- Details
- By Jenna Kunze
A 7,000 square mile area off the central coast of California that includes ancestral Native sites and unique biodiversity is underway to become the first tribal-led marine sanctuary in the U.S.
On Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—the federal agency in charge of fisheries and marine mammal protection— forwarded the Northern Chumash Tribe’s proposal for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary to public comment, the first step in a designation process.
Want more Native News? Get the free daily newsletter today.
The Chumash people have occupied the central coast area for more than 20,000 years, according to the Northern Chumash tribal records. The proposed site—adjacent to San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and situated between two previously designated marine sanctuaries, Channel Islands and Monterey— would protect submerged villages of tribal ancestors.
Additionally, the area’s confluence of warm and cool waters make it a feeding ground for several threatened or engaged species, including blue whales, southern sea otters, black abalone, snowy plovers, and leatherback sea turtles. Notably, more than 40 historic shipwrecks have taken place within the proposed boundaries.
All of these are listed as reasons why the late tribal chairman, Fred Collins, fought for this designation for many years. He penned the original sanctuary request in 2015.
Now, his successor and daughter Tribal Council Chairwoman Violet Sage Walker, said the successful designation of the sanctuary will serve as a model of environmental justice.
“Today’s announcement marks a major milestone after more than 40 years of tireless advocacy for ocean protection, and also represents the first tribally nominated sanctuary in the nation,” she said. “Today my father would be proud,” Sage Walker said. “This is one of the things he wanted to see the most.”
The proposal has been met with widespread support from local lawmakers.
In August, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D, CA-24), Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) wrote to the U.S. Commerce Secretary and the NOAA Administrator to request advancement of the proposed sanctuary designation.
“The waters off the Central Coast of California are some of the most biologically diverse and ecologically productive regions in the world,” the letter reads. “Additionally, as outlined in the nomination submitted by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, these waters are essential to the heritage of the Chumash, one of the few ocean-going bands among the First People of the Pacific Coast. Indigenous communities have always been a part of the marine ecosystem, and the Chumash people’s historical memories and knowledge are key to conservation moving forward.”
In response, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement that proposals like the Chumash Heritage sanctuary align with the Bidden-Harris administration’s goal to address climate change.
The designation aligns with the “Indigenous led, nature-based solutions to climate change” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has been petitioning the worldwide need for at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.
“If we are going to be successful in tackling climate change and addressing the biodiversity crisis, we have to empower the original stewards of the land,” Haaland said during a panel discussion.
NOAA is accepting public comments online or by mail through January 10, 2022. The agency is also holding three virtual meetings to hear public input on Dec. 8, Dec. 10, and Jan. 6. To sign up or submit a comment, click here.
More Stories Like This
Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III Joins Oregon Law as Inaugural Oregon Tribes Scholar-in-ResidenceInterior Department Moves to Expand Oil and Gas Development in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve
Feds Release Final Environmental Impact Statement on Oak Flat Mine
Interior Department Announces Over $119 Million for Abandoned Coal Mine Reclamation
Osage Minerals Council Celebrates the Final Dismissal of Hayes II Litigation
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
