Happy Black History Month!

FEBRUARY 21, 27, 28

We honor the history, resilience, and leadership of Black communities here in Santa Barbara County and beyond, and reaffirm our commitment to advancing justice, equity, and belonging in our local communities.

We urge you to celebrate alongside community members at the following events:

PROPOSED PT. SAL
MARINE PROTECTED AREA

SBCAN URGES YOU TO SUPPORT
PROPOSED PT. SAL
MARINE PROTECTED AREA

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

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! 

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT:

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

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

Mishopshno State Marine Conservation Area 

The California Fish & Game Commission will also consider a proposal to create a Marine Conservation Area at Carpinteria. SBCAN has not taken a position on this, but the Natural Resources Defense Council gives 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

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT:

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

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!