Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Celebrates 30 Years of Protection

Date: August 17, 2010
Contact: Yvonne Menard, 805-658-5725

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Chris Mobley will commemorate the sanctuary’s 30th anniversary during the September “From Shore to Sea” lectures. Mobley will present a special screening of the sanctuary’s new film “Beneath the Rainbow Bridge, A Journey through the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.”

On September 22, 1980, President Jimmy Carter established our nation's third national marine sanctuary at the Channel Islands. This sanctuary is now one of 14 special marine areas protected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It encompasses 1,470 square miles extending from mean high tide to six nautical miles offshore on each of five Channel Islands.

“Beneath the Rainbow Bridge” is a new 29-minute high-definition film produced by NOAA to highlight the sanctuary’s unique marine ecosystem and conservation efforts. The film shows connections between the land, sea, and humans as explored through the eyes of the Island Chumash, scientists, and children.
 
Additionally, Mobley will discuss future directions of the sanctuary’s research, education, and resource protection programs and the vision to protect sanctuary resources for the enjoyment of future generations. He will describe a new Ocean Science Education Building under construction at the University of California, Santa Barbara. This facility will include NOAA offices and an Outreach Center for Teaching Ocean Science (OCTOS) where sanctuary and university research will be shared with local schools and community members. 

The “From Shore to Sea” lecture series is jointly sponsored by Channel Islands National Park and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary with support from Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. The purpose of the series is to further the understanding of current research on the Channel Islands and surrounding waters. The lectures occur at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 14, 2010, at Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, 113 Harbor Way in the Santa Barbara Harbor and Wednesday, September 15, 2010, at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center, 1901 Spinnaker Drive in the Ventura Harbor. The programs are free and open to the public.