The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council is a community-based body that provides a public forum for consultation and deliberation on resource management issues affecting the waters within the sanctuary. Council members contribute valuable advice and expertise to inform sound management decisions, and their public meetings provide a community forum for learning and discussion about important marine conservation issues.

The council's membership is composed of 18 voting members and 15 alternates that represent Indigenous cultural knowledge, the general public, tourism and recreation, business, recreational fishing, commercial fishing, education, research, conservation, ocean energy and telecommunications, and ports, harbors and maritime activities, Indigenous government, the state of California, and local government. The advisory council also has a group of non-voting seats, including representatives for student leadership, various government agencies, and NOAA’s local Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Non-agency seats on the council are periodically open for membership application, with selected individuals appointed by NOAA for voluntary two to three-year terms.

A core element of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary is developing and implementing a Framework for Indigenous Collaborative Co-Stewardship. This will eventually lead to the formation of a special Sanctuary Advisory Council working group—the Indigenous Cultures Advisory Panel—to provide for the respectful and meaningful involvement of representatives and partners from multiple local Tribes and Indigenous communities.

In addition, NOAA intends to create a separate Intergovernmental Policy Council, which will bring together federally recognized Tribes (the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians) with the state of California and NOAA.

More Information: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Advisory Councils

For inquiries about the Sanctuary Advisory Council please contact chumash.heritage@noaa.gov.