATIONS TO ADD ADDITIONAL
TRIBES INTO THE EXEMPTION SO
THAT THEY CAN PRACTICE THEIR
HISTORICAL ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE
AREA AND NOT FACE THE RISK OF A
TAKE CONCERN ON OUR PART. WE'VE
ALTERED NAMES OF AREAS BASED ON
TRIBAL REQUESTS. SO WE'VE DONE
ABOUT A DOZEN ADAPTIVE
MANAGEMENT CHANGES BEFORE YOU
EVEN GET TO 20 THREE. WE'VE
ACTUALLY FACED ALREADY PETITIONS
FROM CITIZENS TO OUR COMMISSION
BACK IN 2016 AND 18 TO MAKE
CHANGES TO THE NETWORK, MOST OF
THOSE EXCEPT FOR MINOR TWEAKS
WERE REJECTED BY OUR COMMISSION.
AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIVISION. WHICH ITSELF HAS A
MARINE PATROL UNIT, WHICH I
THINK IS A FANTASTIC JOB.
THEY'RE OUT IN THE OCEAN.
THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH USERS OF
OUR OCEAN. AND WHILE THEY'RE OUT
ON PATROL BOATS, I THINK THEY GO
DIVING TO MONITOR THE SPACE BUT
ALSO PROBABLY ENJOY THE OCEAN AS
WARDENS OUT ON THE SEA. IN A
GENERAL SENSE EACH YEAR AND
WE'RE WORKING ON OUR CURRENT
2023 STATISTICS. THEY'RE
PATROLLING ABOUT 36,000 HOURS
ACROSS THIS NETWORK. THEY'RE
ISSUING AROUND 700 ISH
VIOLATIONS EACH YEAR. WHICH
RESULTS IN ABOUT THREE 100 OR SO
CITATIONS. THEY'VE GREATLY
IMPROVED THEIR RECORD MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM, WORKING WITH LOCAL Dð, A
S¼ AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND OUR
CITIZEN SCIENCE AND MONITORING
APPARATUS, SO THAT'S BETTER
INTEGRATED. AND WE CAN NOW TEASE
OUT THE DATA IN OUR ENFORCEMENT
SPACE AND SHARE IT WITH OUR
PARTNERS. WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK
AT WHICH FISH SPECIES SHOW UP
MOST IN THOSE VIOLATIONS. ROCK
FISH AND LOBSTER. WHERE DO
VIOLATIONS TEND TO HAPPEN MORE
WELL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?
WHICH MAKES A LOT OF SENSE WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE
NETWORKS HAVE BEEN THERE LONGER
OUT IN THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, AND
A LOT OF OUR RECREATIONAL OCEAN
FISHING IS CENTERED IN THE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SPACE. WE'VE
BEEN BUSY. AND WE'RE ON THE
BRINK OF ANOTHER PERIOD OF
BUSYNESS. ONE OF YOUR STAFF
AGENDA REQUESTS WAS TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT WE FORESEE IN THE
NEXT YEAR. WE ARE BUSY RIGHT NOW
, WITH OUR FISH AND GAME
COMMISSION, USING THEIR
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES OPEN
PROCESS. AND A SUB COMMITTEE
THAT THEY HAVE CALLED THE MARINE
RESOURCES SUB COMMITTEE. TO
PRIORITIZE THOSE 28
RECOMMENDATIONS AND 82 ACTIONS
WITHIN THE MARINE DECATUR
MANAGEMENT REVIEW. SO WE'RE
DOING THAT WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHICH OF
THESE GET ACTED ON FIRST, WHICH
NEED A LONGER RUNWAY.
SIMULTANEOUSLY WE'VE RECEIVED IN
THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. 20
PETITIONS FROM DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES AROUND THE STATE TO
OUR COMMISSION, WHICH IN
TOTALITY PROPOSED ABOUT 86
CHANGES TO THE NETWORK. SOME
SHRINK. SOME GROW SOME TECHNICAL
CORRECTIONS. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE
OF A PROCESS STEP FIRST. NEXT
WEEK, OUR COMMISSION WILL BE
HOSTING ITS DULY, NOTED
SUB-COMMITTEE. I EXPECT MANY IN
THE ROOM AND OTHERS WILL BE
THERE. OUR DEPARTMENT WILL OFFER
TO THAT PUBLIC MEETING. HERE'S
OBS STRUCTURAL PROCESS WAY TO
TAKE THOSE 20 PETITIONS. PUT
THEM IN A SPREADSHEET, IDENTIFY.
WHAT'S A MINOR TECHNICAL CHANGE?
WHAT'S A MORE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE
? MY PREDICTION IS THINGS THAT
ARE LESS CONTROVERSIAL CAN
PROBABLY MOVE THROUGH THE RULE.
CHANGING IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS
FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION AND
DECISION. THINGS THAT ARE MORE
COMPLICATED, MAY TAKE THE NEXT
TWO YEARS. LET ME END WITH THIS.
YOU ASKED FOR ME TO MENTION
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
THOSE ARE OFTEN THE SAME THING.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES WE SEE COMING OUT OF
THE MARINE DECATUR REVIEW, WHICH
IN TURN CREATE THEIR OWN
OPPORTUNITIES. TIME IS A
CHALLENGE. A 10 YEAR REVIEW
CYCLE CAN PICK UP AND HAS SHOWN
POSITIVE TRENDS IN THE NETWORK.
BUT THE NATURAL WORLD DOESN'T
ALWAYS RESPOND TO OUR INSISTED
TIMELINE. WE'RE GOING TO NEED
MORE TIME AND I THINK SOME OF
OUR PANELISTS WILL TALK ABOUT TO
TRULY UNDERSTAND THE ECOLOGICAL
RESPONSE. FOR INSTANCE, HOW DO
YOU TEASE OUT A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A NÓ TAKE SPACE AND A
LIMITED TAKE SPACE. THAT'S
COMPLICATED SCIENCE, WHICH WILL
NEED MORE TIME. NOTWITHSTANDING
SECRETARY LAIRD'S EFFORTS WHEN
HE WAS AT THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL
RESOURCES AGENCY, WHICH CHANGED
HOW WE TREATED TRIBES IN THE
MARINE WORLD. WE STILL HAVE MORE
WORK TO DO ON THAT FRONT. WEVE
FORGOTTEN. OUR NATIVE AMERICAN
LEADERS. AND SOVEREIGN NATIONS
IN MANAGEMENT FOR FAR TOO LONG.
WE KNOW THAT WAS AN ERROR. THE
FIRST GO AROUND. IT BECOMES AN
OPPORTUNITY THIS GO AROUND. I
THINK ONE OF MY PANELISTS WILL
EXPLAIN THAT MORE. MONITORING
THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO KNOW
IF THIS IS WORKING IS IF WE
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WORLD
CLASS SCALE. THAT COSTS MONEY.
OPPORTUNITIES. EQUITY INCLUSION.
TRIBAL LEADERSHIP. POTENTIALLY
GROWING THE NETWORK. IN A
COLLABORATIVE SCIENCE BASED
DECISION MAKING WAY IN FRONT OF
OUR COMMISSION. SOCIAL DYNAMICS.
THE MARINE DECATUR REVIEW SHOWS.
AND OTHER DATA. I THINK
DISCERNIBLY INDICATES. WE'VE HAD
NÓ MATERIAL DIFFERENCE IN CATCH
AND HARVEST SUCCESS. YOU CAN
STILL FISH. AND THE FISHING IS
OFTEN REALLY GOOD. BUT WE HAVE A
PREDOMINANT VIEW WITHIN SOME
COMMUNITIES THAT THE NETWORK
ITSELF DE FACTO CAUSES REDUCED
OPPORTUNITY AND REDUCED
ENJOYMENT IN FISHING. THAT'S A
DISCONNECT, WHICH MAY OF MAY
OFTEN BE A HUMAN DIMENSION
ASPECT OF SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECT.
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
BREAK THROUGH WITH OUR EDUCATION
AND OUTREACH. LET ME WRAP UP
THIS WAY AND JUST SAY WE HAVE
COME A LONG WAY. IF YOU JUST
THINK BACK TO A YEAR AGO, SUPER
BUSY IF YOU THINK BACK TO 2012
AND THE CREATION OF THE NETWORK
HOLY COW IF YOU THINK BACK TO
1999 IN MY TIME, MACHINE WAY
CONSULTING WITH TRIBES, CREATING
A TRIBAL MARINE STEWARD NETWORK.
WEAVING ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE
FROM TRADITIONAL LEADERS INTO
OUR DECISION MAKING, FORMING 14
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVES UP AND
DOWN THE COAST. RETHINKING HOW,
UH, TRADITIONAL STATE AGENCY
LIKE MINE CAN EMBRACE COMMUNITY
SCIENTIST WORK. AND FEED THAT
INTO DECISION MAKING. WE HAVE
GOT SIGNAGE OF 500 LOCATIONS
ALONG THE COAST IN THIS
COLLABORATIVE AND MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES. AND THE NETWORK IS
WORKING MORE FISH THAT ARE
BIGGER. AND I'LL END WITH THAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.
SO SECRETARY ACKERLEY. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS JEN
ECKERLE. I'M THE DEPUTY
SECRETARY FOR OCEANS AND COASTAL
POLICY FOR THE NATURAL RESOURCES
AGENCY. I AM ALSO THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE OCEAN PROTECTION
COUNCIL AND I. I WANT TO ALSO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO
PROTECTING CALIFORNIA'S NATURAL
RESOURCES, NATURAL RESOURCES,
BOTH ON LAND AND IN THE OCEAN.
SO I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THE WORK
THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO
IMPLEMENT 30 BY 30 IN COASTAL
WATERS. THE OCEAN PROTECTION
COUNCIL IS LEADING THAT EFFORT.
AND IT'S BASED ON A PORTFOLIO OF
FOUR KEY STRATEGIES. ADAPTIVELY
ADAPTIVELY, MANAGING THE STATE'S
MP, A NETWORK SUPPORTING
TRIBALLY LED CONSERVATION,
INCLUDING INDIGENOUS MARINE
STEWARDSHIP AREAS. EXPLORING THE
EXISTING SPATIAL MANAGEMENT
MEASURES TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT
TO WHICH THEY MEET THE STATE'S
DEFINITION OF 3030 BY 30
CONSERVED AREA. AND
STRENGTHENING BIODIVERSITY
PROTECTIONS WITHIN NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES. I'M GONNA
WALK YOU THROUGH EACH OF THESE
STRATEGIES AND SHARE OUR
PROGRESS ON AND NEXT STEPS. ON M
S¼ DIRECTOR BONHAM JUST PROVIDED
A DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE
STATE'S MP A NETWORK AND HOW
MONITORING RESULTS ARE SHOWING
POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR
BIODIVERSITY. OUR MPAS, WHICH
WERE CREATED TO PROTECT MARINE
LIFE AND HABITATS AND IMPROVE
OCEAN HEALTH, MEET THE
DEFINITION OF CONSERVED IN THE
PATHWAYS STRATEGY BECAUSE THEY
PROVIDE DURABLE ECOSYSTEM LEVEL
PROTECTION. COVERING 16% OF
STATE WATERS. CALIFORNIA'S MP A
MP A NETWORK GETS US MORE THAN
HALFWAY TOWARDS OUR 30 BY 30
CONSERVATION GOAL FOR STATE
WATERS AND JUST A SIDE NOTE. I
THINK I'VE BEEN IN THAT TIME
MACHINE, SINCE, UH 2006 I'M
REALLY PRIVILEGED AND GRATEFUL
TO BE HERE CONTINUING THIS WORK.
ADAPTIVELY MANAGING OUR STATE'S
MP S¼ SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO
PROVIDE STRONG PROTECTIONS FOR
COASTAL AND OCEAN BIODIVERSITY,
PARTICULARLY IN THE FACE OF
CLIMATE CHANGE IS A KEY
COMPONENT TO ACHIEVING THE
STATE'S 30 BY 30 TARGET. AS
CHUCK MENTIONED, ANY CHANGES TO
THE NETWORK WILL OCCUR THROUGH
THE PROCESS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND
WILDLIFE AND THE FISH AND GAME
COMMISSION AND WILL BE BASED ON
SCIENCE AND INFORMED BY
COMMUNITY INPUT. MP S¼ PLAY AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS
INITIATIVE, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE
ONLY STRATEGY FOR GETTING US TO
30. OUR APPROACH ALSO INCLUDES
SUPPORTING TRIBALLY LED
CONSERVATION. TRIBALLY LED
CONSERVATION IS KEY TO THE
SUCCESS OF THE STATE'S 30 BY 30
EFFORT, AND THE STATE HAS A
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITIES AND FUNDING TO
SUPPORT TRIBES IN LEADING
CONSERVATION ACTIONS THAT HELP
PROTECT BIODIVERSITY. CREATION
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INDIGENOUS
MARINE STEWARDSHIP AREAS, AS
OUTLINED IN THE PATHWAY STRATEGY
CAN ENHANCE TRIBAL STEWARDSHIP
OF MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
AND ADVANCED BIODIVERSITY
PRIORITIES SHARED BETWEEN
CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICAN
TRIBES AND THE STATE. THE STATE
IS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF
DEVELOPING POLICIES TO SUPPORT
THIS CONCEPT. LAST YEAR, A
SOVEREIGN NATIONS REINI
RANCHERIA, TALU, ANI NATION AND
THE SHERI HEIGHTS INDIAN
COMMUNITY OF THE TRINIDAD
RANCHER DESIGNATED THE FIRST
EVER INDIGENOUS MARINE
STEWARDSHIP AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES ALONG OUR NORTH COAST TO
RESTORE TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL
KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES THAT SUSTAINED THE
AREA'S NATURAL NATURAL ABUNDANCE
BEFORE COLONIAL DISRUPTION. WE
ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THESE THREE DESIGNATING TRIBES
ON NEXT STEPS FOR THIS
INDIGENOUS MARINE STEWARDSHIP
AREA. AND WE HAVE ALSO LAUNCHED
A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE
RESOURCE AGENCIES, DEPUTY
SECRETARY FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS TO
INITIATE EARLY CONSULTATION ON
TRIBALLY LED STEWARDSHIP ACCESS
CO MANAGEMENT AND ANCESTRAL LAND
RETURN. FEEDBACK RECEIVED
THROUGH THIS EARLY CONSULTATION
WILL INFORM C'S EFFORTS TO
CONSERVE 30% OF CALIFORNIA'S
COASTAL WATERS BY 2030,
INCLUDING SOLICITING TRIBAL
INPUT ON POTENTIAL APPROACHES
FOR DESIGNING AND CO MANAGEMENT
CO MANAGING INDIGENOUS MARINE
STEWARDSHIP AREAS. OUR APPROACH
ALSO INCLUDES EXPLORING EXISTING
SPATIAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES THAT
CURRENTLY EXIST IN STATE WATERS.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, CALIFORNIA'S
COASTAL WATERS INCLUDE A RANGE
OF SPATIAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES,
INCLUDING AREAS THAT WERE
DESIGNED TO PROTECT WATER
QUALITY OR TO SUPPORT
SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
. THESE AREAS MAY PROVIDE
CONSERVATION BENEFITS, BUT THEY
REQUIRE FURTHER ANALYSIS TO
DETERMINE WHETHER THEY
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR 30 BY 30 GOAL.
LAST FALL, OPC COMPLETED A
COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY OF
EXISTING SPATIAL MANAGEMENT
MEASURES IN STATE WATERS. WE
PARTNERED WITH THE CALIFORNIA
OCEAN SCIENCE TRUST TO CONVENE A
TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL THAT
ARE DEVELOPING SCIENCE BASED
CRITERIA TO HELP EVALUATE WHICH
OF THESE SPATIAL MANAGEMENT
MEASURES MEETS THE DEFINITION OF
A 30 BY 30 CONSERVED AREA. THE
PANEL WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR
TRANSLATING AND APPLYING POLICY
GOALS, SUCH AS DURABILITY,
EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT, FUNCTIONAL
ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY
PROTECTION. DRAFT SCIENCE BASED
CRITERIA WILL BE RELEASED FOR
TRIBAL CONSULTATION AND PUBLIC
COMMENT THIS SUMMER, FOLLOWED BY
A SERIES OF REGIONAL PUBLIC
WORKSHOPS TO SOLICIT ADDITIONAL
FEEDBACK. WE ANTICIPATE
FINALIZING THIS CRITERIA BY THE
END OF THIS YEAR AND ONCE
FINALIZED, OPC WILL USE THESE
CRITERIA TO DETERMINE WHICH
SPATIAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES IN
THE OCEAN NOW CONTRIBUTE TO 30
BY 30 OR WHAT ADDITIONAL
MEASURES ARE NEEDED TO
STRENGTHEN CONSERVATION IN THESE
AREAS. OUR APPROACH TO COUNTING
THESE AREAS TOWARD 30 BY 30 WILL
BE MODELED AFTER THE PROCESS IN
PLACE FOR CONSERVED AREAS ON
LAND. ADDITIONALLY BY DECEMBER
WE PLAN TO INVEST IN KEY
RESEARCH NEEDS TO HELP IDENTIFY
AREAS THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED
FOR STRENGTHENED BIODIVERSITY
PROTECTIONS SUCH AS AREAS OF
CLIMATE REFUGIA. WE ALSO NEED TO
CONTINUE INVESTING IN REGULAR
MONITORING AND EVALUATION TO
TRACK OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS
MEETING OUR BIODIVERSITY GOALS.
LEVERAGING EXISTING MONITORING
PROGRAMS CONSIDERING TRADITIONAL
KNOWLEDGES AND FILLING KEY DATA
GAPS. AND OUR FINAL STRATEGY TO
ACHIEVE 30 BY 30 IN COASTAL
WATERS IS FOCUSED ON
STRENGTHENING BIODIVERSITY
PROTECTIONS WITHIN NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES. OUR STATE IS
HOME TO FOUR NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARIES, THREE OF WHICH
COVER ALMOST 41% OF STATE WATERS
. THESE SANCTUARIES WERE
ESTABLISHED TO CONSERVE UNIQUE
NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES,
AND THEY INCLUDE AREAS OF
EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH BIODIVERSITY.
WHILE SANCTUARIES PROVIDE AN
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT CONSERVATION
BENEFITS FOR MARINE LIFE AND
HABITATS. EACH SANCTUARY HAS
DIFFERENT REGULATIONS AND
POLICIES THAT NEED TO BE
ASSESSED TO DETERMINE WHETHER
THEY MEET THE PATHWAYS
DEFINITION OF CONSERVED.
SANCTUARIES WILL UNDERGO THE
SAME EVALUATION AS OTHER SPATIAL
MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO DETERMINE
THE EXTENT TO WHICH THERE ARE
BOUNDARY. THE AREAS WITHIN THEIR
BOUNDARIES ARE MEETING THE
DEFINITION OF A 30 BY 30
CONSERVED AREA. P èC WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FEDERAL
PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY THREATS TO
SANCTUARY RESOURCES, SUCH AS
POOR WATER QUALITY OR WHALE SHIP
STRIKES. ANUN TO ADDRESS THESE
THREATS THROUGH STRENGTHENED
PROTECTIONS. OUR NEAR TERM
EFFORTS FOR THIS STRATEGY ARE
FOCUSED ON COLLABORATION WITH
THE GREATER FAIR LAWS NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY, WHICH IS
CURRENTLY UPDATING ITS
MANAGEMENT PLAN TO IMPROVE
CONSERVATION OF SANCTUARY
RESOURCES. THIS UPDATE, WHICH
OCCURS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10
YEARS INVOLVES EVALUATION OF
THEIR EXISTING MEASURES TO
PROTECT ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL
RESOURCES IN THE SANCTUARY AND
IDENTIFY NEW MANAGEMENT MEASURES
IN RESPONSE TO UPDATED THREATS
AND NEEDS. IT PROVIDES AN IDEAL
OPPORTUNITY TO ALIGN THE
SANCTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN WITH
THE STATE'S 30 BY 30 EFFORTS FOR
COASTAL WATERS. BY THE END OF
THIS YEAR, WE WILL PRESENT THE
SPATIAL MANAGEMENT EVALUATION
CRITERIA AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
STRENGTH AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES
TO THE GREATER FAIR LAWS
SANCTUARY ADVISORY COUNCIL. THIS
WILL INFORM THEIR PRIORITIES FOR
THEIR UPDATED MANAGEMENT PLAN,
INCLUDING ACTIONS TO FURTHER
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION. THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIONS THAT
ARISE AS PART OF THIS PROCESS
WITH GREATER FAIR LAWS WILL
INFORM SIMILAR EFFORTS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OTHER
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES AND
STATE WATERS. OUR WORK TO DATE
ACROSS. ALL OF THESE STRATEGIES
HAS INVOLVED EXTENSIVE PUBLIC
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO SHARE
OUR APPROACH AND SOLICIT
FEEDBACK AND COMMUNITY
PRIORITIES. THIS IS FOUNDATIONAL
TO OUR SUCCESS, AND IT WILL
CONTINUE TO BE A CORE PRIORITY
IN OUR EFFORTS GOING FORWARD. SO
IN CLOSING AS WE ADVANCE OUR
AMBITIOUS CONSERVATION GOALS FOR
COASTAL WATERS, WE CANNOT RELY
ON JUST ONE STRATEGY TO GET US
THERE, CONSERVING AN ADDITIONAL
HALF A MILLION ACRES REQUIRES A
PORTFOLIO OF STRATEGIES TAILORED
WITH SOLUTIONS THAT SPECIFICALLY
ADDRESS THE THREATS FACING OUR
COASTAL AND OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS.
OUR ACTIONS MUST ALSO REFLECT
THE PERSPECTIVES OF EVERYONE IN
CALIFORNIA, WHO IS INVESTED IN A
HEALTHY OCEAN, INCLUDING TRIBES,
FISHERMEN, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS
AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND ONE
FINAL COMMENT. WE SHOULD BE
REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK AND
CALIFORNIA'S LEADERSHIP IN THIS
SPACE. AS SECRETARY CROWFOOT
NOTED MARINE CONSERVATION AND 30
BY 30 EFFORTS AT THE NATIONAL
AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, ARE
LOOKING TO CALIFORNIA AS A MODEL
. WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL TO THE
GOVERNOR TO THE LEGISLATURE AND
TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOR
PRIORITIZING BIODIVERSITY
PROTECTION AND HELPING US
CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WAY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, SECRETARY
ACKERLEY. NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM
DR LIZ WHITMAN, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA OCEAN
SCIENCE TRUST. WELCOME, DR
WHITMAN. YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. CHAIR
MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE TESTIMONY TODAY. MY NAME
IS DOCTOR LIZ WHITEMAN. I'M
PRIVILEGED TO SERVE AS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA OCEAN
SCIENCE TRUST, AN ORGANIZATION
THAT WAS CREATED BY THE
LEGISLATURE TO BRING SCIENCE TO
THE DECISION SHAPING THE FUTURE
OF OUR COAST AND OCEAN. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
SCIENCE. I TOO JUMPED INTO THE
TIME MACHINE IN 2006, WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD SOME OF THE
EARLY STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC
DESIGN OF THE MONITORING AND
EVALUATION PROGRAM. I WAS DRAWN
TO CALIFORNIA BY THIS INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITY FROM THE CARIBBEAN
WHERE HONESTLY, I WAS QUITE
HAPPY. SO THIS WAS A MAJOR
OPPORTUNITY. UM BUILDING ON WHAT
HAS ALREADY BEEN SHARED IN MY
BRIEF REMARKS. I HOPE TO REALLY
DIVE INTO SOME OF THE ASPECTS.
SOME OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW
CLIMATE CHANGE IS AFFECTING OUR
COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS AND WHAT
SCIENCE GUIDANCE AND EVIDENCE WE
HAVE TO LEAN ON FOR EFFECTIVE
AND DURABLE SOLUTIONS. SO
CLIMATE IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT
CLIMATE DRIVEN CHANGES IN OCEAN
CIRCULATION IN TEMPERATURE IN
CHEMISTRY HAVE HAD IMPACTS ON
MARINE ECOSYSTEMS AT A PACE AND
SCALE THAT WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATED
WHEN THE MP S¼ WERE DESIGNED
OVER A DECADE AGO, AND IT'S
CREATED AN URGENCY TO
UNDERSTANDING WHETHER AND IN
WHAT WAYS THE MPA NETWORK
CONFERS CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND
WHAT OTHER TOOLS WE MIGHT BRING
TO BEAR. THIS CHALLENGE. SO IN
2021 AS AN EARLY STEP IN THE
DECATUR REVIEW OF THE MP, A
NETWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL AND
SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE,
WE CONVENED AN EXPERT SCIENCE
PANEL, UM, TO SYNTHESIZE THE
BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE ON THE
ROLE OF MPAS IN CONFERRING
CLIMATE CHANGE, RESILIENCE, THE
BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE
NATIONALLY INTERNATIONALLY BUT
APPLIED SPECIFICALLY TO THE COLD
WATER. SLOW CHANGING. ECOSYSTEMS
IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT THE
PANEL'S FINDINGS WERE REALLY
CLEAR, AND I'M GOING TO READ AN
EXCERPT FROM THEIR REPORT A
SHORT PARAGRAPH AND THEN UNPACK
IT A LITTLE BIT. THE EXCERPT IS
COMPILED EVIDENCE FROM THE
CALIFORNIA CURRENT ECOSYSTEM AND
BEYOND SUGGESTS THAT PROTECTIONS
PROVIDED BY MP S¼, INCLUDING
ENHANCING BIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES,
SUCH AS GENETIC DIVERSITY,
MAINTAINING INTACT FOOD WEBS AND
SUPPORTING LARGE POPULATION
SIZES ARE IMPORTANT IN BUFFERING
THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
HOWEVER THE SCIENCE TO EVALUATE
AND PLAN FOR PROACTIVELY PLAN
FOR MPAS AS A RESILIENCE
MANAGEMENT TOOL. IS NOT YET
ROBUST AND MP S¼, EVEN WHEN
IDEALLY DESIGNED ARE UNLIKELY TO
SUPPORT RESILIENCE AGAINST THE
FULL RANGE OF MULTIPLE STRESSORS
OR EXTREME EVENTS THAT ARE NOW
FACING COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. SO
LET'S UNPACK THAT IN A LITTLE
BIT MORE DETAIL AND IN LIGHT OF
NEW RESEARCH, NEW FINDINGS AND
NEW WORK UNDERWAY EVEN EVEN
SINCE THE RELEASE OF THAT REPORT
IN 2021. AS DIRECTOR BONHAM
ALREADY NOTED AFTER 10 YEARS OF
RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION IN
THE MPA NETWORK. THE CHANGES WE
SEE ARE ALSO CONSISTENT WITH A
PATHWAY TOWARDS CLIMATE
RESILIENCE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT
THE LONG TIMESCALES OF CHANGE IN
THESE COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. YOU
HAVE ALREADY HEARD HOW LONG TERM
MONITORING PROGRAMS HAVE
REVEALED CHANGES TO POPULATIONS
AND FOR SOME SPECIES AND
HABITATS. CALIFORNIA'S MP S¼
SUPPORT POPULATIONS OF BIGGER OR
MORE ABUNDANT FISH AND
INVERTEBRATES, INCLUDING FISH
SPECIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,
SUCH AS THE SHEEP HEAD, KELP
BASS AND SPINY LOBSTER. THESE
CHANGES ARE CONSISTENT WITH THAT
FIRST PART OF THE PANEL'S
FINDINGS THAT CHANGES IN M PS
CAN SLOWLY A CREW CLIMATE
RESILIENCE. I'LL ALSO HIGHLIGHT,
UH, HERE. THE RESULTS OF A
MODELING STUDY CONDUCTED BY
COLLEAGUES AT UC SANTA CRUZ, IN
WHICH THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT THE
MPS ARE MORE CONNECTED TO ONE
ANOTHER AND OTHER PARTS OF THE
COAST THAN AREAS OUTSIDE OF
MPAS. SO THE ORIGINAL SCIENCE
DESIGN OF THE NETWORK APPEARS TO
ENHANCE LAVAL CONNECTIVITY IN
MPAS ACROSS THE NETWORK, AND
THIS CONNECTIVITY, AS HAS BEEN
BRIEFLY MENTIONED, IS ONE OF
THOSE ATTRIBUTES THAT IS
PREDICTED TO CONFER GREATER
RESILIENCE. SO IF YOU EXPERIENCE
A DISTURBANCE IN ONE AREA, THE
CONNECTIONS MEAN THAT YOU CAN
RECOVER AND STABILIZE ACROSS THE
NETWORK AS A WHOLE. NOW, WHILE
IT'S STILL TOO EARLY TO HAVE
DOCUMENTED ALL THE WAYS THAT THE
MP A NETWORK MAY CONFER A
CLIMATE RESILIENCE AS I
MENTIONED IT WILL ACCRUE SLOWLY
OVER TIME. AND HONESTLY, WE
DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE
THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM
SEEING THE DISTURBANCES IN PLACE
. THE SCIENCE IS ALL CLEAR AND
POINTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION
THAT CALIFORNIA'S MP A NETWORK
IS A CRITICAL TOOL IN OUR TOOL
BELT. THAT WE CAN AND SHOULD
LOOK TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON STEPS TO
STRENGTHEN IT. IF CLIMATE
RESILIENCE IS NOW A MORE
PROMINENT GOAL THAN IT WAS IN
THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. THE PANEL
THAT I MENTIONED PROVIDED SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS ON ADAPTIVELY
MANAGING THE NETWORK AS A WHOLE
THINGS LIKE THINGS TO MONITOR
PAY ATTENTION TO BE ALERTED TO
AS CLIMATE CHANGE, IMPACTS
HAPPEN, GUIDANCE AND POLICY
DIRECTION, SUPPORTED BY SCIENCE
ON RESTORATION AND ITS ROLE IN
ACTIVELY MAINTAINING AND
IMPROVING HABITATS. SO AT THE
SCALE OF INDIVIDUAL MPAS AS WELL
, BRINGING THE BEST AVAILABLE
SCIENCE TO BEAR ON THE SUGGESTED
PETITIONS TO CHANGE THE NETWORK
IS A CRITICAL NEXT STEP. IF A
BOUNDARY IS MOVED, OR A LEVEL OF
PROTECTION CHANGED. WHAT DO WE
EXPECT WILL HAPPEN AND WHAT DO
WE EXPECT WILL HAPPEN IF IN THE
FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE THAT
BRINGS UNCERTAINTY. WILL THE
ACTION BE REASONABLY EXPECTED TO
ACHIEVE THE INTENDED OUTCOMES? I
WOULD BRIEFLY RECOGNIZE HOW THIS
ALIGNS WITH ONE OF THE PRIORITY
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE DECADE OR
MANAGEMENT REVIEW TO MEASURE
SPECIFICALLY THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF MANAGEMENT ACTIONS TOWARDS
THE STATED GOALS. SO THE 2021
PANEL'S ADVICE AND CAUTION WAS
ALSO BORNE OUT IN THE S¼ IN THE
SCIENTIFIC STUDY PUBLISHED LATE
LAST YEAR. IN A COLLABORATIVE
EFFORT WITH SCIENTISTS FROM
ACROSS MULTIPLE CALIFORNIA
UNIVERSITIES. RESEARCHERS UM DID
A DEEP DIVE ON THE EFFECTS OF
THE 2004 TO 2014 TO 2016 MARINE
HEATWAVE. ON THE ASSEMBLAGES OF
SPECIES, THE COMMUNITIES OF
CRITTERS LIVING IN ROCKY SHORES,
KELP FORESTS, SHALLOW REEFS AND
DEEP REEFS. ALL OF WHICH
DRAMATICALLY SHIFTED AND MOVED
AND CHANGED IN COMPOSITION.
DURING THAT MARINE HEATWAVE ONLY
IN PROTECTED ROCKY INTERTIDAL
HABITATS DID COMMUNITY STRUCTURE
SIGNIFICANTLY RESIST THE MARINE
HEATWAVE IMPACTS? SO AGAIN, SOME
OF THAT CLIMATE RESILIENCE MAY
ACCRUE FURTHER OVER TIME. BUT
AGAIN, THESE RESULTS UNDERSCORE
THAT WHILE THE NETWORK MAY SERVE
AS A BACKBONE FOR BIODIVERSITY,
CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE
RESILIENCE, IT'S UNREASONABLE TO
EXPECT THEM TO BUFFER AGAINST
ALL LARGE SCALE LARGE MAGNITUDE
CLIMATE IMPACTS. SO EVALUATING
OTHER TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX IS
IMPORTANT BUILDING ON THE
REMARKS FROM DEPUTY SECRETARY
ACKLEY WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO
CONVENE THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY
PANEL FOR EVALUATING THE
CONTRIBUTION OF OTHER SPATIAL
MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO MEETING
THE GOALS OF 30 BY 30 IN COASTAL
WATERS. IN SHORT, TAPPING INTO
THE BEST SCIENTIFIC THINKING AND
ADVICE ON HOW MANAGEMENT
DESIGNATIONS IN COASTAL WATERS
SUCH AS WATER QUALITY PROTECTED
AREAS. OTHER FISHING, SPATIAL
MANAGEMENT MEASURES OR MILITARY
USE AREAS MAY PLAY A ROLE IN
AFFORDING PROTECTION TO
BIODIVERSITY AND OVER TIME
CONFERRING CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
THIS GUIDANCE WILL ALSO HELP THE
STATE WORK WITH FEDERAL PARTNERS
TO STRENGTHEN BIODIVERSITY
PROTECTIONS IN THE NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES. SO AT THE
TIME OF N MP, A NETWORKED AND
DESIGN OVER 10 YEARS AGO,
CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH WAS
TRANSLATED FROM THE HALLS OF
ACADEMIA INTO SCIENCE GUIDELINES
OR RULES OF THUMB. THIS PROCESS
WAS AN AMAZING EXAMPLE OF WHAT
IT MEANS TO TAKE THE AVAILABLE
COMPLEX EVIDENCE FROM PEER
REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS INTO A
PRACTICAL, DECISION BASED ARENA
AND BUILD A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
FROM WHICH EVERYBODY COULD BRING
THEIR IN THEIR INTERESTS. TODAY
THE 30 BY 30 TECHNICAL PANEL
THAT WE ARE CONVENING ON BEHALF
OF OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL IS
STEPPING UP TO PROVIDE ADVICE ON
HOW TO DO ESSENTIALLY THE SAME
THING TOWARDS THE VISION OF 30
BY 30. BUT THIS TIME LEVERAGING
THE SPATIAL MANAGEMENT THAT IS
ALREADY IN PLACE IN CALIFORNIA'S
WATERS. SO IN CLOSING, AS YOU
ALREADY KNOW, CALIFORNIA'S MP, A
NETWORK HAS ACHIEVED
INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM AS A
SCIENCE BASED AND COMMUNITY
DRIVEN NETWORK WITH THE 30 BY 30
TECHNICAL PANEL PROCESS UNDERWAY
AND A SCIENCE COMMUNITY AT THE
READY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ON
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE MPA
NETWORK WERE POISED TO CONTINUE
TO STRENGTHEN HOW SCIENCE
SUPPORTS RESPONSIBLE AND DURABLE
DECISIONS EVEN AS WE FACE
UNCERTAINTY IN OUR FUTURE, THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR.
WHITEMAN. I'M GLAD YOU JOINED US
FROM THE CARIBBEAN. UH, AND
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TESTIMONY
TODAY REALLY INFORMATIVE PANEL,
AND I NOW WANT TO BRING IT BACK
TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ANY
QUESTIONS. UH, SENATOR LAIRD.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A BRIEF
COMMENT AND HOPEFULLY BRIEF.
DISCUSSIONS IN THREE AREAS OR
QUESTIONS IN THE BRIEF COMMENT
IS I REALLY APPRECIATE DIRECTOR
WHITEMAN'S COMMENT ABOUT SCIENCE
ON DEALING WITH ANY CHANGES IN
THE MP AND I MYSELF MAY HAVE GOT
OUT AHEAD OF THAT, WITH ONE
PROPOSAL FOR ANOTHER 10 MILES
OFF OF SANTA CRUZ, THAT I'M NOT
SURE THE SCIENCE SUPPORTS. AND
UH I'M WORKING HARD TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO SAY POLICE DEFAULT TO
THE SCIENCE ON THAT. NOT ELECTED
OFFICIALS THAT WRITE LETTERS. UH
UM AND THEN THE THREE QUESTIONS
AND I THINK MAYBE THE FIRST ONE
FOR DIRECTOR BONHAM. UH, ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT ALSO CONTRIBUTED
TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARINE
PROTECTED AREAS WAS TO
PHILANTHROPIC INVOLVEMENT. AND
NORMALLY, UH UH, FOUNDATIONS,
MAKE GRANTS FOR A YEAR OR TWO
AND THEN TOSS IT TO PEOPLE TO DO
THE ONGOING COSTS. AND THIS WENT
FOR A DECADE. UH AND THEY DID
SIGNS. THEY DID THE, UM, THE
IPADS THAT THE, UH OFFICERS
COULD TAKE OUT SO THAT THEY
COULD CHECK IF SOMEBODY WAS
ALREADY CITED FOR THIS ET CETERA
. IS THAT PHILANTHROPIC EFFORT
RUN OUT NOW OR IS THERE STILL
MONEY AVAILABLE TO THIS PROCESS?
WELL I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANY
INDIVIDUAL FOUNDATION OR A DONOR
IN THE PRIVATE SPACE AND
SECRETARY CROWFOOT MAY WANT TO
ADD ANY THOUGHTS HERE. BUT
SENATOR YOU'RE CORRECT. WE
WOULDN'T BE HERE. BUT FOR
EVERYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED.
PLEASE BE INVOLVED APPROACH. YOU
KNOW, 2008, 9, 1011 AND 12. TO
GET TO OUR COMMISSION APPROVING
THE NETWORK IN THE 124 AREAS.
WAS ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AND $38
MILLION OF A PROCESS. I DON'T
THINK WE SHOULD REPLICATE THAT.
BUT I DO THINK HOW TO DESIGN A
PROCESS THAT'S TRANSPARENT AND
FASTER THAT IS BASED ON SCIENCE.
BUT ACCOUNTS FOR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT WILL BE A TEST FOR
OUR COMMISSION WHEN IT'S LOOKING
AT THE CURRENT 20 PETITIONS IN
86 CHANGES. I HAVE NOT ASKED OUR
LEADING, UH, PHILANTHROPIC, UM,
VOICES IN CALIFORNIA THEIR
INTEREST IN SUPPORTING SOMETHING
GOING FORWARD, BUT THEIR
INTRICATE WOVEN INTO THE SCIENCE
TRUST. TO A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY
COLLABORATION, UH, THE DYNAMICS
WITH THE TRIBAL AND MARINE
STEWARD NETWORK. ALL OF THAT IS
IT'S AND OFTEN TRIED PHRASE BUT
TRULY A PUBLIC PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP SECRETARY. I WOULD
ADD BY AGREEING WITH THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF
PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING TO GET US
WHERE WE ARE TODAY. I AM HOPEFUL
AND CONFIDENT THAT GIVEN THE
MPAS ARE NOW INSTITUTIONALIZED,
AND WE HAVE SORT OF AN
INSTITUTIONALIZED DECATUR REVIEW
AND MANAGEMENT REVIEW PROCESS IT
MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, LESS
CENTRALLY CRITICAL TO HAVE THAT
AMOUNT OF PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING,
BUT IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT
SOME AMOUNT OF PHILANTHROPIC
FUNDING COULD BE DEPLOYED
STRATEGICALLY TO SUPPORT THIS
PROCESS. I DON'T THINK CANDIDLY
THAT THAT CONVERSATION HAS
HAPPENED BROADLY WITH
PHILANTHROPY SEC, UH SENATOR, UM
, BUT IF NEEDED, WE WOULD. WE
WOULD, UM, WE'LL BE READY TO
HAVE THAT. CONVERSATION. UM UM.
PEOPLE LIKE TO BE ASSOCIATED
WITH SUCCESS. I THINK THE
NETWORK TO DATE HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFUL AND ALMOST ALL
REGARDS, SO I THINK IT'D BE
REASONABLE TO EXPECT WE HAVE
SOME INFUSION OF PUBLIC PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP OR WHATEVER THE NEXT
GENERATION OR ERA MAY LOOK LIKE
ON THIS. QUICK EDITION. WELL
LAST POINT IS THAT THERE IS
ONGOING FUNDING SUPPORTING THE
MP A COLLABORATIVE, FOR EXAMPLE,
WHICH IS A COMMUNITY BASED
EFFORT. UH, SUPPORTING EDUCATION
AND ENGAGEMENT ON MP S¼ ACROSS
THE STATE, SO WE DON'T WANT TO
LEAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT, UH,
PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT HAS HAS
HAS DRIED UP PER S¼ E, BUT IT'S
DEFINITELY NOT WHAT IT WHAT IT
WAS INFORMING THE MP S¼ AND JUST
AN OBSERVATION ON THE
COLLABORATIVE SINCE, UH, THE
CHAIR HAPPENS TO REPRESENT
ORANGE COUNTY. I IS THAT WHEN
THE DESIGNATIONS WERE MADE IN IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND CERTAIN
PLACES GOVERNMENTS WERE JUST IN
FAVOR OF THIS JUST PAST
RESOLUTIONS IN CERTAIN PLACES IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THERE WAS
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING TO REALLY
PUSH SO THEN WHEN THERE WAS A
NEED FOR COLLABORATIVES TO MAKE
SURE THE SIGNAGE WENT UP AND
EVERYTHING EVERYBODY IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA WAS READY. THEY WERE
ORGANIZED. EVERYBODY IN THE
NORTH HAD JUST SORT OF SIGNED A
LETTER AND HAD TO CATCH UP AND I
HAVE ALWAYS SALUTED THE
COLLABORATIVE AND ORANGE COUNTY
FOR THAT. THE YOU KNOW, I'LL
I'LL BYPASS THE SECOND QUESTION
BECAUSE IT'S A LONGER DISCUSSION
BECAUSE I WAS THE TRIBES WERE
RAISED, AND I THINK IT'S GONNA
COME UP IN A PANEL. BUT YOU W IT
WAS INITIALLY THE NEGOTIATIONS
TO HONOR HISTORIC TAKES FOR
SUBSISTENCE OR A CEREMONIAL
PURPOSES IN CONSERVATION AREAS,
AND THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK OF CO
MANAGEMENT AND HOPEFULLY, UH,
THAT WILL COME UP SO THAT
SPECIFIC ON NEXT STEPS. THE LAST
QUESTION IS, THIS IS 30 BY 30,
SO THE REAL GOAL IS 30. UH UH,
IN COASTAL WATERS BY 2030. DOES
AND I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS
QUESTION, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY
OUT THERE NEEDS TO HEAR THIS. UH
DOES THAT 30% GOAL INCLUDE
PLACES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN
DESIGNATED LIKE THE MARINE
SANCTUARIES AND STATE WATERS AND
OTHER THINGS, AND WHERE ARE WE
IN OUR GOAL TOWARDS 30% BY 2030
WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY?
IT'S A GREAT QUESTION TO GET AT
THE RIGHT AT THE CRUX OF IT. SO
LET ME TAKE A CRACK, WHICH IS WE
WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT. IN THE
FIRST ROUND OF ASSESSING
CONSERVATIVE OR PROTECTED AREAS
THAT THIS 16.2% OF STATE WATERS
THAT ARE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
FIT THE STRONG DEFINITION OF
CONSERVED AREAS. AS DEPUTY
SECRETARY, ACKERLY POINTED OUT
THERE IS AN EFFORT UNDERWAY TO
REALLY DETERMINE WHAT ARE OTHER
PATHWAYS BEYOND MP S¼ TO ACHIEVE
THAT LEVEL OF PROTECTION,
INCLUDING STRONGER BIO BIO BIO
BIODIVERSITY PROTECTIONS IN
SANCTUARIES, POTENTIALLY
ESTABLISHING OTHER TYPES OF
PROTECTIVE AREAS OUTSIDE OF
SANCTUARIES OR MPAS, AND THEN
INSTITUTIONALIZING THESE
TRIBALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED
AREAS. SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS
THAT THE 30% DOESN'T HAVE TO.
THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT THERE
ARE THESE OTHER PATHWAYS THAT
ARE EVOLVING, AND AS I SAID IN
MY OPENING REMARKS, I DON'T
THINK THE MP A S¼ ARE
NECESSARILY A SILVER BULLET TO
30 BY 30 THAT BEING SAID, THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS. OUR
FISH AND GAME COMMISSION WILL
CONSIDER THEM AND IT VERY WELL
COULD LEAD TO THE PROTECTED AREA
NETWORK EXPANDING OR BEING
AMENDED IN OTHER WAYS. THANK
YOU, SENATOR LÀ, UH, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
CEL. WELL JUST II. I JUST WANNA
SAY I'VE I'VE BEEN REALLY
ENJOYING SERVING ON THE Ó P
èC, AND I JUST THINK IT'S A 11
OF MANY EXAMPLES OF, UH, THE
REALLY HARD WORK THAT IS
REFLECTED IN ALL YOUR
PRESENTATIONS. I KNOW THERE'S
JUST SO MUCH WORK THAT GOES
BEHIND ALL OF THIS BEHIND EVERY
COMMENT YOU'VE MADE. THERE'S A
STAFFER OUT THERE ACTUALLY DOING
IT. AND UH AND YOU KNOW,
NATURALISTS AND YOU KNOW,
RANGERS AND OCEANOGRAPHERS AND
ALL THE REST, SO I DO JUST WANT
TO TIP MY HAT TO THE MASSIVE
OPERATION THAT'S OUT THERE DOING
ALL OF ALL OF THIS, YOU KNOW,
VITALLY IMPORTANT WORK AND YOU
KNOW, WE'RE REALLY, UM, HOPEFUL
TO CONTINUE PARTNERING WITH YOU,
I. I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I
WANNA JUST THROW OUT THERE IS,
UM MAY MAYBE IF WAIT OR ANY ANY
OR ANY OF YOU MIGHT WANNA JUST
COMMENT ON UM, HOW YOU SEE UH,
KIND OF THE LONG TERM FINANCING
FOR SOME OF THESE SOME OF THIS
WORK WHERE A POTENTIAL CLIMATE
RESILIENCY BOND MAY FIT INTO
THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN ALL OF
THE BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT WE
HAVE, UM DO ARE YOU KNOW WE'RE
TO HAVE A REALLY ROUGH MEETING,
APPARENTLY AT LUNCH ABOUT, UH,
SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE
BEING DISCUSSED AND I CAN'T HELP
BUT NOTICE SERVING ON SUB TWO
THAT SO MANY OF THE SOLUTIONS
ARE COMING OUT OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE. CAN YOU?
CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHERE
THE CURRENT DIFFICULT BUDGET
SITUATION? UM UH, YOU KNOW, HAS
THE CHALLENGES IT CREATES FOR
YOU AND HOW HOW YOU'RE
NAVIGATING. UM, THOSE THOSE
DIFFICULT WATERS RIGHT NOW. YEAH
THANKS SO MUCH. IT COMES TO
THESE CALLS AN IMPORTANT AND
CHALLENGING QUESTION. FIRST OF
ALL, I WOULD STATE THE OBVIOUS,
WHICH IS THE LEADERSHIP OF THE
GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS INFUSED
MORE FUNDING INTO ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION. THEN FRANKLY, WE
COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED. AND
WE'VE WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS ON 30 BY 30 WRIT LARGE
AS A RESULT OF THAT INVESTMENT.
LET ME STATE THE OBVIOUS POINT
AS WELL THAT THIS BUDGET
SHORTFALL WHATEVER IT AMOUNTS TO
AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW,
HAS IMPACT ON OUR ABILITY TO, UH
TO STRATEGICALLY ACQUIRE
ESTABLISHED CONSERVATION
EASEMENTS AND DO THUS THE WORK
THAT THAT DIRECTOR BONHAM
REFERENCED IN THE MARINE
ENVIRONMENT. SO THERE ARE
SERIOUS HEADWINDS TO BEING ABLE
TO IMPLEMENT 30 BY 30 AS A
RESULT OF THE CURRENT FUNDING
SITUATION. I WILL LEAVE IT TO
STATE LEADERS, THE LEGISLATURE
AND THE GOVERNOR TO DETERMINE
WHAT THE APPROPRIATE PATHWAY IS,
WHETHER IT'S A GENERAL
OBLIGATION BOND OR WEATHERING
THE STORM OVER THE NEXT FEW
YEARS, THAT'S ULTIMATELY ABOVE
OUR PAY GRADE. BUT I'LL JUST BE
CANDID AND POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS
, WHICH IS THIS BUDGET CHALLENGE
DOES LIMIT. YOU KNOW OUR
ACCELERATION OUR MOMENTUM
ACHIEVING 30 BY 30. THANK YOU,
SENATOR ALLEN. UH, SENATOR
STERN. THANK YOU REALLY
APPRECIATE THE TESTIMONY. I WAS
WATCHING FROM AFAR MULTITASKING
HERE, BUT, UM, THANK YOU. FOR
ALL THE DILIGENCE AND THE
SCIENCE BEHIND. THIS IS
REMARKABLE. I THINK IT ACTUALLY
HAS SCALABILITY POTENTIAL FOR AT
A GLOBAL LEVEL, ESPECIALLY GIVEN
ALL THE M Ó U S¼. WE'VE ENTERED
AROUND THE WORLD I. I THINK THAT
UM, WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO. BUT
THE MODEL. WE'RE BUILDING TO ME.
I WANNA MAKE SURE IT KEEPS BEING
SHARED AND NEW CAPITAL IS COMING
. UM IT MAY NOT COME IN THE SAME
WAYS IN THE SAME FORM. BUT I, I
THINK, AT LEAST AT A GLOBAL
SCALE. WHAT? WE'VE SEEN IT. UM A
LACK OF A VEHICLE OR AN
INSTRUMENT THAT THAT GLOBAL
FINANCIAL CAPITAL ACTUALLY CAN
VALUE THE NA NATURAL ASSETS THAT
WE HAVE, BUT THAT THERE'S THE
DEMAND IS INCREASING FOR THOSE
KINDS OF ASSETS AND OF
RETHINKING. I'M WONDERING IF YOU
GUYS HAVE GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO
THAT KIND OF CREATIVE FINANCING
IN IN LIGHT OF THE HEADWINDS.
WE'RE FACING ARE THERE ARE THERE
MODELS OUT ACROSS THE WORLD TO
LOOK TO, UM WHERE, SAY
PHILANTHROPY, UM CONSERVATIONIST
, BUT ALSO PRIVATE CAPITAL CAN
COME IN AND SORT OF VALUE THE
BIODIVERSITY IN HERE AND WE CAN
FIND NEW EVEN IF IT'S ONLY
SURGICAL IN CERTAIN APPLICATIONS
. ARE THERE WAYS TO LE TO
LEVERAGE PRIVATE OR
PHILANTHROPIC CAPITAL HERE IN
WAYS THAT WE'RE NOT KIND OF WE
HAVEN'T BUILT THE RIGHT VEHICLE
YET FOR MAYBE, AND IF AND IF IT
I KNOW THE S¼ E èC REJECTED,
FOR INSTANCE, THIS INSTRUMENT OF
A NATURAL ASSET CORPORATION AND
BECAUSE CONGRESS, UH IN OUR
HOUSE, G Ó P DECIDED THAT THIS
WAS SOME KIND OF VERSION OF, UH
OF CLIMATE INTERVENTIONISM THAT
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE FROM THE
S¼ E èC AND THEY BACKED OFF A
FEW MONTHS AGO, BUT THOSE SORT
OF NEW FINANCIAL MODELS STILL
SEEM LIKE THERE'S DEMAND OUT OF
EUROPE. I DON'T KNOW. I JUST
WANTED TO COMMENT ON THAT. AND
LATER LATER YOUR RESPONSE TO
SENATOR ALLEN'S POINT ABOUT UM,
ABOUT BOND. AND INCIDENTALLY, I
WOULDN'T SAY JUST GENERAL FUNDER
BOND GGRF REMAINS A VIABLE
PATHWAY. IT IS STILL SOLVENT. IT
IS STILL VIBRANT AND IN FACT, IT
IS BEING UNDERUTILIZED AS A
RESOURCE GOING FORWARD, SO I'D
STILL FLAG THAT AS WITHIN OUR
WITHIN OUR GRASP, BUT BEYOND OUR
OUR GRASP, I GUESS I I'LL SET UP
SECRETARY CROWFOOT WITH TWO
QUICK FIRST REMARKS. AND I KNOW
YOUR QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT THE
CURRENT CHALLENGING TIMES
LOOKING AHEAD. LET ME GIVE YOU A
SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF HOW YOUR
LEADERSHIP LOOKING BACKWARDS HAS
MADE A DIFFERENCE. AND MURRAY
AND PROTECTED AREAS. FIVE YEARS
AGO. MAYBE SIX YEARS AGO. OUR
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
HAD NÓ DEDICATED MARINE PATROL.
BOAT. BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND
AT THE TIME I WOULD SAY OUR MOST
NORTHERN PATROL BOAT WAS
PROBABLY THE EUREKA AREA.
BECAUSE OF YOUR ONE TIME FUNDING
THOUGHTFULNESS WITH OUR
GOVERNOR. WE'RE BRINGING ON A
PATROL BOAT IN FORT BRAGG. THAT
WILL HELP ON MARINE PROTECTED
AREAS IN MANY OTHER THINGS IN
THE OCEAN SPACE, SO YOU'VE MADE
A DIFFERENCE. AND THEN WHEN YOU
TURN AND LOOK FORWARD I
PERSONALLY THINK THERE ARE
PLENTY OF WAYS TO BRING PRIVATE
CAPITAL INTO THE ECOSYSTEM
SERVICES WORLD. I'LL JUST TAKE A
FOR INSTANCE AND SPEAK
PERSONALLY. I'M A SURFER LOVE TO
SURF. UM THAT INDUSTRY HAS A
VESTED INTEREST IN CLIMATE
RESILIENCY AND PRESERVATION OF
OUR ECOSYSTEMS OFF OUR SHORE. I
CAN SEE ALL KINDS OF
PARTNERSHIPS IN THE FUTURE. AND
AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SECRETARY
STERN WAS SECRETARY CROWFOOT AND
OTHERS YEAR ON THE INTERNATIONAL
STAGE. THERE'S A LONG RUNNING
DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING
TO FINANCE A GLOBAL INVESTMENT
IN PREVENTING SPECIES
EXTINCTION. I THINK THE PRIVATE
SECTOR IS ALL ABOUT COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE. CAPITALISM IS A FINE
THING. AND IT CAN BE APPLIED IN
THIS SPACE AS WELL. THAT'S MY
OWN VIEW. SECRETARY. YEAH I
MEAN, I WOULD JUST SAY MOST
BROADLY, ECOSYSTEMS ARE LIFE
SYSTEMS SO PROTECTING ECOSYSTEMS
. RESTORING ECOSYSTEMS IS
FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR OWN SPECIES
SURVIVAL. I THINK MOST WOULD
AGREE ON THAT. BUT IT'S
IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS
BIODIVERSITY HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS
IS IN A NICE TO HAVE. IT'S A
HAVE TO HAVE. UNFORTUNATELY AS
WE KNOW IT'S BEEN EXTERNALIZED
OUT OF, YOU KNOW OUR OUR OUR
CURRENT FINANCIAL SYSTEM, SO
BRINGING IT IN AND UNDERSTANDING
HOW WE MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS
ULTIMATELY, TO PROTECT OURSELVES
TO PROTECT OUR TO PROTECT OUR
FUTURE IS CRITICAL. I YOU KNOW,
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN
CONVERSATIONS INTERNATIONALLY
AROUND THIS POINT, AND I THINK
WE'RE JUST AT THE INCEPTION OF
THIS, BUT CALIFORNIA STANDS
READY TO PILOT IN ANY WAY
POSSIBLE ON THIS, PARTICULARLY
ON THE COAST. WE'RE SEEING SOME
OF THIS IN THE WILDFIRE SPACE,
WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING WHERE
PRIVATE CAPITAL IS BEING BROUGHT
TO BEAR TO MAKE UPFRONT
INVESTMENTS IN BUILDING WILDFIRE
RESILIENCE, AND I'M I'M REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF
FINDING THE RIGHT PRIVATE
PARTNERS TO PILOT WITH TO DO
THIS IN THE MARITIME
ENVIRONMENT. THAT RIGHT? DID YOU
HAVE A COMMENT? I WAS JUST GOING
TO BRIEFLY ADD FROM A SCIENCE
PERSPECTIVE THAT THERE'S A LOT
OF INTEREST IN EXPLORING WAYS TO
BRING SCIENCE TO BEAR ON THE
DESIGN OF CLIMATE FINANCING
SOLUTIONS. ONE I MEAN, I. I
WON'T COMMENT ON ITS RELEVANCE
TO CALIFORNIA. BUT FOR EXAMPLE,
CORAL REEFS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN
DESIGNATED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AS INFRASTRUCTURE
WHICH OPENS UP UM NEW LINES OF
REVENUE TO SUPPORT THEM SIMILAR
OF INQUIRY COULD BE PURSUED FOR
THE WEST COAST. MM. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, UH, APPRECIATE. I HAD
A FEW QUESTIONS AS WELL. I'LL
TRY TO MAKE IT A COUPLE
ACTUALLY. AND I. I JUST WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
VERY INFORMATIVE, NICE
STORYTELLING, AND TAKING US BACK
TO THE TIME MACHINE WAS VERY
COOL. UM AND I. I JUST WANTED TO
NOTE UM, I. I APPRECIATED THE
POINTS ABOUT COLLABORATION WITH
THE TRIBES AND THE OUTREACH THAT
YOU'RE DOING, UH, SOME OF THE
POINTS YOU MADE AROUND, UH, THE
TAKE AND THE YIELDS BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE
TO A LOT OF COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN
OUT THERE. UH AND I DOCTOR
WHITEMAN YOU ADDRESS VERY
CLEARLY SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT
CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING. SO
THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS
I HAD. I WANTED TO BRING IT BACK
BRIEFLY TO THE QUESTION AROUND.
UM HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST
CAUSE YOU YOU'D MENTIONED I
THINK, UH, SECRETARY CROWFOOT
THAT THIS HAD COSTED US $38
MILLION OVER SEVEN YEARS TO GET
TO THIS POINT. UH, WHAT'S IT
GONNA COST US? YOU KNOW, WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY,
UH, TO GET ANOTHER 500,000 ACRES
PROTECTED. WHAT? WHAT'S THE
BALLPARK FIGURE ON WHAT WE'RE
GONNA NEED HERE? IT'S A FAIR
QUESTION. I THINK IT'S VERY
DIFFERENT IN THE MARITIME
ENVIRONMENT FROM THE LAND
ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE SO MUCH OF
OUR FOCUS ON CONSERVING LAND CAN
BE QUANTIFIED PRIMARILY BECAUSE
WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THAT
CONSERVATION THROUGH
ACQUISITIONS AND EASEMENTS,
WHICH OUR FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
IN THE MARINE SPACE. IT'S
DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A
REGULATORY, UH, DESIGNATION,
WHETHER IT'S UH, YOU KNOW,
MODIFIED MP A S¼ OR ENHANCED
BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION AND
SANCTUARIES OR
INSTITUTIONALIZING TRIBAL
MURDER, STEWARD NETWORKS OR
SOMETHING ELSE. SO TO COLLEAGUES
. HOW WOULD YOU QUANTIFY COSTS
ON SORT OF THIS ASSESSMENT OF,
YOU KNOW, REGULATORY STANDARDS,
STRENGTHENING OR DIFFERENT
DESIGNATIONS. I THINK IT'S
FRANKLY CHAIR. IT'S A IT'S A BIT
TRICKY. ON AN ONGOING I ASSUME
SOME OF THIS IS ONGOING AS WELL.
BUT LIKE WHAT IF WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS
OR SIX YEARS TO GET TO 2030 TO
EXPAND OUT TO FIVE ANOTHER
500,000 ACRES. I'M JUST LOOKING
FOR A BALLPARK FIGURE WHETHER
IT'S ON AN ONGOING BASIS OR AS A
ONE TIME FIGURE. LIKE WHAT ARE
WE LOOKING AT IN THIS BUDGET
CONSTRAINED ENVIRONMENT? GO
AHEAD. I WON'T GIVE YOU A
SPECIFIC FIGURE. I'D LIKE TO
THINK ABOUT THE QUESTION MORE,
BUT I CAN TELL YOU ON OUR NARROW
COMPONENT. RELATED TO THE
PENDING 20 PETITIONS IN FRONT OF
OUR FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. IT
WILL NOT COST THE $38 MILLION IN
SEVEN YEARS. I THINK WHAT WE
PREDICT IS FOR THOSE PETITION
CHANGES THAT ARE MORE MINOR. WE
CAN RUN THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN
A MATTER OF MONTHS TO THE END OF
THE YEAR. FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE
MORE COMPLICATED TO DECIDE UPON
A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THOSE ARE
COSTS WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR, AND
WE'RE WELL UNDERWAY ON THAT
PROCESS. GOT YOU AND THEN I KNOW
WE JUST RECEIVED A LOT OF MONEY
THAT CAN BE ALLOCATED FOR
CLIMATE RELATED PURPOSES FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR FROM
IRA, B AND OTHER, UH, BUDGET,
UH, BUDGETARY ITEMS THAT WERE
PASSED, UH, IS ANY OF THAT MONEY
REPURPOSE FOR, UM, PRESERVING
EXPANDING OUR OPEN SPACE? HERE.
UH, GO AHEAD. I THINK THAT
REMAINS AN OPEN QUESTION. WE ARE
VERY FOCUSED AS YOU KNOW ON
SECURING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR
HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS, PRIMARILY
ON THE AQUATIC SIDE, REALLY ON
RIVER RESTORATION AND HABITAT
EXPANSION, SO IMPACTING A LOT OF
SPECIES THAT USE THE OCEAN,
INCLUDING SALMON, BUT MORE ON
THE FRESHWATER SIDE. WE HAVEN'T
FOCUSED AS MUCH AS BRINGING IN
FUNDING ON THE ON THE SALTY SIDE
. UM, BUT THAT IS AN AREA OF
ONGOING DISCUSSION. GOT IT.
THANK YOU. OH SORRY. GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ADD
THAT, UM, TO PUT A FINER POINT
ON SOMETHING, SECRETARY CROWFOOT
SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE FACT THAT
WE'VE INSTITUTIONALIZED OUR
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS INTO THE
STATE'S GOVERNANCE THAT INCLUDES
THIS HUGE LEADERSHIP PARTNERSHIP
ACROSS AGENCIES, THE
COLLABORATIVES ACADEMIC PARTNERS
AND OTHERS, UM, TO STAND UP. THE
ONGOING MANAGEMENT OF OUR MP S¼.
AND SO WHAT THAT BRINGS US, UM
IS POWER IN NUMBERS AND ABILITY
TO LEVERAGE, EXPERTISE AND
RESOURCES. UM WE HAVE, UH UH,
ACTION PLAN THAT DIRECTS THE
WORK THE COLLABORATIVE WORK
TOGETHER, SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT,
UM, BUILDING ON THE INCREDIBLE
STRENGTH OF THE WORK IN
CALIFORNIA. AND UM, DEVELOPING
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING
AT THE NEXT MONITORING PROGRAM.
AND HOW DO WE DO THAT? IN A WAY
THAT IS EFFICIENT AND COST
EFFECTIVE. THAT ANSWERS
QUESTIONS AND COLLECTS DATA SO
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UM
ADAPTIVELY MANAGE THE NETWORK IN
A WAY THAT ADDRESSES THE
QUESTIONS THAT ARE STILL
OUTSTANDING. AND THEN ONE FINAL
COMMENT. I SEE 30 BY 30 AS KIND
OF A RALLYING CRY FOR THE GOOD
WORK AND CONSERVATION THAT WE'RE
DOING IN THE OCEAN. AND SO IT IS
AN UMBRELLA UNDER WHICH WE CAN
EMBED THE CONSERVATION WORK TO
PROTECT AGAINST CLIMATE TO
ADVANCE EQUITY TO SUPPORT
BIODIVERSITY AND TO SUPPORT YOU
KNOW THE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY.
AND SO WE HAVE SOURCES OF
FUNDING AT Ó, P èC AND AT OUR
SISTER AGENCIES AND WITH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT CAN BE
LEVERAGED. TO SUPPORT ALL OF
THIS WORK, AND I SEE THE
MONITORING PIECE WHICH IS
ALREADY REALLY BUILT OUT FOR OUR
MP, A NETWORK AS A LAUNCH PAD TO
CONNECT TO ALL OF THE OTHER
MONITORING PROGRAMS AND REALLY
BUILD OUT, SO WE'RE GETTING THE
DATA WE NEED, AND WE'RE NOT
REINVENTING THE WHEEL OR
SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN WE NEED
TO. I CONCUR, AND I CONFESS THIS
IS AN INSTANTANEOUS THOUGHT SO
DANGER. ON THE LAND FRONT AS
SECRETARY CROW FOOT MENTIONED.
THE FUNDING QUESTION. EXAMPLE, I
THINK IS WELL CAPTURED IN
ACQUISITION. OR EASEMENT. SOME
SORT OF LAND LEGAL INSTRUMENT.
THE ENSURES THE ACHIEVEMENT OF
CONSERVATION. THAT'S A FINANCIAL
TRANSACTION. IT'S WELL
UNDERSTOOD AND MONETIZED. I
DON'T SEE A 1 TO 1 APPLE TO
APPLE, A ALGAE. BUT IF THERE
WERE AN ANALOGY I WOULD
ENCOURAGE US TO THINK ABOUT
MONITORING. AS THE MOST PERHAPS
EASILY MONETIZED ASPECT OF WHAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND SOMETHING
YOU CAN PUT A PRICE ON MORE
EASILY BECAUSE THERE'S NÓ ANALOG
OF ACQUISITION IN THE OCEAN.
THAT THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU,
DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR. UM I
WANTED TO TAKE IT ALL BACK THAT
YOU KNOW IF WE THINK ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WHETHER
YOU'RE 2030. WE'RE ALSO WE'VE
ALSO GOT A NUMBER OF OTHER
MOVING PARTS HERE, INCLUDING AN
AGGRESSIVE MANDATE TO TRY TO
BUILD OUT A LOT OF OFFSHORE
WIND. UM I. I KNOW THAT A NUMBER
OF DESALINATION PLANTS ARE BEING
CONSIDERED AROUND THE STATE, A
WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER BUILDING
PROJECTS HERE AND ON THE
COASTLINE AND I GUESS I'M
WONDERING HOW YOU BALANCE SO
YOUR SPA MANAGEMENT PIECE OF
THIS, UM YOU KNOW, IT'S
IMPORTANT. BUT HOW DO YOU MANAGE
SOME OF THESE OTHER, UH,
PRIORITIES AND GOALS AND SOME OF
THE EXTERNALITIES THAT THEY
BRING TO BEAR WHETHER IT'S NOISE
POLLUTION, ACTUAL POLLUTION OR
OTHERWISE, WE'VE GOT YOU KNOW,
DIRECTOR BONHAM. YOU JUST CAME
BACK FROM HUNTINGTON BEACH, AND,
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT MIGHT
HAVE BEEN A FALSE ALARM. BUT WE
KNOW THAT A LOT OF THESE
OFFSHORE DRILLING PLATFORMS ARE
POTENTIALLY SOURCES OF MAJOR OIL
POLLUTION AND LEAKS AND SPILLS.
HOW DO WE BALANCE THOSE
CONSIDERATIONS INTO THE 30 BY 30
GOAL? YEAH, IT'S AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION. AND THE ANSWER, I
THINK IS VERY CAREFULLY. YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO MANY THINGS
AT ONCE, INCLUDING MORE THAN
DOUBLE THE SIZE OF OUR ENERGY
GRID WITH 100% CLEAN ENERGY,
BOTH IN THE OCEAN AND ON THE
LAND. WE ALSO HAVE THIS SPATIAL
PLANNING CHALLENGE ON THE LAND
AND WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT
HABITAT AND HABITAT CONNECTIVITY
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME BRINGING
ON MORE RENEWABLES, MORE ENERGY
STORAGE. WE CAN DO BOTH BOTH ON
LAND AND IN OCEAN IN THE OCEAN.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE
GOVERNOR THE LEGISLATURE ARE,
YOU KNOW VERY FOCUSED ON WEST
COAST OFFSHORE WIND AND FOR GOOD
REASON. OUR GRID NEEDS IT, BUT
WE NEED TO DO THAT IN A WAY THAT
FULLY UNDERSTANDS POTENTIAL
IMPACTS AND THEN AVOIDS
MINIMIZES OR MINI MITIGATES
THOSE IMPACTS NOT ONLY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS BUT
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT CULTURAL
IMPACTS FOR COASTAL TRIBES, UM
SO THAT THAT QUESTION IS BEING
ASKED AND ANSWERED IN REAL TIME,
AND I THINK YOU KNOW TO THE
EXTENT THAT YOU CAN HOLD US
ACCOUNTABLE FOR ENSURING THAT AS
WE ADVANCE OFFSHORE WIND WE DO
SO RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW. THAT
THE COEQUAL GOAL OF PROTECTION
AND RESTORATION OF OUR OF OUR
MARITIME ENVIRONMENT IS GOING TO
BE ESSENTIAL. SENATOR TWO
THOUGHTS ON YOUR QUESTION FIRST.
THERE ARE MORE RISKS TO OCEAN
CONSERVATION THAN JUST FISHING.
YOUR REFERENCE TO THE OIL SHEEN
EVENT STARTING LAST THURSDAY,
CARRYING THROUGH TO THIS
MORNING. OF NEWPORT BEACH AND
HUNTINGTON BEACH IS BUT ONE
EXAMPLE. I DON'T THINK IT WAS A
FALSE ALARM AS MUCH AS YOU
PERSONALLY ARE. GOVERNOR
SECRETARY CROW FOOT SEVERAL
YEARS AGO HAD TO DEAL WITH A
MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT AND
DISASTROUS SPILL. WE LEARNED
LESSONS FROM THAT. AND THE
RESPONSE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
DAYS BETWEEN THE U S¼ COAST
GUARD ORANGE COUNTY. INCLUDING
ITS PUBLIC HEALTH, ALL OF ITS
CITY BEACH PATROLS AND OUR
DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE OF SPILL
PREVENTION AND RESPONSE WERE ON
IT FAST, DEALT WITH IT AND
CLEANED IT UP BOTH IN THE MARINE
AND ON THE SHORELINE ENVIRONMENT
AT OVER 80% CLEANUP. WE LEARN
LESSONS, BUT IT'S A RISK WHICH
LEADS ME TO THE BALANCING PART
OF MY ANSWER. I'D BE REMISS IF I
DIDN'T SAY ON BEHALF OF OUR
DEPARTMENT, OUR FISHING
COMMUNITIES UP AND DOWN THE
COAST. PEOPLE STILL MAKE A HARD
WORKING, LIVING ON OUR SEAS,
CATCHING FOOD FOR OUR DINNER
PLATES. WE OUGHT TO HONOR THAT.
THEY'RE FACING TOUGH TIMES UP
AND DOWN THE COAST. SO WHEN WE
GO THROUGH THE QUESTION OF
ANALYZING OUR MARINE PROTECTED
AREA NETWORK CONSIDERING WHETHER
IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED OR
AMENDED. THERE NEEDS TO BE ROOM
FOR THEIR VOICES IN THE
DISCUSSION AS WELL. I'LL REMIND
YOU IN MY OPENING REMARKS THE
DATA IS SHOWING. NOTWITHSTANDING
THE NETWORK CATCH AN OPPORTUNITY
IS A REMAINING STRONG SO WE HAVE
A SOCIAL DYNAMIC THAT NEEDS TO
INCLUDE US IN HAVING THOSE
VOICES IN OUR DISCUSSION ON
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS. THANKS
FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU,
DIRECTOR. DR WHITE. WELL, JUST
BRIEFLY. ADD THAT, UM THE
MONITORING DATA HAS BEEN DEEPLY
ANALYZED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE
DECADE OR MANAGEMENT REVIEW
DOESN'T MEAN IT'S DONE. WE HAVE
IT. IT'S AN ASSET THAT WE CAN RE
EXAMINE, ASK NEW QUESTIONS OF
AND EXPLORE THINGS LIKE AT THE
MOMENT WE WERE LOOKING AT TAKE
THE LAVAL CONNECTIVITY MODEL ARE
THE S¼ CONNECTED, BUT WE CAN
ALSO USE THAT SAME SET OF DATA
AND THE MODEL TO SAY, WHERE
WOULD WE GET THE MAXIMUM VALUE
FROM ADDITIONAL PROTECTED AREAS
OR LEVERAGING THE EXISTING SPAT?
MANAGEMENT SO WE CAN EXPECT MORE
RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT IN OUR
RESEARCH AND MONITORING. THANK
YOU, DOCTOR. YOU HAVE COMMENTS,
SECRETARY. UH WELL, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY
TODAY. VERY VERY INFORMATIVE.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I KNOW
YOU'RE ALL VERY, VERY BUSY. UM
AND, UH I GUESS WE'LL MOVE ON TO
OUR NEXT PANEL, THEN. APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME TODAY. WE'LL HEAR FROM
MEMBERS OF OUR SECOND PANEL NEXT
ON NATIVE AMERICAN AND
STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES. AND SO
ON THIS PANEL, EACH PRESENTER
WILL HAVE NINE MINUTES AND THERE
WILL BE AROUND 15 MINUTES,
HOPEFULLY FOR QUESTIONS AFTER
EVERYONE HAS PRESENTED, SO IF
THE PANELIST COULD COME ON UP,
THAT'D BE GREAT. AND OUR FIRST
PANELIST, TODAY WILL BE, UM MS
GIANNA PATCH OF THE NORTHERN
CHUMASH TRIBAL COUNCIL. AND YOU
CAN PROCEED WHENEVER YOU'RE
READY. THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR
ME COMING IN CLEAR. GOOD MORNING
SENATE COMMITTEE AND ATTENDEES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. MY
NAME IS GIANNA PATCH. I AM THE
CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR THE
PROPOSED SCHUM HERITAGE NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY. I'M HERE ON
BEHALF OF CHAIRWOMAN VIOLET SAGE
WALKER OF THE NORTHERN SHASH
TRIBAL COUNCIL. SHE EXTENDS HER
GRATITUDE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO SHARE THE NORTHERN CHUMASH
TRIBAL COUNCIL'S WORK ON THE
PROPOSED SANCTUARY CAMPAIGN. I
BROUGHT VISUALS, SO YOU'LL SEE
THOSE ON THE, UH COMPUTER
SCREENS BEHIND ME, AND THERE ARE
ALSO SOME MAPS AVAILABLE IN YOUR
PACKETS. THESE ARE THE FINAL
MONTHS FOR THE SANCTUARY
CAMPAIGN WITH THE NATIONAL
OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION, TARGETING A MID
2024 DESIGNATION DECISION. I'M
HERE TO SHARE THE STORY OF THE
SANCTUARY CAMPAIGN, AS WELL AS
THE URGENCY TO DESIGNATE THIS
CAMPAIGN BY MID 2024. THE
PROPOSED SHAMASH HERITAGE
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, IS
THE FIRST TRIBALLY NOMINATED
SANCTUARY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS CAMPAIGN IS LED BY
CHAIRWOMAN VIOLET SAGE WALKER OF
THE NORTHERN CHUMASH TRIBAL
COUNCIL, A CENTRAL COAST
CALIFORNIA TRIBE. IT IS A CASH
BELIEF THAT THE OCEAN IS
GRANDMOTHER AND ALL OF HER
INHABITANTS ARE RELATIVES.
GUIDED BY THE DEEP OBLIGATION TO
TAKE CARE OF ALL RELATIVES. THIS
CHUMASH LEGACY OF STEWARDSHIP IS
AT THE CORE OF THE SANCTUARY
CAMPAIGN. 10 YEARS AGO CHAIR
WALKER'S FATHER, THE LATE CHIEF
FRED COLLINS, NOMINATED THE
SANCTUARY SUPPORTED BY A LOCAL
GRASSROOTS COALITION. CHAIR
VIOLET SAGE WALKER NOW CARRIES
HER FATHER'S LEGACY IN EACH DAY
OF OUR WORK. THE PROPOSED
SANCTUARY LIES ON THE CENTRAL
COAST OF CALIFORNIA IN SAN LUIS
OBISPO AND SANTA BARBARA
COUNTIES. THE NORTHERN CHUMASH
TRIBAL COUNCIL NOMINATED OVER
7500 SQUARE MILES OF OCEAN
SPANNING 156 MILES OF COASTLINE.
THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY TO ADD TO THE STATE
AND FEDERAL 30 BY 30 GOALS AND
TO IMPLEMENT ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
OF OUR OCEAN WITH TRIBAL
COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT FROM
THE VERY START. THIS STRETCH OF
OCEAN IS VITAL AND VULNERABLE.
SHE HAS GRANDMOTHER OCEAN,
BRINGING SUSTENANCE,
SPIRITUALITY, COMMUNITY JOY AND
SO MUCH MORE. THESE WATERS ARE
ALSO A KEY PART OF THE PACIFIC
OCEAN FOOD WEB. HOME TO A
GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT TRANSITION
ZONE, UNIQUE DEEP SEA UPWELLING
AND ABUNDANT BIODIVERSITY. THIS
AREA IS ALSO CURRENTLY A GAP IN
A LONG STRETCH OF CALIFORNIA
MARINE SANCTUARY PROTECTION. IT
HAS BEEN A TARGET OF
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND
EXPLOITATION, INCLUDING OFFSHORE
OIL EXPANSION, SEISMIC TESTING
AND UNTREATED DISCHARGE DUMPING.
DESIGNATING THE CHUMASH
SANCTUARY WOULD CLOSE THE GAP
AND CONNECT THE MONTEREY BAY
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY TO THE
NORTH WITH THE CHANNEL ISLANDS
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY TO THE
SOUTH. THIS CONNECTIVITY IS KEY.
IT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD TOWARDS
SANCTUARY DESIGNATION WITH OVER
40 YEARS OF ADVOCACY FROM LOCAL
CENTRAL COASTS. IT FINALLY MOVED
FORWARD IN 2015 WHEN NOAH
ACCEPTED THE NORTHERN SHASH
TRIBAL COUNCIL'S NOMINATION.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL
FOR A NOMINATION AND OVER THE 10
YEARS, THE SANCTUARY CAMPAIGN
HAS GARNERED SUPPORT AT EVERY
SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY. AFTER
THE NOMINATION WAS ACCEPTED.
SANCTUARY THE SANCTUARY SAT IN
NOAH'S INVENTORY FOR FIVE YEARS,
TRIGGERING A 2025 YEAR REVIEW
WHERE WE HAD TO CONTINUE TO
DEMONSTRATE THIS PUBLIC SUPPORT.
AND WE DID. THE CHUMASH
SANCTUARY GOT OVER 14,000
COMMENTS AND 99% SUPPORT. IN
NOVEMBER. 2021 NOAH OFFICIALLY
INITIATED THE DESIGNATION
PROCESS. THIS MULTI STEP PROCESS
BEGAN WITH A PUBLIC SCOPING
COMMENT PERIOD SO NOAH COULD
COLLECT INPUT FROM THE GENERAL
PUBLIC. AND AGAIN, WE HELPED GET
OVER 22,000 COMMENTS AND ANOTHER
99% SUPPORT. NOAH THEN TOOK
THESE COMMENTS AND PREPARED THE
DRAFT DOCUMENTS. IN AUGUST. 2023
NOA FINALLY RELEASED THE DRAFT
DOCUMENTS FOR THE SANCTUARY.
THIS INCLUDED AN ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN
AND PROPOSED RULE, WHICH
INCLUDED A DRAFT TRIBAL
COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORK.
PROPOSED REGULATIONS AND FIVE
DIFFERENT BOUNDARY ALTERNATIVES
FOR THE SANCTUARY. IN THIS
COMMENT PERIOD. THERE WAS
OVERWHELMING TURNOUT WITH OVER
100 AND 10,000 COMMENTS AND
AGAIN OVER 99% SUPPORT, AND THE
VAST MAJORITY ASKED FOR THE
BIGGEST ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES. A
DIVERSE ARRAY OF COMMUNITIES PER
REPRESENTED HERE. TRIBES
BUSINESSES, SCIENTISTS, FAITH
COMMUNITIES, FISHERMEN, YOUTH
ORGANIZATIONS, COALITIONS, LOCAL
TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS AND SO
MUCH MORE. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE
IN THIS ROOM WHO PARTICIPATED
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND
CONTINUES TO PARTICIPATE BOTH
PUBLICLY AND BEHIND THE SCENES.
WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU.
NOW NOAH IS PREPARING THE FINAL
DOCUMENTS. THESE DOCUMENTS WILL
EVENTUALLY HAVE AN INTERAGENCY
REVIEW, A CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW
AND A CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR
REVIEW. NOAH IS TARGETING MID
2024 FOR THE DESIGNATION
DECISION AND WE DO NOT WANT IT
TO BE DELAYED OR PUSHED OFF TO
THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION. TIME IS
A BIG CONCERN. ANOTHER CHALLENGE
IS THE BOUNDARIES. BUT IT IS
ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY. WHEN NOAH
RELEASED THEIR DRAFT DOCUMENTS
THERE WERE VARIOUS BOUNDARY
OPTIONS OUTLINED AND NOAH'S
PREFERRED AGENCY. ALTERNATIVE
BOUNDARY, WHICH YOU CAN SEE UP
HERE INCLUDED A CUT 2000 SQUARE
MILES OF OCEAN FROM THE
SANCTUARY, INCLUDING THE
NORTHERN STRETCH FROM CAMBRIA TO
LOS OSOS REDUCING AND THAT
CONNECTIVITY THE PRIMARY REASON
WAS TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW
MORROW BAY 399 OFFSHORE WIND
AREAS, TRANSMISSION CABLES,
WHICH WILL CONNECT THE LEASE
AREA TO LAND. THE OFFSHORE WIND
DEVELOPMENT, AS MANY OF YOU
KNOW, IS STILL IN EARLY STAGES,
AND IT'S NOT KNOWN EXACTLY WHERE
OR HOW MANY CABLES ARE NEEDED.
IN THIS BIGGER MAP. YOU WILL SEE
THE BLUE LEASE AREA THE TRIANGLE
TO THE NORTHWEST. AND THESE MAPS
ARE ALSO IN YOUR FOLDER. THE
NORTHERN CHUMASH TRIBAL COUNCIL
DOES NOT WANT TO SEE RENEWABLE
ENERGY AND CONSERVATION PITTED
AGAINST EACH OTHER. BOTH ARE
ESSENTIAL TO COMBAT THE CLIMATE
CRISIS. THIS SANCTUARY IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE UNITED
STATES AND CALIFORNIA TO SHOW
THAT RENEWABLE ENERGY AND
CONSERVATION CAN AND MUST WORK
TOGETHER. THE COUNCIL AND OUR
SUPPORTERS WANT THE LARGEST
CONTIGUOUS BOUNDARIES AND WE
WANT A CLEAR PERMITTING PATHWAY
FOR FUTURE OFFSHORE WIND
CABLING. NOAH'S DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
NOTED THAT THE OFFICE OF
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES
COULD AUTHORIZE OTHER AGENCY
PERMITS. THIS ON MS.
AUTHORIZATION WOULD ALLOW OTHER
AGENCIES TO HAVE PRIMARY
PERMITTING AUTHORITY FOR CABLES
THROUGHOUT THE PROPOSED
SANCTUARY. WHILE STILL GIVING
THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARIES THE ABILITY TO
IMPOSE CONDITIONS TO PROTECT OUR
ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES. THIS
ALLOWS A CLEAR PERMITTING
PATHWAY FOR OFFSHORE WIND CABLES
THAT REDUCES THE LEASEHOLDERS
CONCERNS AND ENSURES ECOSYSTEM
PROTECTIONS. WE ARE REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THIS SOLUTION.
CALIFORNIA'S PATHWAYS TO 30 BY
30 REPORT HAS AMBITIOUS GOALS TO
SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY, MITIGATE
THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND PROTECT
CALIFORNIA'S BIO CULTURAL
PLACES. THE PROPOSED CHUMASH
SANCTUARY WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO
FULFILL THE FEDERAL AND STATE 30
BY 30 GOALS BY ADDING MARINE
PROTECTIONS IN FEDERAL AND STATE
WATERS WHILE CREATING
COLLABORATIVE PATHWAYS WITH
LOCAL TRIBES AND WITH OFFSHORE
WIND DEVELOPMENT. I'M EXCITED TO
ALSO SAY THAT THIS SANCTUARY
WOULD PROVIDE OVER THREE 170,000
THREE 175,000 ACRES OF STATE
WATER PROTECTION. WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO SEE THE CHUMASH
SANCTUARY DESIGNATED THIS YEAR.
IT WILL BE A SHINING EXAMPLE FOR
HOW WE CAN AND MUST WORK
TOGETHER TO MITIGATE THE CLIMATE
CRISIS AND CREATE A THRIVING
FUTURE FOR ALL. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND YOUR WORK TODAY I
LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. YOU ARE
ALMOST EXACTLY NINE MINUTES. SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, NEXT,
WE'LL HEAR FROM MS CARLA VÀ
GARCIA, OCEANS CONSULTANT FOR
THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE
COUNCIL. WELCOME, MS GARCIA. YOU
HAVE NINE MINUTES. THANK YOU,
CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND
STAFF. I'M CARLA GERBE GARCIA, A
CONSULTANT TO THE NATURAL
RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL. THANK
YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO SHARE
N R Dð C'S PERSPECTIVE ON 30 BY
30 IMPLEMENTATION IN COASTAL
WATERS. SCIENCE HAS BEEN AT THE
FOREFRONT OF N R Dð. C'S
ADVOCACY. THE 30 BY 30 GOAL
SEEKS TO ADDRESS THE DEGRADATION
OF OUR LANDS AND OCEAN, WHICH IS
DESTROYING THE PLANET'S ABILITY
TO SUPPORT LIFE. DECADES OF
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH HAS SHOWN
THAT WHEN WELL DESIGNED AND WELL
MANAGED MP S¼ THAT REMOVE THE
GREATEST AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ARE
SOME OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE.
TOOLS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE
MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. THE STRATEGY
IS SIMPLE, REDUCE OR ELIMINATE
THE CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF OCEAN
BASED INDUSTRIES AND DISCRETE
AREAS SO THAT MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
CAN FUNCTION UNIMPAIRED IN THOSE
LOCATIONS INDIVIDUALLY. MP S¼
CAN MITIGATE LOCAL HARMS, BUT AS
A CONNECTED NETWORK, THEY CAN
HELP GUARD AGAINST REGIONAL OR
LARGE SCALE STRESSORS LIKE
CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS IS WHY THE
M LP A MASTER PLAN CALLED FOR
STRONG PROTECTIONS LIKE OUR
STATE MARINE RESERVES TO BE THE
BACKBONE OF THE MP, A NETWORK.
AS DIRECTOR BONHAM MENTIONED THE
DMR NOTED POSITIVE SIGNS THAT
CALIFORNIA'S NETWORK IS
PROMOTING ECOSYSTEM HEALTH BY
SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY AND
PROVIDING REFUGE FOR MORE BIGGER
AND OLDER FISH AS WELL AS
SHOWING ATTRIBUTES OF CLIMATE
RESILIENCE. ENERGY SEES EFFORTS
IN THE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
PROCESS HAVE FOCUSED ON
EXPANDING AND STRENGTHENING THE
NET MP A NETWORK AND DEFENDING
AGAINST EFFORTS TO WEAKEN IT. Dð
èC SUBMITTED TWO PETITIONS TO
DESIGNATE NEW FULLY AND HIGHLY
PROTECTED MP S¼, ONE OF WHICH
SEEKS TO ADVANCE TRIBAL ACCESS
AND CODE MANAGEMENT. AROUND 16
PETITIONS BEFORE THE FISH AND
GAME COMMISSION AIMED TO
STRENGTHEN THE NETWORK. AND IF
ACCEPTED, WE'VE ROUGHLY
ESTIMATED THAT THE PETITIONS
COULD CONTRIBUTE A MODEST 2.5%
TO 30 BY 30. A FEW PETITIONS
SEEK TO WEAKEN THE NETWORK BY
OPENING UP SMS TO DIFFERENT
FORMS OF FISHING. REMOVING
PROTECTIONS IN THIS WAY COULD
UNDERMINE ECOSYSTEM RECOVERY, A
PROCESS THAT CAN TAKE DECADES
AND WOULD BE SHORT SIGHTED,
ESPECIALLY AS CLIMATE CHANGE
CAUSES OUR OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS TO
BECOME LESS PREDICTABLE AND
HOSPITABLE TO MARINE LIFE. A
DECISION TO OPEN UP OUR SMR OR
STATE MARINE RESERVES TO
ATTRACTIVE USE WOULD NOT ONLY BE
UNPRECEDENTED AND SEND A
DANGEROUS SIGNAL GLOBALLY, BUT
IT WOULD SIMPLY BE PREMATURE. N
èC IS CONCERNED THAT THE
POTENTIAL OF THIS STRATEGY TO
ACHIEVE 30 BY 30 IN COASTAL
WATERS MAY BE CONSTRAINED. EARLY
SIGNALS FROM THE COMMISSION
SUGGEST THAT ONLY MINOR TWEAKS
TO THE NETWORK WILL BE GIVEN
SERIOUS CONSIDERATION THROUGH
THE NEAR TERM ADAPTIVE
MANAGEMENT. THE PROCESS FOR
FUTURE OR ONGOING, ADAPTIVE
MANAGEMENT IS STILL A LITTLE BIT
UNCLEAR. THE STATE HAS MADE IT
CLEAR THAT THE ADAPTIVE
MANAGEMENT PROCESS WILL NOT BE
DRIVEN BY THE STATE'S 30 BY 30
INITIATIVE, AND WE UNDERSTAND
THIS, BUT WE HOPE THAT THIS DOES
NOT MEAN THAT CALIFORNIA WILL
CLOSE THE DOOR TOO EARLY ON
POTENTIAL BIODIVERSITY AND
CLIMATE BENEFITS THAT COULD
RESULT FROM STRENGTHENING AND
EXPANDING THE NETWORK. A SECOND
STRATEGY IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE
IS A STRENGTHENING OF NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES. HOWEVER ONE
CHALLENGE IS THAT SANCTUARIES DO
NOT CURRENTLY MEET THE STATE'S
DEFINITION OF CONCERNED DUE TO
THEIR LOW LEVELS OF PROTECTION.
A REVIEW OF THE MOST RECENT
CONDITION REPORTS OF
CALIFORNIA'S FOUR NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES SHOWS THAT
70% OF HABITAT AND WILDLIFE
CONDITIONS RECEIVED A POOR OR
FAIR RATING, INDICATING THAT THE
MAJORITY OF RESOURCES WITHIN
SANCTUARIES ARE EXPERIENCING
MEASURABLE, SEVERE AND
WIDESPREAD DEGRADATION. RATHER
THAN EVALUATING AN ENTIRE
SANCTUARY AS MEETING OR NOT
MEETING THE DEFINITION OF
CONSERVED èC RECOMMENDS A
TAILORED APPROACH THAT LAYERS
ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS IN SELECT
AREAS TO DELIVER MEANINGFUL
BIODIVERSITY OUTCOMES. WE URGE
THE STATE TO ADDRESS TOP
STRESSORS IDENTIFIED IN EACH
SANCTUARY AS THEY REVIEW
MANAGEMENT PLANS WITH ADDITIONAL
PROTECTIONS AND BRING
SANCTUARIES CLOSER TO F, OR HIGH
LEVELS OF PROTECTION. WE ALSO
URGE THE CONSIDERATION OF NEW
FULLY OR HIGHLY PROTECTED AREAS
WITHIN SANCTUARIES. PART BECAUSE
MEASURES TARGETING A SINGLE
SPECIES OR STRESSOR ALONE ARE
INSUFFICIENT FOR MAINTAINING AND
RESTORING ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION IN
BIODIVERSITY, THE CURRENT
PROCESS TO UPDATE THE GREATER
FARALLONES NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN IS A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE
TO PILOT ITS EFFORTS TO ENHANCE
PROTECTIONS WITHIN STATE WATERS
OF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES.
A THIRD STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING
30 BY 30 IS THROUGH OTHER
EFFECTIVE AREA BASED
CONSERVATION MEASURES, OR Ó, E
èC M S¼ TO EXPLORE THIS
STRATEGY DEVELOPED THE INVENTORY
OF EXISTING SPATIAL MANAGEMENT
MEASURES AND STATE WATERS THAT
WILL SOON BE EVALUATED BY THE 30
BY 30 TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL.
WE APPLAUD THE STATE'S
COMMITMENT TO A SCIENCE BASED
APPROACH TO 30 BY 30 BELIEVE
THAT ALL THE STRATEGIES THAT
DIRECTOR I'M SORRY, DEPUTY
DIRECTOR, UM PEER MENTIONED WILL
BENEFIT FROM HAVING CLEAR
SCIENTIFIC CRITERIA TO EVALUATE
WHAT COUNTS AS CONSERVED AND TO
ADDRESS RELATED DATA GAPS. TO
ENSURE CALIFORNIA REMAINS AT THE
LEADING EDGE OF EFFECTIVE
CONSERVATION GOVERNANCE, THE
ULTIMATE DETERMINATION OF WHAT
COUNTS AS CONSERVES SHOULD BE
HELD TO A HIGH STANDARD AND
BASED ON THE BEST SCIENCE
AVAILABLE, INCLUDING EXISTING
LONG TERM MONITORING PROJECTS
THAT DEMONSTRATE POSITIVE
CONSERVATION OUTCOMES AT AN
ECOSYSTEM LEVEL AND SHOULD
ENSURE THAT MANAGEMENT ADDRESSES
ALL EXISTING AND REASONABLE
FORESEEABLE THREATS. GLOBAL
STANDARDS, SPECIFICALLY, THOSE
DEVELOPED BY THE INTERNATIONAL
UNION OF CONSERVATION OF NATURE
EXISTS FOR Ó EM S¼, AND THUS
CALIFORNIA DOES NOT NEED TO RE
INVENT THE WHEEL TO DETERMINE
WHICH AREAS SHOULD BE CONSERVED.
FROM N DISEASE PERSPECTIVE, Ó
EM SHOULD COMPLEMENT HIGHLY AND
FULLY PROTECTED MP S¼ RATHER
THAN DIVERT RESOURCES FROM THE
CREATION MANAGEMENT OR
MONITORING OF PROTECTED AREAS.
WE WILL NOT SAVE OUR
BIODIVERSITY AND ADEQUATELY
RESPOND TO CLIMATE CHANGE BY
SIMPLY RELABELING AREAS.
PROTECTING NATURE IS DIFFERENT
FROM USING NATURE FOR OTHER ENDS
, SUCH AS SUSTAINABLE
EXPLOITATION. THIS MUST BE
RECOGNIZED BY THE PROCESS OF THE
STATES ADOPTS FOR THIS STRATEGY.
Dð èC HAS NOT ENGAGED IN THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF INDIGENOUS
MARINE STEWARDSHIP AREAS OR IMSA
, AS WE DO NOT REPRESENT NOR
SPEAK FOR TRIBES. HOWEVER WE
FULLY SUPPORT TRIBALLY LED
CONSERVATION AND SOVEREIGNTY
THROUGH IM S¼ A AND BELIEVE THAT
THE RECENT DESIGNATION IS A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIGENOUS
TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO SHAPE
THE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF
OUR COASTAL WATERS. DISEASE
ADVOCACY HAS EMBRACED EQUITY
PRINCIPLES AND GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S
30 BY 30 EXECUTIVE ORDER AND THE
PATHWAYS DOCUMENT THAT
PRIORITIZE THE NEED TO CENTER
BIPOD COMMUNITIES IN DECISION
MAKING ADDRESS THE RACIAL AND
ECONOMIC INEQUITIES ASSOCIATED
WITH CONSERVATION AND ENHANCE
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OUR COASTAL
WATERS. WE APPLAUD THE STATE'S
COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE COASTAL
ACCESS, BUT WE ENCOURAGE 30 BY
30, IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES TO
THINK HOLISTICALLY ABOUT
EQUITABLE ACCESS. HISTORICALLY
THERE HAS BEEN A TENDENCY BY
SOME TO VIEW ACCESS AS ACCESS TO
FISHING. CALIFORNIA'S 30 BY 30
IMPLEMENTATION MUST ACKNOWLEDGE
THE ACCESS AND BODIES OF BROADER
SUITE OF ACTIVITIES THAN FISHING
ALONE AND THAT STRONG MARINE
PROTECTIONS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH
MANY FORMS OF ACCESS, WELL
MANAGED AND ENFORCED PROTECTIONS
OFTEN RESULT IN POSITIVE VISOR
EXPERIENCES AND TOURISM BENEFITS
. RESEARCHERS ESTIMATE THAT
CALIFORNIANS TAKE MORE THAN 109
MILLION TRIPS TO THE COAST, AND
MOST COME TO SIMPLY EXPERIENCE
BEING BY THE SEA. FURTHERMORE
MPAS BENEFIT EXTRACTIVE USERS
THROUGH THE REPLENISHMENT OF
FISH POPULATIONS, RESOURCE
SPILLOVER AND ENHANCE ECOLOGICAL
RESILIENCE. THIS PHENOMENON IS
ESPECIALLY PERTINENT TO
EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR
HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES WHO MAY NEED TO
PARTAKE IN SUBSISTENCE
HARVESTING FROM THE SHORE ACCESS
TO POPULAR FISHING SITES SUCH AS
PIERS THAT ARE PROXIMATE TO
STRONGLY MARINE OR TO STRONGLY
PROTECTED. MPAS WILL LIKELY
BENEFIT FROM MPAS EXISTENCE.
CALIFORNIA IS A GLOBAL
CONSERVATION LEADER. 30 BY 30 IS
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CALIFORNIA TO
CONTINUE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND
ESTABLISH A HIGH STANDARD THAT
YIELDS TANGIBLE CONSERVATION
BENEFITS AND ENHANCES EQUITABLE
ACCESS. èC BELIEVES THAT CAN
CALIFORNIA CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS
ONLY BY REACHING BEYOND THE LOW
HANGING FRUIT, BUT TO DO SO, AT
THE VERY LEAST, IMPLEMENTING
AGENCIES NEED SUFFICIENT
STAFFING AND CONSISTENT FUNDING.
NRDC HOPES THAT THE STATE WILL
PRIORITIZE FUNDING TO STRENGTHEN
MARINE PROTECTIONS AND FOR THE
MANAGEMENT ACTIONS IDENTIFIED IN
THE Dð MR AND BY THE AGENCIES
THAT SPOKE BEFORE YOU TODAY WE'D
LIKE TO THANK THIS COMMITTEE AND
THE HARD WORKING AGENCY
DEPARTMENT AND COMMISSION STAFF
FOR YOUR CONTINUED EFFORTS. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING
TOWARD THE MOST INCLUSIVE
SCIENCE P 30 BY 30
IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. MS. GARCIA YOU CAME
IN UNDER NINE MINUTES. SO
APPRECIATE THAT BREVITY. FINALLY
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST WE HAVE MS
LISA DAMROSCH, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE PACIFIC COAST
FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS. THANKS SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE, MS DAMROSCH, YOU
HAVE NINE MINUTES. THANK YOU, I.
I THINK I'M CLOSE. BUT I'LL DO
MY BEST. UM THANK YOU, UM,
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS LISA DAMROSCH. UM I VERY
RECENTLY BECAME THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE PACIFIC COAST
FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS, ALSO KNOWN AS P,
èC F. COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN ARE
ORGANIZED THROUGH PORT
ASSOCIATIONS UP AND DOWN THE
WEST COAST AND P èC F FA IS AN
ASSOCIATION OF THESE
ASSOCIATIONS OF COMMERCIAL
FISHERMEN FROM SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA TO THE OREGON BORDER.
COMMERCIAL FISHING MEMBERS OF
THE ORGANIZATIONS WE REPRESENT
HAVE DIVERSE BUSINESS MODELS
OPERATE WITH VARIOUS GEAR TYPES.
IN MANY DIFFERENT FISHERIES IN
BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL WATERS.
PIECE OF TAPE HAS BEEN AROUND
FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS, FOCUSING ON
PRESERVING COMMERCIAL FISHERY
ACCESS TO HEALTHY FISH STOCKS TO
FEED OUR COMMUNITIES AND
ADVOCATING FOR THE VIBRANT
FUTURE OF THE COMMERCIAL FISHING
INDUSTRY. WE HAVE ENGAGED IN THE
HALLS OF CONGRESS ON DOCKS AND
BOARDROOMS AND IN PANELS LIKE
THIS TO SHARE THE PERSPECTIVE OF
THIS VERY IMPORTANT FOOD
PRODUCING INDUSTRY THAT IS SUCH
A RICH PART OF CALIFORNIA'S
HISTORY. I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY
THAT COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN ARE
THE ULTIMATE OCEAN STEWARDS.
THEY DEPEND ON THE OCEAN FOR
THEIR LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS AND
HAVE MORE INCENTIVE THAN ALMOST
ANYONE TO CONSERVE OUR OCEAN
RESOURCES. I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN
FISHERMEN TO BE RESILIENT AND
BRILLIANT PROBLEM SOLVERS THAT
HAVE AN INHERENT ABILITY TO
ADAPT TO CHANGING CONDITIONS ON
THE OCEAN AND ON LAND, TAPPING
INTO THIS SPIRIT AND ENSURING
THAT THEIR VOICES ARE AMPLIFIED.
AMPLIFIED IS MY OVERARCHING GOAL
AT P èC F FA. NOW, WHILE I AM
NEW TO P èC F FA. I AM NOT NEW
TO COMMERCIAL FISHING. MY GREAT
GRANDFATHER BOUGHT HIS FIRST
BOAT IN HALF MOON BAY IN 1918.
MY SON WHO IS HERE WITH ME TODAY
STARTED HIS FULL TIME COMMERCIAL
FISHING CAREER IN THE SAME
WATERS 102 YEARS LATER. IN
BETWEEN. MY GRANDFATHER, FATHER
AND BROTHER HAVE GROWN AND
DIVERSIFIED THE FAMILY BUSINESS.
AS THE GIRL IN THE FAMILY. IT
TOOK ME A BIT LONGER, AND IT WAS
NOT UNTIL THE LAND SUPPORT
NEEDED TO MANAGE THE
COMPLEXITIES REACHED A POINT
THAT IT REQUIRED SOMEONE TO
FOCUS ON JUST THAT THAT I GOT
INVOLVED. AND HONESTLY, THAT
SUITED ME JUST FINE BECAUSE THE
FEW TIMES I WENT OUT WITH MY
GRANDFATHER AND FATHER. I DIDN'T
FEEL SO WELL AND THE RULE WHEN
LEAVING COURT IS ALWAYS THERE'S
NÓ COMING BACK UNTIL THE WORK IS
DONE. SO IT DIDN'T TAKE TOO MANY
TRIPS FOR ME TO BE CERTAIN. MY
FUTURE WAS ON LAND. IN THE LAST
30 YEARS, MY BROTHER HAS GONE
FROM A HIGH SCHOOL DECKHAND TO
MANAGING AN INCREDIBLY COMPLEX
BUSINESS. SO MANY THINGS ARE
UNRECOGNIZABLE FROM THE EARLY
DAYS OF, EVEN OR EVEN FROM JUST
A DECADE AGO, AND YET AT THE
CORE, SO MUCH IS THE SAME. MY
GRANDFATHER WOULD TELL STORIES
OF FISHING WITH JUST A COMPASS
AND A WRIST WATCH AND HOW IN HIS
DAY, HE MARVELED AT THE NEW
TECHNOLOGIES OF RADAR AND LORAN.
NOW WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY IN OUR
POCKETS AND MAPPING SOFTWARE AND
REPORTING DEVICES THAT ENSURE
FISHING ACTIVITY IS CONDUCTED.
ONLY WHERE ALLOWED I LAUGH. WHEN
I THINK OF WHAT MY GRANDFATHER
WOULD THINK OF CHECKING THE
WEATHER FORECAST ON A PHONE
RATHER THAN BY LOOKING OUT AT
THE HORIZON. BEFORE HALFMAN BAY
HAD A HARBOR. HE WOULD FEEL THE
WIND COMING AND GO TO THE BEACH
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ROW
OUT TO HIS 36 FT WOOD BOAT ON A
DINGHY THAT HE THEN RELEASED TO
THE SERF TO WASH BACK ASHORE.
AND MAKE A RUN FOR SAN FRANCISCO
BEFORE THE SOUTHEAST WINDS GOT
TOO STRONG. AT TIMES THIS WASN'T
POSSIBLE AND HE WOULD HAVE TO
RIDE OUT THE STORM AT SEA, SOME
FOR MANY DAYS. MUCH HAS CHANGED
AND OUR VESSELS CAN SAFELY TIE
TO THE DOCK IN BAD WEATHER. BUT
MY BROTHER LOOKS AT THE HORIZON,
TOO. AND WHILE HE HAS A
WHEELHOUSE FILLED WITH
TECHNOLOGY, HE ALSO HAS A WRIST
WATCH AND A COMPASS AND HE KNOWS
HOW TO USE THEM. AND HE'S TAUGHT
MY SON TO USE THEM TOO. HE'S
ALSO TAUGHT HIM AS HE WAS TAUGHT
THAT TO WORK. THESE WATERS
REQUIRES IMMENSE RESPECT FOR THE
OCEAN AND ALL THAT SHE PROVIDES.
COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN KNOW BETTER
THAN ANYONE THAT THE OCEAN GIVES
US LIFE AND THAT SHE CAN ALSO
TAKE IT AWAY. I SHARE THIS TO
HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANT HERITAGE
AND CULTURE OF COMMERCIAL
FISHING IN CALIFORNIA.
COMMERCIAL FISHING STORIES LIKE
THIS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AND
REWRITTEN UP AND DOWN THE COAST.
SOME BEGAN GENERATIONS AGO LIKE
MINE, AND SOME ARE JUST
BEGINNING. BUT OUR COMMERCIAL
FISHING, CULTURE AND HERITAGE IS
WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR
CALIFORNIA HISTORY AND HOPEFULLY
OUR FUTURE. AND THIS IS OFTEN
OVERLOOKED AND UNDERAPPRECIATED.
RECENT GENERATIONS ARE FACING
MANY NEW STORMS. THE PACIFIC
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
MEETING HELD LAST WEEK
SPOTLIGHTED COMPLEX ISSUES
RESTRICTING SALMON HARVEST
OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY BE
LEADING TO ANOTHER CLOSE SEASON.
WE ARE EXPECTING ANOTHER EARLY
CLOSURE OF ANOTHER LATE
BEGINNING, DUNGENESS CRAB SEASON
AND CLIMATE CHANGE OFFSHORE WIND
AND MANY MORE BREWING STORMS
THREATEN THE FUTURE OF
COMMERCIAL FISHING. AND AGAIN,
THE FUTURE OF COMMERCIAL FISHING
ISN'T JUST A CONCEPT. IT'S MY
SON SITTING RIGHT OVER THERE,
AND MANY MORE LIKE HIM. THESE
STORMS ARE NOT ONLY A THREAT TO
OUR CULTURE AND WAY OF LIFE, BUT
TO WILD FOOD PRODUCTION FOR OUR
COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. IN AN
INTERVIEW MY GRANDFATHER GAVE IN
1970 WHEN ASKED ABOUT EVOLVING
CATCH METHODS AND EQUIPMENT. HE
EXPLAINED THE NEED TO ADAPT TO
CATCH FISH, OTHER THAN JUST BY
HAND IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEMAND
FOR LOCAL HEALTHY PROTEIN BY THE
COMMUNITY AND CALIFORNIA
BUSINESSES. OVER THE YEARS,
WE'VE FED RESTAURANTS, PRISONS,
MILITARY BASES, SCHOOLS
HOSPITALS. NOW WE LIVE IN A
WORLD WHERE CONSUMERS ARE
INCENTIVIZED TO BUY LESS HEALTHY
, FARMED FISH THAT CAN DAMAGE
OUR ECOSYSTEMS RATHER THAN
HEALTHY, WILD PROTEIN THAT IS
TRACEABLE IN FISH SUSTAINABLY
RIGHT HERE. WE EAT SEAFOOD
PRODUCTS THAT ARE CAUGHT IN
CALIFORNIA SHIPPED OVERSEAS FOR
PROCESSING AND BACK TO
CALIFORNIA FOR CONSUMPTION. AND
SOMEHOW JUSTIFY THE CARBON
FOOTPRINT COST OF THAT JOURNEY
RATHER THAN PROCESSING
CALIFORNIA SEAFOOD IN
CALIFORNIA. WORKS OUT.
IRONICALLY THESE VERY PRACTICES
CONTRIBUTE TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE
THAT ULTIMATELY ADDS TO MORE
FISHING CLOSURES SO MORE STORMS
FOR US TO NAVIGATE. ALL OF THIS
CONTRIBUTES TO REDUCED HARVEST,
WHICH IS ECONOMICALLY DAMAGING
TO THE FLEET AND THE BUSINESSES
THAT DEPEND ON IT. UH AND
FURTHER THIS IS NOT FAIR TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC BECAUSE OCEAN
RESOURCES ULTIMATELY BELONG TO
THEM, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE THE
RIGHT TO ENJOY HEALTHY,
SUSTAINABLE HARVESTED SEAFOOD.
IN NOWHERE. IT COMES FROM AND I
KNOW DIRECTOR BONHAM MENTIONED,
UM, THAT THE CATCH RATES ARE THE
SAME, BUT JUST LOOKING AT ONLY
COMMERCIAL LANDING DATA, UM,
THAT WAS RECENTLY RELEASED BY
THE DEPARTMENT. 2023 THERE WERE,
UH, ALMOST 100 AND £11 MILLION
OF SEAFOOD LANDED FOR A VALUE OF
100 AND $61 MILLION.10 YEARS AGO
, THOSE NUMBERS WERE THREE £164
MILLION LANDED AND $259 MILLION.
SO FISHERIES ARE INCREDIBLY
COMPLEX. THESE NUMBERS DON'T
SHOW THE WHOLE PICTURE. AND THIS
IS, UM BUT FROM THE COMMERCIAL
FISHING PERSPECTIVE, AND MAYBE
THIS IS THE DISCONNECT, BUT, UH,
IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE
GROWING. IT FEELS LIKE THINGS
ARE HEADING IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION FOR COMMERCIAL
FISHING. AND THIS IS NOT A
RESOURCE PROBLEM. UM DIRECTOR
BONHAM CAN ALSO ATTEST THAT OUR
FISH STOCKS IN CALIFORNIA ARE
SOME OF THE HEALTHIEST AND MOST
SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES IN THE
WORLD. BUT WHAT WE OFTEN LACKED
IS LACK IS CONSISTENT ACCESS
FISHING AREAS ARE SHRINKING AND
OUR SEASONS HAVE BECOME
INCREDIBLY UNPREDICTABLE. THIS
UNCERTAINTY CREATES CONDITIONS
FOR DIMINISHING OPPORTUNITY. AND
SPEAKING OF ACCESS. THAT'S OF
COURSE, OUR BIGGEST CONCERN TO
THE COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY
IN THE 30 BY 30 PROCESS. BECAUSE
ACCESS EQUALS OPPORTUNITY AND
OPPORTUNITY EQUALS HOPE. IN
PREPARATION FOR THIS HEARING. I
DID A LOT OF READING AND I WAS
NOT INVOLVED. I WAS NOT IN THE
TIME MACHINE. I GUESS I'M JUST
GETTING ON BOARD. SO I, UM AND I
WENT YESTERDAY THERE WAS A VERY
WELL DONE, WEBINAR PUT ON BY
VERY WELL INFORMED OOP, èC
STAFFERS AND THE PRESENTATIONS
ARE HOPEFUL AND EXCITING, AND I
SAW A SENTENCE IN THE BACKGROUND
DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE. I THINK
IT'S ON PAGE SEVEN THAT JUMPED
OUT AT ME. AND UM, MY HEART DID
A LITTLE JUMP FOR JOY BECAUSE IT
SAID, UM, PATHWAYS STATE THAT MP
A S¼ ARE NOT THE ONLY WAY TO
ACHIEVE CONSERVATION. COASTAL
WATERS. AND THIS IS THE BEST
PART. THE STATE DOES NOT
CONSIDER SUSTAINABLE COMMERCIAL
OR RECREATIONAL FISHING TO
NECESSARILY BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH
CONSERVATION OF THE STATE'S
COASTAL AND MARINE BIODIVERSITY.
I READ THAT SO MANY TIMES
BECAUSE I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE
IT THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
FISHERMEN HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR
YEARS. SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED AS
INCOMPATIBLE WITH CONSERVATION.
UH MORE THAN ANYTHING FISHERMEN
WANT TO TRUST THIS STATEMENT AND
WANT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STARTING
FROM. AND IF, AS WAS PRESENTED
BY Ó P èC YESTERDAY AND IT
PRESENTED BY EVERYONE TODAY WE
CAN EXPECT A TRANSPARENT AND
ROBUST PROCESS DRIVEN BY WHAT
SCIENCE SAYS AND WHAT
COMMUNITIES NEED. THEN THE
FISHING INDUSTRY IN GENERAL AND
P èC F. FA, IN PARTICULAR, IS
GREATLY LOOKING FORWARD TO PROD
PRODUCTIVELY ENGAGING IN THIS
PROCESS. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS
TRUST DOESN'T COME EASY BASED ON
HISTORY. SO I NOTICED IN THE
DOCUMENTS AND DIRECTOR BONHAM
REFERENCED THE COMMERCIAL
FISHERMEN'S DISTRUST AND DISLIKE
FOR THE MP, A UH, AND THE MP A
PROCESS. AGAIN I WAS NOT
DIRECTLY INVOLVED AT THE TIME,
BUT P èC F FA AND COMMERCIAL
FISHERMEN DID PARTICIPATE. AND
THERE'S MANY STORIES BUT, UH,
ORGANIZERS CAME TO EACH PORT AND
VISITED VESSELS AND MAPS WERE
LAID OUT IN FRONT OF THE
FISHERMEN, AND EACH FISHERMAN
WAS GIVEN A HANDFUL OF PENNIES.
THEY WERE TOLD TO SPEND THEIR
PENNIES WISELY AND PUT THEM ON
THE AREAS OF THE MAP THAT
REFLECTED THE FISHING GROUNDS
MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM. THEY DID
THIS IN GOOD FAITH AND CONTINUED
THE PROCESS, GIVING THEIR TIME
ATTENDING MANY OTHER MEETINGS
ALL WHILE BEING THANKED FOR
THEIR INPUT AND LED TO BELIEVE
THEY WOULD NOT LOSE ACCESS TO
THESE VERY IMPORTANT AND
PRODUCTIVE FISHING AREAS.
HOWEVER AT THE END OF THE DAY,
MANY OF THESE PLACES WHERE THE
PENNIES WERE PLACED WERE IN FACT
CLOSED. THEY STILL JOKE THAT
THEY SHOULD HAVE PUT THE PENNIES
WHERE THEY DIDN'T WANT THE
CLOSURES TO BE. NOW, I DON'T
TELL THIS STORY TO POINT FINGERS
OR CAST A NEGATIVE SHADOW ON THE
CURRENT PROCESS OR ANYONE
INVOLVED IN IT. THIS WAS A LONG
TIME AGO, BUT I DO THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO LEARN FROM THE PAST
AND UNDERSTAND WHY THERE MAY BE
SOME TREPIDATION AND DISCONNECT
ON THE PART OF INDUSTRY. BUT WE
ALSO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HERE AND WE WANT TO BE
CONSIDERED AN IMPORTANT PARTNER
TO THE NETWORK OF PEOPLE WORKING
ON THIS PROJECT AND OTHERS. UM
THAT IMPACT OUR OCEANS LOOKING
AT THE 30 BY 30 OPTION
STRATEGIES. WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE MARINE RESOURCE
COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK AND STAND
READY TO ENGAGE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT IN THE REVIEW PROCESS
, UM OF THE PENDING MP A
PETITIONS AND PROVIDING
COMMERCIAL FISHERIES INPUT
WHEREVER WE CAN. WE ALSO HAVE P
èC F FA FISHERMEN THAT
CURRENTLY SIT ON SANCTUARY ON
SANCTUARY BOARDS. AND WE ARE
LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING
IN THAT PROCESS THROUGH THE
SANCTUARIES AS WELL. SO WE'RE
SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROCESS AND
STAND READY TO PARTICIPATE IN
ANY WAY WE CAN. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. MS DAMROSCH. I APPRECIATE
YOUR YOUR TESTIMONY. I WANT TO
NOW BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. DO ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMITTEE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL?
SENATOR LEONARD I JUST HAVE A
VERY BRIEF COMMENT FIRST. I
TOTALLY APPRECIATE THE TESTIMONY
AND WITH REGARD TO THE, UH
PROPOSED SHOE MASH SANCTUARY
BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THOSE 22,000
AND PARTICIPATED IN THE WORKSHOP
AND OTHER THINGS THAT THERE HAS
BEEN A DIFFERENCE OVER THE
BOUNDARY OF THE SANCTUARY. AND I
JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THAT I SUPPORT AND I BELIEVE WE
SHOULD GET TO THE BROADEST
BOUNDARY AND, UM AND YES, IT
RAISES SOME ISSUES ABOUT NAMING,
BUT WE SHOULD RESOLVE THOSE
ISSUES. WE SHOULD NOT LESSEN THE
BOUNDARY BECAUSE THOSE ISSUES
DON'T SEEM TO BE RESOLVABLE. AND
I JUST THINK THAT'S A VERY
IMPORTANT THING IN ALL OF THIS,
AND I AM LONG ENOUGH INVOLVED
THAT I WAS AN ACTIVIST IN THE
DESIGNATION OF THE MONTEREY
MARINE SANCTUARY, AND THE GREAT
PART OF THAT WAS THERE WAS
INCREDIBLE UNITY AND THE THING
WE'RE MAKING UP FOR HERE IS THE
RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION OF
TRIBAL HISTORY. AND SO I JUST
THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT. AND UM
AND I, TOO, BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO
BE DONE WHILE THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION'S FIRST TERM IS
STILL THERE, AND SO IT IT'S ONE
OF THOSE THINGS THAT WHEN PEOPLE
WANT EXTENSIVE EXTRA PROCESS,
IT'S WORKING AGAINST THAT GOAL.
AND SO WE NEED THE BROADEST
BOUNDARY AND WE NEED TO HAVE A
DESIGNATED BY THE END OF THE
YEAR AND I THINK THAT THAT, UH,
IT'S GOOD THAT YOU EDUCATED
PEOPLE HERE, UH ABOUT IT, SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SENATOR
ALLEN. YEAH, ASSOCIATE MYSELF
WITH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE'S
COMMENTS AND I JUST WANT TO
THROW OUT I. I WAS KIND OF
HOPING THAT BRING US UP TO THE
LAST PANEL. BUT I KNOW WE'VE
BEEN SO PRESSED FOR TIME, BUT
MAYBE MAYBE SOME OF YOU HAVE A
THOUGHTS ON THIS. OBVIOUSLY THE
FOCUS HERE IS ON OCEAN. UM WHERE
ARE RIVERS AND STREAMS FITTING
INTO THIS CONVERSATION? UH,
YEAH. LET ME THROW THAT OUT
THERE. I CAN JUST REALLY QUICKLY
SAY THAT FROM A COMMERCIAL
FISHING PERSPECTIVE, THE RIVERS
AND STREAMS ARE EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT TO WILD SALMON, WHICH
IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR
OCEANS, WHICH IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT TO OUR FOOD PRODUCTION
. SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK
THAT'S BEING DONE. P èC F FA
HAS BEEN LONG ENGAGED IN THAT.
ARENA I'M NOT SURE HOW IT FITS
INTO 30 BY 30 THAT I THAT I'M
NOT, UM, PRIVY TO, BUT BUT THEY
ARE CONNECTED GREATLY TO OUR
OCEAN RESOURCES FOR COMMERCIAL
FISHING AS WELL. YEAH, LOVE TO
HEAR FROM YOU. I WAS JUST GONNA
MENTION THAT AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE BEING
CONSIDERED UNDER THE LAND SIDE
BUT LIKE WAS MENTIONED BEFORE
ALL THE AGENCIES ARE CO
ORDINATED ON EFFORTS. AND SO
WHAT? WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW
BETWEEN THE LAND AND SEA
CONNECTION IS SUPER IMPORTANT.
AND SO I THINK EFFORTS IN RIVERS
AND STREAMS WILL BE VERY WELL
CONNECTED TO AND ARE THEY ARE
THEY DEFINITELY DEFINITION
EXCLUDED FROM A NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARY OR OR I CAN I CAN
TOUCH ON THAT A BIT SO RIVERS
AND STREAMS ARE NOT WITHIN THE
JURISDICTION OF A SANCTUARY
DIRECTLY. BUT THERE ARE INDIRECT
RELATIONSHIPS THAT SANCTUARIES
BRING TO OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS.
UM, ONE OF WHICH A BIG THING
SANCTUARIES BRING IS WATER
MONITORING, SO SEEING THE
DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS OF WHAT
HAPPENS UPSTREAM, UM AND THEN
OFTEN IMPLEMENTING WHAT ARE
USUALLY VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS TO
HELP MAKE SURE THAT OUR
AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES ARE DONE
IN A WAY THAT MITIGATES THE
AMOUNT OF RUNOFF AND THAT
CREATES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
UPSTREAM COMMUNITIES AND OCEAN
COMMUNITIES. AND THAT ADAPTIVE
MANAGEMENT MAKING SURE THOSE
VOICES AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE
REPRESENTED IN SANCTUARY
MANAGEMENT. GOT YOU OK? THANK
YOU, SENATOR. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
UH, SENATOR LEMMON. THANK YOU.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR THE CONVERSATION. I THINK
LOCALLY REPRESENT VENTURA, SANTA
BARBARA. AND UH, HOPEFULLY SOON,
A LITTLE BIT OF A SILENCE OF
BISPO COUNTY. AND SO THESE
CONVERSATIONS WHILE YOU ARE HERE
AT THE, YOU KNOW, CAPITOL AND
YOU'RE SHARING WITH US, IN THE
FORM OF A HEARING ARE VERY MUCH
HAPPENING. UM IN OUR COMMUNITY,
UM, IN MEANINGFUL WAYS, AND SO,
UM, II, I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD A
CONVERSATIONS, UM, WITH MANY OF
FOLKS ABOUT THIS AND HOW WE, UH
YOU KNOW, AND WHAT THE HEALTHY
APPROPRIATE AND RIGHT DIRECTION
IS, UM YOU KNOW, REFLECTING ON
OUR PAST AND OUR HISTORY BUT
ALSO WHERE WE'RE GOING IN LIGHT
OF SOME OF THE TRANSITION. WE'RE
MAKING ALSO AROUND ENERGY, SO I
APPRECIATE THESE HAVE NOT BEEN
EASY CONVERSATIONS. YOU ARE ALL
DOING IT TODAY WITH THE SMILE. I
LOVE THE ALL WOMEN PANEL, BY THE
WAY, UM AND, UM, BUT THEY HAVE
BEEN DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AND
I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT
THEY'VE BEEN DIFFICULT, UM,
CONVERSATIONS AND THAT WE HAVE
MORE MORE CONVERSATIONS PENDING
LOCALLY. UM AND I KNOW MANY OF
OUR YOU KNOW LOCAL ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND AGENCIES. THERE
ARE ALSO HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS, BUT I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE, UM, THAT THERE IS A
WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE BECAUSE I
THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.
SO THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU,
SENATOR LEONE. UH, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS? OK UM, WELL, I WANNA
THANK YOU ALL FOR A GREAT
PRESENTATION. AND, UH, I JUST
HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.
UM, FOR MISS PATCH. UM I, I
GUESS I'M WONDERING IN AN IDEAL
WORLD. WHAT WOULD YOU SEE AS THE
TRIBE'S ROLE IN MANAGING TRIBAL
COASTAL SANCTUARIES? THAT IS A
GREAT QUESTION. UM I AM NOT A
MEMBER OF THE NORTHERN SHES
TRIBAL COUNCIL. I AM ONE OF
THEIR EMPLOYEES. SO THAT IS A
KEY DISTINCTION TO MAKE. I CAN'T
FULLY SPEAK FOR THE TRIBE IN
EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE,
BUT MEANINGFUL, NOT JUST
INCLUSION, BUT COLLABORATION AND
LEADERSHIP IS SOMETHING THAT
I'VE HEARD FROM MOST, IF NOT ALL
, THE CENTRAL COAST TRIBES AND
THAT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE
ONLY HAVE ONE FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBE ON THE CENTRAL
COAST AND ABOUT 10 NON FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES. SO THAT IS
TALKING ABOUT HOW DOES A FEDERAL
AGENCY MOVE TOWARDS EQUITABLE
COLLABORATION OF ALL TRIBAL
VOICES THAT LUCKILY WE HAVE
ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF A
SANCTUARY AND WHAT I'VE HEARD
FROM NOAH IS AN INTENT TO
INCORPORATE A TRIBAL
COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORK THAT CAN
BE ADAPTIVE TO MEET NEEDS AND
CONTINUE TO GROW AND BECOME
BETTER AS THE SANCTUARY
CONTINUES FORWARD, SO THAT IS
REALLY EXCITING. UM AND THE
OTHER THING IS THAT AGAIN,
THERE'S OVER 10 TRIBES ON THE
CENTRAL COAST. AND THERE IS
DIFFERENCE IN OPINION ON WHO
WANTS TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT
ASPECTS WHO HAS CAPACITY TO BE
INVOLVED IN WHICH ASPECTS UM,
BUT I THINK ACROSS THE BOARD,
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND
TRIBES WANT TO BE PART OF
LEADING, UM AND NOT JUST GIVEN A
STAKEHOLDER SEAT AT THE TABLE
BUT BE SEEN AS COLLABORATIVE
LEADERS WITH NOAA IN THIS
PROCESS. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THAT, UH, FOR MS
GARCIA. SEE WHAT WHAT TYPES OF
PROTECTIONS DO YOU THINK THE
STATE SHOULD SEEK IN? NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY AREAS. UM UH,
FOR OUR GOALS. UH, 30 BY 30 HERE
. WHAT? WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE
STATE PRIORITIES VIS A VIS
FEDERAL THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION. UM SO SOME OF THE
MANAGEMENT ACTIONS UM, OR
EXAMPLES OF ENHANCED PROTECTIONS
WITHIN SANCTUARIES COULD BE
MANDATORY VESSEL SPEED ROLLS
THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY REDUCE NOISE
POLLUTION, UM, AS WELL AS VESSEL
STRIKES FOR MARINE MAMMALS. UM
OR, FOR EXAMPLE, ROPE, LESS
FIXED GEAR, PILOT PROJECTS. UM
BUT REALLY, JUST THE BIG PICTURE
IS TAKING A LOOK AT SPECIFIC
AREAS WITHIN THE SANCTUARIES.
AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO ADDRESS
THE STRESS OR SPECIFIC TO THOSE
AREAS, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. UM
AND THEN COUNTING THOSE AREAS
TOWARD 30 BY 30, AS OPPOSED TO
JUST DEEMING THE ENTIRE
SANCTUARY AS MEETING THE
DEFINITION OF CONSERVED. A
LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN
FINALLY, UM M DROS, UH,
APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY. I
LOVE TO EAT FISH I. I JUST HAD A
TON OF AHI POKE LAST WEEKEND
BECAUSE I WAS IN HAWAII AND, UM
UH, I BUT I, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY
, WE ARE FACING AN EXTINCTION
CRISIS RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S
OBVIOUSLY WHAT 30 BY 30 IS MEANT
TO ADDRESS AND YOU KNOW, I. I
GUESS I HEARD CONFLICTING
TESTIMONY AND II. I GUESS I WAS
WONDERING IF YOU COULD ELABORATE
ON TWO THINGS. UH, YOU KIND OF
DESCRIBED THE GROSS CATCH FROM
LIKE, 20 YEARS AGO VERSUS TODAY.
UM BUT HOW ARE WE SEEING? ARE
YOU SEEING A DIFFERENTIAL IN
CATCH BETWEEN THE MP, A S¼ AND
THE NON MPAS AS DIRECTOR BONHAM
DESCRIBED AND I GUESS THE SECOND
PART OF THAT QUESTION IS, UH,
YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT WE'RE
TRYING TO BALANCE UM YOU KNOW
THE LIVELIHOOD OF COMMERCIAL
FISHERMEN? UH, YOU KNOW
CALIFORNIANS WHO LOVE TO EAT
FISH, AND, UM, BUT ALSO TRYING
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
BOLSTERING BIODIVERSITY THAT
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE LONG
RUN HERE AND, UH, WE NOT JUST
WITH OVERFISHING, BUT WITH THE
CLIMATE CRISIS AND THE EFFECTS
OF THAT WHICH WE HEARD DETAILED
TESTIMONY ON WHAT DO YOU SEE AS
THE RIGHT BALANCE? I THOUGHT
THAT WAS A BIG QUESTION. THANK
YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE,
UM THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UM SO THE FIRST PART YOU WERE
ASKING ABOUT SORT OF THE CATCH?
YEAH, BECAUSE YOU DESCRIBED. I
THINK IN YOUR TESTIMONY THAT WE
ARE SEEING ON AVERAGE DECLINE IN
YIELD, BUT BUT THAT COULD BE FOR
A LOT OF REASONS RIGHT,
INCLUDING. I THINK A LOT OF
PEOPLE BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE IS
CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO
THE DECREASE IN BIODIVERSITY
GENERALLY, AND PRESUMABLY, THAT
IT WOULD IMPACT YOUR YIELD. BUT
ARE YOU SEEING AS DIRECTOR
BONHAM DESCRIBED? UH, I THINK IN
SOME DETAIL THAT THAT THERE IS A
LARGER CATCH AND YIELD. UH AND I
DON'T KNOW ALL THE TERMINOLOGY
HERE IN IN MP A S¼ THAT ARE THAT
THAT WE'RE SEEING. IN OTHER
WORDS, SUCCESS THERE IN
BOLSTERING FISH POPULATIONS. IS
THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD
SPEAK TO SORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW,
WE ARE SEEING A DECLINE OVERALL
IN COMMERCIAL FISH LANDINGS IN
CALIFORNIA. THAT'S I'M NOT
SAYING THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE MP
A S¼, UM, THAT IS JUST A GENERAL
NUMBER. UM I THINK THE MP A S¼
HAVE RESTRICTED FROM THE FISHING
PERSPECTIVE HAS RESTRICTED
ACCESS. I THINK THE NUMBERS THAT
DIRECTOR BONHAM IS LOOKING AT
DON'T INCLUDE JUST COMMERCIAL
LANDINGS. LIKELY THERE'S UM YOU
KNOW, RECREATIONAL COMMERCIAL
FISHING IS NOT ALLOWED IN MANY
OF THE MP A AREAS SO WE WOULDN'T
HAVE YOU KNOW A DIRECT A DIRECT
CORRELATION THERE, SO I WAS
MERELY SPEAKING TO THE
GENERALITIES OF COMMERCIAL
FISHING LANDINGS AND PRODUCTION
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AROUND THAT UM, I THINK OVERALL
THE MP A S¼, UH, I DON'T THINK
THAT WE HAVE. I MEAN, SOME
FISHERMEN DO HAVE A NEGATIVE
VIEW OF IT BECAUSE THERE'S LESS
AREAS THAT THEY USED TO BE ABLE
TO FISH THAT THEY CANNOT. BUT
OVERALL WE'VE ADAPTED TO THAT.
UM, I THINK THE WAY TO BALANCE
WHAT? WHAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING
IN TERMS OF THE BALANCE OF OUR
BIODIVERSITY IS THERE WERE A LOT
OF PLACES WHERE THERE WEREN'T
PENNIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
CLOSED IN THAT PREVIOUS PROCESS
THAT WERE CHOSEN NOT TO BE FOR
WHATEVER REASON, UM, THERE SEEMS
TO BE JUST FROM LOOKING AT THE,
UM, PAPERWORK THAT'S INVOLVED IN
THIS PROCESS THAT THE PATHWAYS
THE SANCTUARY INFORMATION THAT
THERE IS A LOT OF PLACES WHERE
THERE'S BIODIVERSITY ALREADY
SOME LEVEL OF CONSERVATION OR
COMMERCIAL FISHING. HAS IS
HAPPENING, OR MAYBE ISN'T
HAPPENING THAT WE COULD HIT THAT
30% GOAL WITHOUT REDUCING ANY
COMMERCIAL FISHING OPPORTUNITIES
. THAT'S MY HOPE FROM LOOKING AT
EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT.
IN THAT WAY. WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR
CULTURE. MAINTAIN FOOD
PRODUCTION. UM AND THESE ARE
ALSO AN ECONOMIC DRIVERS IN OUR
POOR COMMUNITIES AND IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IT'S NOT
JUST THE COMMERCIAL FISHING
FLEETS THE MONEY IN THE
FISHERMEN'S POCKETS. IT'S ABOUT
ALL OF THE SUPPORTING BUSINESSES
THAT WE'RE LOSING. WE'RE LOSING
INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE'S CRITICAL
WORK BEING DONE ON. PORT
INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT WHAT DO YOU
NEED PORT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IF
THERE'S NOTHING COMING INTO THE
PORTS, SO THERE'S A WHOLE LOT.
THAT'S UH, YOU KNOW OF ECONOMIC
DRIVERS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO
THIS AS WELL. SO I'M HOPING THE
BALANCES THAT WE CAN GET BEYOND
30% IT LOOKED LIKE FROM SOME OF
THE NUMBERS IN THE DOCUMENTATION
AND CONTINUE TO PRODUCE WILD
SEAFOOD. WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. I. I APPRECIATE YOU
BEING HERE. I HOPE WE CONTINUE
TO HAVE YOU AS PART OF THOSE
DISCUSSIONS AS HE DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT,
UH, WITH THAT, UM, THANK YOU.
PANELISTS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY
AND YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR
EXPERTISE. UH, IT IS NOW TIME TO
INVITE PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO FOR
EVERYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
PROVIDE THE PUBLIC COMMENT,
PLEASE LINE UP AT THE FRONT. AND
UH, JUST, UH, GIVEN OUR TIME,
LIMITED TIME TODAY, I'M GOING TO
WE HAVE 15 MINUTES. UH, I'D ASK
THAT THOSE TESTIFYING HERE IN
PERSON LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO
ONE MINUTE EACH THANK YOU MAY
PROCEED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
CHAIRMAN, UM, FOR A VERY
INTERESTING AND INSIGHTFUL SET
OF PANELS IN CONVERSATION. I'M
JENNIFER FEARING I'M HERE TODAY
ON BEHALF OF PEW. CHARITABLE
TRUST. I WANNA THANK YOU AND
OTHERS WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING TO
CALIFORNIA'S ONGOING
COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP,
PURSUING DURABLE PROTECTION AND
MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE'S LAND
AND WATERS THROUGH 30 BY 30
OTHER INITIATIVES. PEW HOPES
THAT 30 BY 30 IN CALIFORNIA WILL
SEEK TO MITIGATE THE THREATS,
MOST IMPACTING CONSERVED LANDS
AND WATERS. èC N R, A WHILE
TASKED TO IMPLEMENT 30 BY 30
WILL ABSOLUTELY RELY ON THE CO
ORDINATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
FROM OTHER AGENCIES IN ORDER TO
MEET THE GOALS. CALIFORNIA'S
ESTUARIES PROVIDE A GOOD EXAMPLE
OF THIS NEED BRIDGING LAND AND
COASTAL WATERS LAND BASED
IMPACTS, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT
AND WATER POLLUTION, AMONG
OTHERS, POSE MAJOR THREATS TO
TIDAL, WETLANDS, EEL, GRASS,
MEADOWS AND OVERALL ESTUARY.
HEALTH OFTEN TIMES IMPACTS THAT
ARE MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN COME
FROM FISHING, AS WAS MENTIONED.
ADDITIONALLY SEA LEVEL RISE
MEANS TIDAL WETLANDS NEED ROOM
TO MOVE IF THEY ARE TO CONTINUE
PROVIDING CO BENEFITS TO PEOPLE
IN NATURE, INCLUDING CARBON
STORAGE AND FLOOD PROTECTION TO
DESIGN FOR THESE TYPES OF
CHALLENGES. THE BY 30 EFFORT
MUST TAP THE EXPERTISE AND
EXPERIENCE OF FOLKS LIKE THE
STATE AND REGIONAL WATER BOARDS
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, STATE
FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE WORK,
COLLABORATION AND CO MANAGEMENT
WITH TRIBES AND YOUR CONTINUED
LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT ARE ALL
NEEDED. AND JUST LASTLY, I WANT
TO APPLAUD SENATOR ALLEN'S
LEADERSHIP AND THE CENTRAL COAST
CAUCUSES, SUPPORT FOR A CLIMATE
BOND AND ECHO THE NEED FOR FUNDS
TO IMPLEMENT 30 BY 30 COASTAL
RESILIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE PRIORITIES, AND WE'RE
PROUD TO STAND WITH THEM MORE
THAN 150 ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE
BACKING ROBUST AND ECUADOR
CLIMATE BOND TO SEND TO VOTERS
THIS NOVEMBER. SO AS ALWAYS, PEW
SEEKS TO BE AN ALLY TO YOU IN
THIS WORK, AND, UM WE APPRECIATE
THE CONVERSATION TODAY. THANKS.
FEARING NEXT WE PROCEED. MORNING
SENATOR MIN AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS WAYNE COW WITH THE
COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
OF CALIFORNIA. WE REPRESENT THE
RECREATIONAL ANGLING COMMUNITY.
THE ENEMY TO OUR COASTAL
ECOSYSTEM. BIODIVERSITY ARE
HUMANS. WE'RE THE WAY WE'RE THE
ONES THAT ARE CAUSING THE
POLLUTION THAT'S HURTING OUR
COASTLINE RIGHT NOW. THE
AGRICULTURE RUNOFF SEWER RUNOFF,
RAW SEWAGE RELEASES ARE HURTING
THE WHOLE COASTLINE. THEY NEED
TO BE CURVED. IF WE DON'T DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT, THE
BIODIVERSITY THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO PROTECT WITH 30 BY 30 OR MP
S¼ ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. WE'RE
POLLUTING THE WATER. THE WATER
IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE
ECOSYSTEMS. FISHERMEN UH, ARE
NOT WITHOUT FAULT IN WHAT WE DO.
BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
EVERYBODY. THE COMMUNITY
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, FEDERAL
AND STATE PARTNERS, YOU HEARD
ABOUT PEOPLE GOING TO THE
PACIFIC FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
COUNCIL, THE FEDERAL AGENCY WITH
NOAA. WE WERE JUST THERE FOR SIX
DAYS OVER THE WEEKEND, WORKING
ON GROUND FISH AND SALMON AND
OTHER SPECIES. WE TAKE THIS VERY
SERIOUSLY. WE ARE
CONSERVATIONISTS. WE'RE HERE TO
CONSERVE OUR RESOURCES, SO WE
STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEM. UM AS
FAR AS THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
WE PARTICIPATE IN THE SAMPLING
PROJECTS. WE WORK WITH EVERY
AGENCY COUNCIL COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT ON TRYING TO FIND
REAL SOLUTIONS TO WHAT IS
PLAGUING OUR COASTLINE, OUR
ECOSYSTEMS AND OUR HABITAT. WE
BELIEVE IN THE PREMISE OF
EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH
30 BY 30. BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO ACCESS
WITHOUT SCIENTIFIC PROOF FOR
NECESSITY. THAT'S OUR BIGGEST
PROBLEM. IF WE'RE GOING TO SHUT
THINGS DOWN, THAT'S GREAT IF
THEY'RE SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT
SAYS IT'S NECESSARY. OUR
RELATIONSHIP AND FOCUS TO WORK
TOGETHER IN FINDING SOLUTIONS AS
REAL TO THE REAL PROBLEMS THAT
ARE SCIENCE BASED AND HAVE, UH,
HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER WITH ALL
OF THESE GROUPS. YOU COULD WRAP
UP. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK
YOU. DIRECTOR BOTTOM TALKED
ABOUT THE LICENSING SALES AND
ANGLER PARTICIPATION. THAT IS
TRUE. IT'S UP. BUT DON'T TAKE IT
OUT OF CONTEXT, BECAUSE WHAT'S
HAPPENING IS WE'VE HAD ACCESS TO
BETTER FISH. BUT WE'RE HAVING TO
GO FARTHER TO GET THEM. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU.
NEXT STEP. GOOD MORNING CHAIR
AND MEMBERS GINA MOHAVE WITH
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEE
HOLDING THIS HEARING. I'M HERE
TO URGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR FUNDING
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
CALIFORNIA'S 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE
IN THE FACE OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL
CRISIS. IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT
WE'RE TAKING BOLD ACTION TO
PROTECT OUR PLANET AND ITS
BIODIVERSITY BY CONSERVING AT
LEAST 30% OF OUR LAND AND OUR
OCEANS BY 2030 WERE NOT ONLY
SAFEGUARDING COUNTLESS SPECIES
AND ECOSYSTEMS, BUT ALSO
FORTIFYING OUR RESILIENCE
AGAINST THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE.
CHANGE. ACHIEVING THESE GOALS IS
NOT JUST ABOUT PRESERVING NATURE
. IT'S ABOUT EQUITY AND JUSTICE
BY INVESTING IN CONSERVATION
EFFORTS. THIS ENSURES THAT ALL
CALIFORNIANS, REGARDLESS OF ZIP
CODE HAVE LASTING ACCESS TO
GREEN SPACES AS WELL AS CLEAN
AIR AND WATER. PRIORITIZING THE
FUNDING. UM FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 30 BY 30
INITIATIVE IS AN ABSOLUTE
NECESSITY FOR US TO ACHIEVE THE
STATE'S COASTAL WATER GOALS. WE
NEED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
PROTECT OUR COASTAL WATERS,
UPLIFT MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES
AND BUILD A MORE SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
RACHEL LUCINE. I'M THE OCEAN
CONSERVATION ASSOCIATE WITH
ENVIRONMENT, CALIFORNIA. UH,
FIRST I WANT TO THANK Ó P èC
FOR SPEARHEADING THE CREATION OF
THE 30 BY 30 TECHNICAL ADVISORY
PANEL. UH, THEIR DEDICATION TO
ASSEMBLING A GROUP OF EXPERTS IS
FUNDAMENTAL IN GUIDING OUR STATE
TOWARD EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR
ACHIEVING THIS AMBITIOUS
CONSERVATION GOAL. ONE KEY
AVENUE FOR REALIZING THE 30 BY
30 VISION IS THROUGH THE
ESTABLISHMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS. THESE
DESIGNATED ZONES SERVE
SANCTUARIES FOR MARINE LIFE,
ALLOWING E TO THRIVE AND
REGENERATE. WE HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO
STRENGTHEN OUR MP A NETWORK
THROUGH ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT,
ENSURING THESE AREAS ARE NOT
JUST STATIC, BUT EVOLVE WITH THE
CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR OCEANS.
THERE ARE 17 PROPOSALS UNDER
CONSIDERATION RIGHT NOW AT THE
FISH AND GAME COMMISSION THAT
WOULD MAKE A MEANINGFUL STEP
TOWARDS THIS GOAL, AND WE URGE
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
ADMINISTRATION TO ACTIVELY
SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS IN OUR
PURSUIT OF 30 BY 30. THE STATE
IS ALSO EXPLORING VARIOUS
STRATEGIES, INCLUDING NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARIES, AND Ó E,
èC M S¼. IT IS CRUCIAL,
HOWEVER, THAT WHEN DECIDING WHAT
QUALIFIES AS CONSERVATION
TOWARDS THE 30 BY 30 GOAL, UH
THAT WE ADHERE TO HIGH STANDARDS
, WE MUST PRIORITIZE STRONG
PROTECTIONS THAT DELIVER
TANGIBLE CONSERVATION BENEFITS
AND SAFEGUARD THE ECOLOGICAL
INTEGRITY OF OUR COASTAL WATERS.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT THE LEGISLATURE
REMAINS ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED TO
PUSH THE ADMINISTRATION TO REACH
THE 30% TARGET WITH A COMMITMENT
TO ROBUST PROTECTION STANDARDS.
BY DOING SO, WE ARE NOT ONLY,
UH, FULFILLING OUR RESP
RESPONSIBILITY TO FUTURE
GENERATIONS BUT ALSO
CONTRIBUTING TO HEALTHIER, MORE
RESILIENT MARINE ENVIRONMENT FOR
ALL CALIFORNIANS. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION TO THIS
CRITICAL ISSUE. X. HØI MY NAME
IS ANGELA GEORGIANS, AND I'M A
THIRD YEAR UNDERGRAD AT UC DAVIS
AS WELL AS AN INTERN WITH
ENVIRONMENT, CALIFORNIA AS
SOMEONE BORN AND RAISED IN THE
COASTAL CITY OF NIS, CALIFORNIA
I GREW UP DOLPHIN SPOTTING WITH
MY PARENTS AND TAKING CLASS
FIELD TRIPS TO THE TIDE POOLS.
CALIFORNIA'S AMBITIOUS 30 BY 30
GOAL IS CRUCIAL TO PROTECTING
OUR STATE'S COASTAL BIODIVERSITY
AND ENSURING FUTURE GENERATIONS
CAN ENJOY ALL THE SAME
EXPERIENCES THAT I HAVE. ONE OF
THE MOST DIRECT WAYS TO ACHIEVE.
30 BY 30 IS TO STRENGTHEN AND
EXPAND CALIFORNIA'S EXISTING
NETWORK OF MARINE PROTECTED
AREAS. SERVE AS CRUCIAL PLACES
OF REFUGE FOR MARINE LIFE. IN
PARTICULAR, THE CURRENT DECATUR
REVIEW OF THE MPA NETWORK
PROVIDES A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS
TOWARDS 30 BY 30. IN LIGHT OF
THIS, I ASK THAT THE LEGISLATURE
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR
INCREASED MARINE PROTECTION IN
OUR WATERS AND UPHOLD THE
STATE'S PLEDGE TO MAINTAIN THE
BEAUTY OF OUR COSIGN FOR
GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. UH SEEING NOONE ELSE
OUT THERE. I JUST WANT TO REMIND
THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'RE WELCOME
TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS TO
THE COMMITTEE, AND ALL COMMENTS
SUBMITTED THIS WAY WILL BE PART
OF THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR THIS
HEARING. UH SEEING NÓ OTHER
WITNESSES HERE. I WANT TO THANK
THE PANELISTS WHO TESTIFIED
TODAY AND ALL TO ALL THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDED PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO
TESTIFY IN PERSON AGAIN, YOU CAN
SUBMIT COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR
SUGGESTIONS IN WRITING TO THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND
WATER COMMITTEE OR VISIT OUR
WEBSITE BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE WANT
TO INCLUDE YOUR TESTIMONY IN THE
OFFICIAL HEARING RECORDS. THANK
YOU ALL AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR
PARTICIPATION, PATIENCE AND
COOPER OPERATION. WE'VE
CONCLUDED THE AGENDA AND THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND
WATER COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED.