[CINC] CINMS Sanctuary Advisory Group Named Partner of the Year

[Shauna.Bingham at noaa.gov]

Contact:            Shauna Bingham                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
805-729-3275                            October 27, 2009
 
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Group Named Partner of the Year
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council’s Conservation Working Group was named Partner of the Year by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries for its recent landmark accomplishment in developing a comprehensive report on ocean acidification at the California-based sanctuary.
 
Working groups, such as the one at Channel Islands, provide advisory councils at all National Marine Sanctuary sites with input on issues such as education, fishing, conservation, and port and harbor concerns.
 
“The Conservation Working Group remains vigilant to emerging threats and readily jumps in to do the heavy lifting on new issues. This type of volunteerism is immeasurable in its value,” said Chris Mobley, sanctuary superintendent. 
 
In 2008, the Channel Islands advisory council unanimously adopted a report prepared by their Conservation Working Group: “Ocean Acidification and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary: Cause, effect, and response.” The report contains an explanation of ocean acidification and provides recommendations to focus research, monitoring, and education. The  group’s recommendations subsequently were adopted at the 2009 Sanctuary Advisory Council Summit meeting in Alpena, Mich.  
 
Research findings indicate the basic chemistry of the Earth’s ocean is changing because of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from human-related activities.  Scientists believe changes in seawater acidity could harm many calcifying organisms such as corals, mussels, algae and plankton that support marine biodiversity.
 
The Channel Islands ocean acidification report was the fourth completed by the Conservation Working Group.  Previous reports covered water quality, marine anthropogenic noise, and open ocean aquaculture.
 
            For a copy of the Ocean Acidification and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary: Cause, Effect, and Response report, visit: http://www.channelislands.noaa.gov/sac/pdf/CWG_OAR_final.pdf
 
            Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1980 to protect marine resources surrounding San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa and Santa Barbara islands. The sanctuary spans approximately 1,470 square miles, extending from island shorelines to six miles offshore, and encompasses a rich diversity of marine life, habitats and historical and cultural resources.
 
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov. 
 
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On the Web:
 
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary: http://channelislands.noaa.gov 
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov 
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