JMPR Raw Scoping Comments: Back to Scoping


Scoping Meeting Summary
San Jose  6:30 PM

Please note that these are the raw comments extracted from the scoping meeting held at the location listed above. They were edited for the purpose of clarity where necessary.  A synthesis of comments will be available soon.

  • Need to increase constituent base.  Need to get more people involved.  Seem to always reach out to the same people.
  • Need to bring in un-represented majority.  Website for MBNMS is good but need to improve GF and CBNMS websites with calendars of events, etc.  Road signs, broader education efforts in the schools.
  • More stuff and more money for education.
  • More media coverage such as articles in newspapers. Also should have materials readily available for the media.
  • Need to increase and target education to people not on coast.
  • Need tidepool protection from trampling and collection especially target in Pacific Grove.
  • Public information officer should make the rounds to the local TV stations (5 of them) on weekends and morning shows.  Feature stories should bring a lot more publicity and advertising (PSA).
  • Need a childrens pamphlet to be distributed to the schools- almost in the form of a childrens book which would suggest field trips, also videos for the classrooms.
  • Concerned about decline in the rockfish population.  Proposed no fishing zones in the MBNMS especially south of Monterey in the Big Sur area.  Need to take drastic action and block off areas so they can recover.
  • Need more enforcement of poaching laws.
  • Target dive clubs to keep the public more informed about sanctuary/ management plan issues and meetings.
  • Need a 1-800 number  to report violations.
  • In a non-impact way, need to create wreck-alley in MBNMS use ships from mothball-fleet in Suisun.  This can be done to increase education and awareness, publicity, fees for docking economic increase for tourism business especially diving.  Creates an artificial reef for fish.
  • Wrecks are a great resource enhancement.  We would like to help support this idea and help educate the public on the positive aspects of artificial reefs.
  • The area between the harbor lighthouse and lighthouse point were not included in the MBNMS.  This area needs to be included in the MBNMS boundary.
  • Concerned about water quality, urban run off, sewage spills and beach closures throughout the sanctuaries.
  • Need more finances (money) for enforcement of regulations.
  • I do not understand how any fishing can be allowed within a NMS.  Fishing should not be allowed in the sanctuary.
  • Alteration of the seabed is not a good thing.  Need to find an alternative to wreck-alley idea.
  • You need a lot bigger budget to study the resource.  You need more staff.
  • A Wreck Alley should be done in an area of zero impact.  Also needs to be done in the appropriate area.
  • Have a National Marine Sanctuaries Week with political support to increase awareness and create a forum for more media activity.  NOAA and the NMS can then form and shape issues- public awareness.
  • The sanctuaries should be coordinating with California Department of Fish and Game and National Marine Fisheries Service to develop and study marine reserves.
  • There needs to be a balance between shoreline erosion and armoring of shorelines.  Need to work collaboratively on developing solutions.
  • The federal government should pressure local governments to not allow storm water/ drainage run off.  No car washing detergents, pesticides, etc.
  • Should phase-out jet skis in the sanctuary.
  • Stop fishing for sharks.
  • Study the effects of chumming on sharks.
  • Should have an annual photography public competition in each of the sanctuaries.  These photos will create increased awareness. The Annual Shoot-out.
  • Need population studies of all of the key fisheries so we know how to have a sustainable resource and determine spacing of marine reserves, and to be aware and quantify depletion.
  • Web-cams are a necessity for the sanctuaries especially in area where diving is too dangerous or difficult e.g. Gulf of Farallones and Cordell Bank.
  • Have a really attractive website aimed at many levels sections for kids and sections for adults.  Create links with sister agencies and collaborative NGOs.  Needs to be glossy to get the public involved such as nesting areas on web-cam, lots of wildlife stuff, sunsets, eye candy.
  • Expand marine refuges.
  • More marine reserves in the sanctuary to protect biodiversity.
  • Review habitats, find special places and determine what is necessary to protect them, possibly restricting destructive gear types and fishing practices.
  • Support continued research and monitoring to investigate special habitat and species in sanctuary.
  • Support and encourage research, workshops, and continuation of that program.
  • Concerned about SF Bay habitat loss and more adequate mitigation of loss.
  • Would like to see more partnering with sanctuary program for marine habitat mitigation with Fish and Game.
  • <1% no take in sanctuary is ludicrous and unacceptable.
  • New regulations about underwater sound and noise and impacts on marine mammals should be put into sanctuary management plan.
  • Encourage US Navy to disclose impacts from sonar.  Sanctuaries should work with U.S.N. to research resource impacts.
  • Maintain prohibition on oil/gas drilling exploration.
  • Concerned about shipping lanes and distance from shore.  Want to see lanes moved further offshore.
  • Concerned about bottom trawling and effect on sea bed and habitat.  Abolish bottom trawling.
  • Close donut hole. Review permits for city and county of San Francisco for discharge.  They are consistent with other coastal treatment facilities adjacent to sanctuaries.
  • Address ballast water and invasive species and any other discharge problem from ships going into SF Bay.
  • Work cooperatively with other agencies to address ballast water problem.
  • Need stronger enforcement for sanctuary regulations.
  • Need better protection from ocean dumping, particularly medical waste.
  • Strengthen and implement water quality protection for all three sanctuaries, specifically runoff problems. 
  • Want permanent ban on oil/gas drilling- exploration in sanctuaries as well as a buffer zone around the sanctuaries for oil/gas activities.
  • Concerned about funding for sanctuary program.  Need more outreach to increase awareness of sanctuaries.
  • Increase involvement with all estuaries but particularly SF Bay issues, assess what impacts the bay has on the sanctuary.
  • Would like to see more education in media on the state of fisheries.  Need more education of what fisheries are sustainable, which are near collapse.
  • Expand information exposure to public.
  • Prohibit oil drilling.
  • Ban jet skis except for rescue.
  • Support CALCORI and expand north.
  • MPAs:  wants sanctuaries (all 3) involvement in preserving/ restoring fish stocks- no-take zones in certain areas/ should be instituted. Work with California Department of Fish and Game on site selection, and distribute throughout the whole coast to provide nurseries- leave non-nursery areas free for commercial and recreational fishing.
  • More fisheries research needed, especially nurseries.  Should be cleaned up, even in National Seashore areas.
  • Wants no commercial fishing using gillnets, longlines, bottom trawling in sanctuaries.
  • Needs raw sewage runoff to be cleaned up/ prohibited, testing needed.
  • Regulations needed to prevent sports enthusiasts from harming shark research.  Expand Cordell and Monterey regulations to Gulf of Farallones sanctuary to do this. Extreme sports not compatible with sanctuary protections.  Put sharks? interest first, then researcher?s.  Use researcher input.
  • All above- wants to learn more, how to implement this info.
  • Establish no take map.  Reserves in all 3 sanctuaries to protect biodiversity and conduct fisheries research.  Work with state and stakeholders including fishing community.  Establish reservations in addition to MLPA Reserves.
  • MBNMS should establish or fully enforce Sewage outflow (e.g. with higher fines). Health dept quality data not timely, not comprehensive.  Tighter regulations needed.  Provide incentives for clean water.
  • Identify and remove sunken ships with oil or fuel in tanks or bilge, Identify and remove radioactive barrels in sanctuaries.
  • Sanctuaries should do more public outreach.  More kiosks in malls, etc. would be effective.  Reach out to older age groups in addition to schools.
  • Farallones: Too much vessel traffic at SEFI, so code or practices are needed, e.g. establish no-wake zones in proximity to island or predatory event.  Establish limited entry scheme- e.g. issue permits for shark tours.  Need zonal regulations.
  • Educate boaters about SEFI wildlife and vessel impacts especially shark tour operators.
  • Sanctuaries should re-establish coho and steelhead runs by restoring watershed habitat.
  • Certify agricultural growers along stream with programs such as such as salmon safe.
  • Wants brief mission statement addressing why sanctuaries were established and what we do.  Use language the general public can understand.  What is our job?  How do we know if you?re doing a good job?  Bullet- point it and keep it simple.  Our tax $ at work
  • What are National Marine Sanctuary authorities, powers?
  • Redraw boundaries to match geologic systems, ecosystems.  Gulf of Farallones extended south to Pigeon Point, Ano Nuevo.  Expand Cordell east to shore, North to Bodega Head.
  • Monterey and other 2 sanctuaries should identify sewage polluters and demand tertiary treatment plants with good pipes for transport be established there.
  • Sanctuaries should not become involved in fisheries issues.
  • Coastal development should be controlled, especially regarding seawalls and coastal erosion.  Build roads far back enough from the coast to prevent this.
  • Better enforcement, higher ranger type presence needed in sanctuaries especially SEFI.  Make it safer, sanctuary like at SEFI.  Curb poaching everywhere and protect sharks from disturbance, for example.
  • Concerned about ocean noise and effects on marine mammals.  Investigate causes/ effects.  Prevent testing.
  • Move boundaries to include Davidson seamount as MPA and close up donut hole as much as possible, extend MBNMS to Avila Beach. 

For more information contact your local sanctuary office at:

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Sean Morton, Management Plan Coordinator
299 Foam Street
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 647-4217 • Sean.Morton@noaa.gov

Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank
National Marine Sanctuaries
Anne Walton, Management Plan Coordinator
Fort Mason, Building 201
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 561-6622 • Anne.Walton@noaa.gov