Support the Proposed Pt. Sal MPA

We have an opportunity to expand Caifornia's Marine Protected Area (MPA) network with the creation of an MPA at Pt. Sal, roughly 50 miles northwest of Pt. Conception.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT:

• Sign the petition for Pt. Sal SMCA
• Write a letter of support and email it to [email protected] ASAP
• May 5 in Santa Barbara: Show up to speak in support at the public hearing.

Officials are developing their recommendations now on several proposed areas. The California Fish & Game Commission is expected to vote to approve or deny them in May 2026. Our state agencies need to hear loud and strong support from the public now! 

Point Sal State Marine Conservation Area 

• Point Sal is part of the ancestral territory of the Chumash people and holds great historical and cultural significance. The Point Sal State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) proposal is co-sponsored by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, and seeks to enhance Tribal co-stewardship. 
  • Designating this MPA would honor and strengthen Chumash stewardship of their ancestral waters, and elevate historical and present-day Chumash connections to the region.
• Point Sal is exceptionally rich ecologically, supporting diverse ocean wildlife and habitats—including kelp beds, rocky reefs, tidepools, sandy beaches, a migratory whale corridor, a critical larval retention zone, and a seabird and sea lion rookery. 
• Point Sal is an important area for baby fish and invertebrates in their earliest phase of life. Protecting it would help maintain these populations and boost ecosystem health. 
• Because Point Sal is remote and accessible only by trail, it remains relatively pristine and healthy. Safeguarding areas like Point Sal is increasingly important amid warming waters, shifting ocean conditions, and expanding uses such as aquaculture, offshore wind, and continued oil and gas activity.
• By adding Point Sal to the state’s MPA network, Central California’s coast will benefit from increased habitat connectivity, representation, and replication – all key to increasing biodiversity in our waters.  
• Safeguarding this unique and relatively undisturbed area now will help bolster ocean health and promote climate resilience into the future. 
• Click here for more information
  
  

Support the Proposed Mishopshno MPA

Mishopshno State Marine Conservation Area 

Note: SBCAN recently received an update on measures taken to alleviate concerns about the proposed MPA and decided to support it.

The California Fish & Game Commission will also consider a proposal to create a Marine Conservation Area at Carpinteria.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT:

• Sign the petition for Mishopshno SMCA
• Write a letter of support and email it to [email protected] ASAP
• May 5 in Santa Barbara: Show up to speak in support at the public hearing.

After hearing concerns from the commercial fishing sector, the SBCANboard decided not to take a position unless, or until, they could get more information.

The Natural Resources Defense Council gives these reasons to support it:

• Designating the Mishopshno SMCA would protect essential habitats—including sandy beaches, rocky reefs, and persistent kelp forests—that are showing signs of degradation.
• Mishopshno is the name of a thriving historical Chumash coastal village nearby where tomols were built, a traditional canoe used for hunting, transportation, and ceremonial voyages.  
  • Designating this MPA would honor and strengthen the Chumash peoples’ stewardship of the area and elevate their historical and present-day connection to the region. 
  • The Mishopshno MPA proposal is co-sponsored by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and seeks to support Tribal co-management and the continued use of marine resources for cultural and subsistence purposes for all Chumash people. 
• The Mishopshno SMCA would protect one of the state’s last remaining persistent kelp forests. California’s iconic kelp forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, with losses exceeding 90% in parts of the state—threatening wildlife, coastal communities, and overall ocean health.
• Including this SMCA in the MPA network helps to improve connectivity between southern coastal ecosystems and increase the network’s representation of rocky intertidal and rocky reef habitat.
• Click here to download more information

NRDC: Benefits of Point Sal and Mishopshno MPAs  

• California has the chance to build on its legacy by adding new MPAs, such as the proposed Mishopshno SMCA and Point Sal SMCA.
• As climate change, biodiversity loss, and a hostile federal administration threaten to undermine progress made, it is time to strengthen our commitment to ocean conservation and ensure that California’s ocean is prepared for the changes ahead.
• These MPA proposals present an opportunity to strengthen the network to better prepare for current and emerging threats, and to include more thoroughly the groups that were underrepresented during the initial implementation – particularly California Native American Tribes. 
• California’s Fish and Game Commissioners should vote to approve these MPA proposals!

Urge the City of Santa Barbara
to Keep Our Public Parks Open!

SBCAN is proud to support a petition launched by an Eastside Santa Barbara resident calling on the City of Santa Barbara to keep our public parks open and accessible to all.

SBCAN believes open space is essential to community wellbeing. Our parks are vital shared resources and taking action to protect access reflects our commitment to ensuring all residents their right to live, work, and play locally. 

We, the undersigned residents of Santa Barbara, call on the City to immediately reopen all public parks that remain closed or restricted by temporary fencing—some for nearly a decade. 

We are soccer players, families, neighbors, and employees of this city who depend on these spaces to decompress after long days at work. These parks are not optional—they are essential to our physical and mental health and sense of community.

As residents, we contribute tax dollars that fund these public spaces, and they should be open and accessible to the community they are meant to serve. 

As we enter SBCAN’s 25th year, we reflect on the impact our community has created together. Your support—whether through donations, volunteering, or simply championing our work—has helped us protect our environment, strengthen local communities, and empower residents to make a real difference.

We invite you to sponsor our annual celebration, SBCAN at 25: Honoring the Work, Empowering the Future on Sunday, June 28 at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Your gift will help ensure that our work continues to grow and impact the community we all care about.

More than a fundraiser, SBCAN at 25 is a joyful gathering of our supporters—a chance to reflect on our collective achievements and envision the path forward for SBCAN in the years to come.

Please see the attached sponsorship form and make a gift at a level that feels meaningful to you, either by mail or online at sbcan.org/fundraiser. 

We hope you won’t mind a call from us in the next few days to check in with you.

Thank you for your continued support!

Click here to view this letter as a PDF

Click here for the sponsorship form

Click image above to view Democracy Now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyiEC_8fH4A news report on the draft.

Tell Congress: REPEAL AUTOMATIC DRAFT REGISTRATION AND THE SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM

Send an email message to your House and Senate members using this computerized system sponsored by the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL): https://fcnl.quorum.us/campaign/32642/

As the Trump administration escalates military threats and actions globally, a diverse coalition of peace, civil liberties, and faith groups is mobilizing against a significant and under-reported federal law that paves the way for a military draft.

Please see our coalition's media release and full statement with 50+ organizational signers.

We are available for an interview or to provide further comment via the contacts listed in the release, Kate Connell and Edward Hasbrouck.