Safeguarding our Coast and Ocean
When you head to the beach, launch a kayak, explore an estuary, or spend a day on the water in West Marin, you want to know whether that water is safe.
Thanks to support from the Mary A. Crocker Foundation and supporters like you, we help provide the scientific monitoring, volunteer coordination, advocacy, and education necessary to turn water quality data into public information, informed policy, and a healthier watershed for humans and wildlife alike.
The California Department of Fish & Wildlife (Department) has released its long-awaited marine protected area (MPA) petition evaluations.
Last week, we met with Supervisor Rodoni’s office and community representatives and discussed our shared values around the reef and potential ways to move forward. This was a good start to what will become many more conversations, and we plan to continue exploring ways to work together, a desire that has been echoed by Supervisor Rodoni, Marin County Parks, and Congressman Huffman.
We are open to balanced solutions that could allow for some fishing while still providing greater regulatory protection for this sensitive habitat and special place—a need that has been highlighted by educators, scientists, professors, and environmental groups.
We would like to provide an update on our petition to increase protections at Duxbury Reef by turning it into a full marine reserve. Duxbury Reef is already an existing state marine conservation area, which is a type of marine protected area (MPA).
This petition is our recommendation for a proposed regulation change that would better protect Duxbury Reef’s unique and vulnerable intertidal habitat and the amazing creatures that live there, like crabs, turban snails, and octopi. Our request is based on the peer-reviewed science that fully protected reserves are the most effective in preserving and restoring biodiversity and in gaining public understanding of regulations, and based on Marin MPA Watch human use data (collected since 2013 as part of a statewide community science program) which has shown high levels of visitation and unpermitted take at the reef, as well as the recommendations of local agencies and scientists.
The Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC) recognizes that there are concerns in the Bolinas community regarding our petition to increase protections at the existing Duxbury Reef State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) by designating it as a State Marine Reserve (SMR) and expanding its boundaries north and south to cover the entirety of the reef habitat. We are also aware that there are misconceptions about what the petition would do, and we seek to clarify them.
On June 10th, we spoke at the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) meeting to discuss California’s 30x30 initiative and how its framework will apply to coastal waters, as well as advocating for funding for marine protected area enforcement. In 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order known as the “30x30” initiative, which set the goal of conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. 30x30 was designed to foster collaboration among various organizations to conserve and restore biodiversity, expand access to nature, and mitigate and build resilience to climate change. Jointly, we submitted written comment letters and presented oral comments at the June 10th meeting, encouraging a strong conservation standard for the 30x30 framework, or Roadmap to Achieving 30x30 in California’s Coastal Waters.
Sir David Attenborough has released a powerful new film, Ocean, in which he states, “if we save the sea, we save the world.” This comes after California’s MPA network was added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List, highlighting its importance as a model for science-based marine conservation.
On July 16th & 17th, we participated in the Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resources Committee in Sacramento, speaking on multiple topics, including the draft framework to evaluate MPA petitions. We also submitted supplemental comments for our Duxbury petition to increase protections at Duxbury Reef, so this unique and incredibly biodiverse habitat can be maintained and enjoyed by visitors for many years to come.
As attacks on landmark environmental laws like the California Environmental Quality Act and the Coastal Act mount, we continue to champion coastal protection, clean water, and public access. Throughout the spring and summer, we’ve worked with partners across the state, taking a leading role in advocating for strong environmental protections for West Marin and statewide, advocating on issues like coastal resources, water pollution, offshore oil drilling, and environmental review. Learn more about the state bills we are tracking, a recap from California Ocean Day, and how you can get involved in legislative advocacy and opposing offshore oil.
As of June 13th, nineteen gray whales have washed up dead along Bay Area shores this year, including at West Marin locations such as Point Reyes National Seashore, Bolinas, and Rodeo Beach.
This year’s alarming death toll represents a sharp spike within an already troubling long-term trend. Although researchers have not recorded this level of gray whale mortality in the Bay Area since 2000, elevated losses have been observed range-wide in recent years. From 2018 to 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared an Unusual Mortality Event for the species, during which the population declined by an estimated 40%.
On March 13th, EAC participated in the Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resources Committee (MRC) in Sacramento. We spoke on multiple topics, including aquaculture, fisheries, and marine protected areas (MPAs). We raised concerns about San Andreas Shellfish Company’s newly proposed aquaculture lease in Tomales Bay, urged the Commission to continue its harvest moratorium on the severely declining red abalone, and learned more about the MPA petition process, which we will continue tracking closely as we advocate for our Duxbury Reef petition. Thanks to your support, we can continue to advocate for marine coastal issues!
Governor Gavin Newsom needs to stand up for the California Coastal Act and the Coastal Commission, which were created through voter support in Proposition 20 nearly 50 years ago. The federal officials’ recent threat to withhold disaster funding is a cruel attack on Los Angeles residents who have already lost so much.
BREAKING! Good news: EAC's petition to turn Drakes Estero into a full marine reserve was approved unanimously at the California Fish and Game Commission meeting in Sacramento on December 11th.
What Does This Mean for Public Access?
The proposed change will not impact public access at all. You will still be able to enjoy the Estero by paddle or foot.
What will Change?
Once the regulation is changed, recreational clamming will no longer be allowed at this location, further protecting the marine biodiversity.
On September 26, 2024, EAC was invited to present at the Golden Gate Collaborative meeting, which was held at the San Francisco Zoo. EAC’s Executive Director, Ashley Eagle-Gibbs presented our marine protected area (MPA) petitions. EAC’s Program Director was also in attendance remotely, and she is one of the Golden Gate Collaborative Co-chairs. Other topics of the meeting included 30x30 public comment on the Draft Framework, group, and collaborative updates.
Sara Worden of the California Fish and Wildlife Department (CDFW) also presented the next steps for the petition process, including prioritizing the review of Bin 1 petitions, which includes EAC’s Drakes Estero petition.
On July 17th, Ashley Eagle-Gibbs (EAC Executive Director) and Amina Khribeche (EAC Legal & Policy summer intern) participated in the Fish and Game Commission’s Marine Resources Committee meeting in Santa Rosa. The July 17th meeting was focused on Marine Protected Area (MPA) regulation change petitions evaluation process and changes to our existing MPA network for adaptive management.
On July 18th, Amina attended the Committee meeting virtually to speak on fisheries and aquaculture issues including, fishery bycatch evaluation for fisheries management review, and applications for new aquaculture leases.
California’s coast is one of the state’s most valuable and scenic resources. Our state boasts over 420 public beaches and approximately 840 miles of coastline, extending from the border of Mexico up to the state of Oregon. Unlike most states, within the California Constitution, the guarantee to the public right of access to our state’s beaches, ocean, and navigable waterways is enshrined. Each and every person is entitled to the enjoyment of our coastline, its recreational opportunities, its beauty, and the natural resources it has to offer.
Given the pristine and diverse nature of California’s coast, it is of paramount concern that the entire coast be protected and preserved, along with the regulatory mechanisms that protect it, such as the California Coastal Act. Unfortunately, the Act has been under attack recently, where housing is being pitted against our coastal resources. Read about EAC's victory in protecting the Act!
Over the past year, we played a pivotal role as the fiscal sponsor for the Cleaner California Coast Initiative, managing efforts across Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. This initiative aims to preserve California's coastal regions through public education, community engagement, and conservation activities, promoting responsible recreation and reducing pollution. By partnering with the Leave No Trace organization and local, state, and federal working group members, we ensured the use of best practices for environmental stewardship.
There's a popular belief among some members of the state Legislature that coastal protection policies are preventing developers from building multifamily housing in coastal cities.
But where’s the evidence? When pressed, supporters of bills like AB 2560—a proposal to strip away environmental and public access regulations in exchange for more dense housing in the coastal zone—simply point to the complaints from disgruntled developers.
On May 7th, Ashley, Leslie, and Grace went to California's capital to advocate for policies that protect our ocean and coast!
We advocated primarily on phasing out single-use plastic materials, the importance of marine protected areas, making state beaches equitable and accessible for all, engaging tribes and communities in offshore wind, and against AB 2560 a bill that attacks the Coastal Act. We were joined by CALPIRG students who led the plastics advocacy, pushing for a plastic bag ban.
