National Marine Sanctuaries
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
America’s ocean treasures are right off our coasts! National marine sanctuaries are special ocean places that have a unique ability to touch people. Thirteen national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument make up the National Marine Sanctuary System. Four are in California: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay and Channel Islands national marine sanctuaries. Dan Basta, Director of the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, talks about how “America’s ocean treasures” help people change how they think about our ocean and create a “community of the committed.”
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A network of marine protected areas (MPAs) are in the process of being established along California’s 1,100 mile coastline. One of the critical aspects of managing these MPAs is enforcement. On this podcast, we talk with California Department of Fish and Game Assistant Chief Tony Warrington about some of the issues surrounding enforcement of MPAs. (Photo credit: California Department of Fish and Game)
The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) directs the state to re-evaluate and re-design California’s network of marine protected areas (MPAs). Becky Ota, Habitat Conservation Program Manager of California’s Department of Fish and Game (Marine Region), discusses how adaptive, long-term management through education and outreach, monitoring, and enforcement will be critical to meet the goals of the MLPA. (Photo courtesy of Alex MacLeod/PISCO UCSC)
One of the responsibilities of our guest, John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources, is to serve as the chair of the Ocean Protection Council which provides scientific research on a number of issues including sea level rise. And, according to the Secretary, recent research leaves little doubt that sea level rise will occur. 
This Thank You Ocean Report podcast celebrates Earth Day with a focus on the ocean. While there are very significant issues facing the ocean, there is also a connection between what goes into the ocean and all of us. Our guest is John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources. (Photo courtesy John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources)
March 9-13, 2011: The 8th Annual San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, the nation’s premier cinemaquatic [R] event, will feature more than 50 adrenaline-drenched and thought-provoking films exploring the beauty, mystery and excitement of the ocean. Learn more from our guest Ana Blanco, the festival’s director. Tickets, starting at $10 adult, $5 children, include free admission to Aquarium of the Bay, a presenting partner along with The Bay Institute and NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries. (Photo courtesy of San Francisco Ocean Film Festival)
San Francisco Bay is said to be the most studied estuary in the world but most of that effort has been focused on the shoreline and tidal wetland areas. Marilyn Latta, Project Manager with the California State Coastal Conservancy, talks about the newly released “San Francisco Bay Subtidal Habitat Goals Report.” It focuses on restoration needs and opportunities for the subtidal habitats in the bay which includes all of the submerged area beneath the water’s surface: mud, shell, sand, rocks, artificial structures, shellfish beds, over 3,700 acres of eelgrass beds, macroalgal beds, and the water column itself. 
