Statement of Mike Gravitz, Environment America’s Oceans Advocate
Today, the Senate Commerce Committee approved and referred to the full Senate H.R. 1187, a bill to double the size of the Gulf of Farallones-Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries and protect a unique marine environment off our coast in Northern California.
Marine sanctuaries heal our damaged oceans and protect vulnerable sea animals. At various times during the year, the area hosts more than one third of the world’s whale and dolphin species including the world’s largest concentration of endangered Blue whales, the largest animal on earth. Other endangered marine animals that use the area include Humpback whales, sea turtles and sea birds. The largest concentration of breeding seabirds in the continental U.S. feasts on the rich food produced here, some migrating from as far away as the Midway Atoll in the central Pacific (protected by the new National Marine Monument) and New Zealand to feed.
The committee, led by Sen. Daniel Inouye (Hawaii), approved this bill unanimously for full Senate action. This widely-supported bill passed the House in April with a two-thirds vote. Sponsored chiefly by Sent. Barbara Boxer (Calif.) and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (Calif.) and shepherded through the Oceans Subcommittee by Sen. Maria Cantwell (Wash.), this is a clear victory for far-sighted management of our oceans.
If this bill is enacted, one of the most productive marine ecosystems on earth, the exceptional northern California marine ecosystem, will be protected for generations to come from pollution and offshore drilling. Recognizing the value of the protection for this unique marine area, many local and county governments in the affected area, national environmental groups and commercial fishing groups support this proposal.
The Commerce Committee has now taken a critical step in expanding sanctuary protection for this unique marine environment that is home to an amazing assemblage of marine mammals, fish, sea birds, and sea turtles—a biological hotspot for diversity and abundance. We urge the full Senate to quickly pass the bill, followed by quick final House adoption, so that these places can be protected permanently.
