The LA Times reported that the federal government has proposed doubling the size of the marine sanctuaries around the Cordell Bank and Farallon Islands. This would protect over a third of California’s offshore waters from offshore oil drilling, mining and dumping. The protected area would go from Cambria in San Luis Obispo County to Point Arena in Mendocino County.
Congressional approval is not necessary. The expanded sanctuary can be created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration following standard procedures under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to adjust the sanctuary boundaries. The national marine sanctuaries do not usually place any restrictions on fishing. California marine sanctuaries in state water may place restrictions on fishing.
Read more at: Huge expansion of U.S. protection for N. Calif. waters proposed – latimes.com.
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