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CCMA releases unprecedented report on whales, fish, birds, and invertebrates found in the Chanel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Southern California Shores

CCMA releases unprecedented report on whales, fish, birds, and invertebrates found in the Chanel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Southern California Shores

The Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment recently completed the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken to understand large-scale marine biogeography with the release of A Biogeographic Assessment of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, a report on the distribution of marine flora, fauna, and physical oceanography in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS or sanctuary) and offshore southern California.  The 215-page report, available online to researchers and the public, is a result of a three-year collaboration to compile and assess information.

The biogeographic study of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and surrounding area, conducted in collaboration with more than 75 members of the local research community, builds on a previous assessment, developed for California's other three national marine sanctuaries: Gulf of the Farallones, Cordell Bank, and Monterey Bay (NOAA, 2003). Both efforts were undertaken to support the management plan revision process mandated for each sanctuary, currently underway.

A key future management decision that will utilize the assessment, along with other information sources, is whether or not to change the CINMS boundaries.  From 1999 through 2001 sanctuary boundary expansion was an issue the public frequently raised as part of the CINMS management plan review.  In 2002, the NMSP announced that the sanctuary's revised management plan (to be released in 2006) will not include a proposal for changing the sanctuary's boundaries; however, this will be considered in a future Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.

The local research community provided information and data for geographic and statistical analyses, resulting in a variety of products that improve the overall understanding of species distribution patterns and biologically significant zones within southern California. The report includes maps of habitat suitability models for 15 invertebrates such as abalone, sea urchins and spiny lobsters and 12 fish species including sharks, seabass and lingcod.  Maps indicating distribution and estimated density for 11 bird species include Xantus’s murrelets, Cassins auklet, and cormorants. Maps of distribution and density for 19 species of marine mammals include seals, sea lions, humpback whales, blue whales, gray whales, orcas, bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins.

In addition to the hard copy report, a digital version along with much of the GIS data utilized is available both via a DVD and the project website.

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary encompasses a 1,658-square-mile portion of the Santa Barbara Channel surrounding the five northern Channel Islands off the southern California coast.  Twenty-seven dolphins and whale species, including the world’s largest aggregation of blue whales, are found within the sanctuary. Six species of seals and sea lions including the California sea lion, Guadalupe fur seal, and northern elephant seal also call the Channel Islands home.  Additionally, dozens of breeding and migrating sea birds, and a multitude of fish and invertebrate species are found within the sanctuary.  CINMS is also ranked as one of the top ten dive locations in the world, and includes prime fishing grounds.

The NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program seeks to increase the public awareness of America’s marine resources and maritime heritage by conducting scientific research, monitoring, exploration and educational programs.  Today, the NMSP manages 13 national marine sanctuaries and one coral reef ecosystem reserve that together encompass more than 150,000 square miles of America’s ocean and Great Lakes natural and cultural resources

NOAA's National Ocean Service manages the NMSP and is an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners and nearly 60 countries to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes.

CINMS study: please contact Randy.Clark@noaa.gov (NCCOS; 301-713-3028 x 157), or Michael.Murray@noaa.gov (NMSP; 805-966-7107)