President Joe Biden designated 4,543 square miles of waters off California’s central coast as the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, making it the U.S.’s third-largest marine sanctuary. This new sanctuary aims to protect vital ecological, cultural, and historical resources, particularly honoring the Chumash people’s heritage. It also supports biodiversity, research, tourism, and the coexistence of sustainable ocean uses, including offshore wind energy development. The designation represents a victory for the Chumash people, who have pushed for this protection for decades, and is part of Biden’s America the Beautiful Initiative to conserve 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. The sanctuary will be managed collaboratively between NOAA and local Indigenous tribes.
