Santa Barbara Channelkeeper

Keeping Watch for Clean Water

Marine Conservation

May is American Wetlands Month 

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May is American Wetlands Month, and a perfect time to take a moment to appreciate these beautiful habitats and all that they offer to wildlife and communities. 

What are Wetlands? 

A wetland is land that is covered by water—salt, fresh, or brackish—either seasonally or permanently, that functions as its own ecosystem. Freshwater wetlands include bogs, swamps, and wet prairies. Saltwater wetlands include salt marshes and mangrove swamps.  

Why are Wetlands Important? 

Wetlands are one of the most productive and biodiverse habitats on our planet. They provide important shelter and breeding, nesting, feeding, and wintering habitat for a wide range of species. In fact, while wetlands cover only six percent of the Earth’s land surface, forty percent of all plant and animal species live or breed in them and more than one-third of the threatened and endangered species in the United States live exclusively in wetlands.  

Many fish and shellfish species such as flounder, sea trout, spot, croaker and striped bass and shrimp, oysters, clams, and blue and Dungeness crabs need coastal wetlands to survive. Many birds such as ducks, geese, woodpeckers, hawks, wading birds, and songbirds in addition to mammals such as black bears, raccoons, otters, and deer, rely on wetlands for food, water, and shelter. 

Wetlands absorb excess rain or river water, so they protect communities against flooding and sea level rise. Additionally, wetlands help remove excess nutrients, toxic substances, and sediment from water that flows through them. They are so effective at improving water quality they have been referred to as the “kidneys” of a watershed.  

How do wetlands fight climate change? 

Wetlands are one of the planet’s best carbon-storing tools. When natural debris such as leaves, animal waste, and other high-carbon matter settles from the water’s surface to the bottom, it’s buried by sediment, sequestering carbon. Research indicates that coastal salt marshes can sequester approximately 1,940 pounds of carbon per acre per year, helping keep greenhouse gases out of the environment. 

We need to Conserve and Restore Wetlands 

In the past century, most wetlands have been drained, filled, and disconnected from the flowing rivers and streams that once brought them life. In California, more than ninety percent of the wetlands that once spread across the state have disappeared.  

This May, we invite you to explore a wetland near you. Observe the incredible biodiversity, enjoy the natural tranquility, and reflect upon the importance of preserving and restoring our remaining wetland habitats for the species that rely on them and the communities that they enrich. Each of us can be a voice for the wetlands. 

Explore a wetland near you! 

Leveraging the Law to Protect Ocean Environments from the Effects of Finfish Aquaculture 

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Channelkeeper recently joined the Center for Food Safety, other environmental organizations, fishing groups, and the Quinault Indian Nation in suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over its issuance of Nationwide Permit 56, which authorizes the development of finfish farming structures in state and federal waters. We are challenging that the Nationwide Permit was approved without a thorough analysis of its potential detrimental impacts on our ocean ecosystems, water quality, public health, fishing communities, and endangered and threatened species. 

Nationwide Permit 56 allows the installation of cages, net pens, anchors, floats, buoys, and other structures in marine and estuarine waters over the outer continental shelf. It’s the primary program that will be used to permit all future finfish aquaculture development in federal waters throughout the United States. However, the groups who have filed the legal action are concerned that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers skirted mandatory environmental review processes when it issued this permit.  We claim that the agency failed to consult, as required by law, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, as about potential effects on threatened and endangered species protected under the Endangered Species Act, nor consult on the impacts to Essential Fish Habitat under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Further, the Army Corps lacks the legal authority to take this step in the first place without new authority from Congress, which it has not gotten. 

The Nationwide Permit 56 originated from a Trump-era executive order promoting the rapid expansion of industrial marine aquaculture facilities under the guise of addressing pandemic-related food insecurity. Federal officials have begun identifying locations as potential sites for commercial aquaculture operations. The Santa Barbara Channel—along with areas in the Gulf of Mexico and waters off Marina del Rey, California—was selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as one of the first areas to assess for future aquaculture development. The Santa Barbara Channel currently has two active aquaculture projects along the coastline.  

Certain types of aquaculture projects, such as those for shellfish and seaweed, generally may have benefits that outweigh the drawbacks. However, offshore aquaculture operations for finfish (such as tuna or tilapia) present significant risks to the environment. These include, but are not limited to: 

  • water quality impairment from dead fish, fecal waste, and antibiotics; 
  •  spread of disease that can impact populations of wild fish caught by commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishermen; 
  • escape of farmed fish into the natural environment, risking the genetic integrity of wild populations; and 
  • depletion of small fish populations that are used as feed for farmed fish and thus, less available for wild fish, birds, and marine life. 

In addition, there is currently no regulatory program in place to adequately oversee aquaculture operations in federal waters or strong standards to protect the marine environment from the impacts of finfish aquaculture.  

By signing on to this lawsuit, Channelkeeper hopes to ensure that all appropriate precautions and measures are in place to protect the Santa Barbara Channel from the potentially destructive impacts of industrial, offshore finfish aquaculture.   

Meet MPA Watch Intern, Andrea Chagoya!

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The Santa Barbara Channel includes a network of nineteen marine protected areas, five along the coast and fourteen surrounding the Channel Islands. Marine protected areas (MPAs), are underwater parks that provide safe havens for marine wildlife. Through Channelkeeper’s MPA Watch program, staff, volunteers, and interns collect data related to human use activities at eleven of them.

Thanks to volunteers from our MPA Watch program, we’re able to gather data at three Coastal MPAs: Campus Point MPA, Naples MPA, and Kashtayit (Gaviota State Beach) MPA. The insights gained through this community science program provide context for other scientific data being collected to monitor the health of marine ecosystems and the social and economic effects of MPAs.

This year, we are fortunate to have two interns supporting this community science program, thanks in part to a grant award from the UCSB Coastal Fund. MPA Watch interns conduct weekly surveys to ensure consistent coverage of all the coastal MPAs, conduct data entry of volunteer surveys and data quality control checks, assist with volunteer training workshops, and conduct volunteer field training sessions.

Channelkeeper has worked with some incredible UCSB student interns to help support the MPA Watch program over the years. In addition to gaining valuable experience with data collection, data management, and volunteer training, these interns also gain insight into what it’s like to work at a small environmental organization.

We’d like to introduce you to one of our extraordinary interns, Andrea Chagoya.

“Andrea is a wonderful addition to Channelkeeper’s MPA Watch program and we are lucky to have her as an MPA Watch intern this year.  She’s dedicated to marine conservation, hardworking, and has even joined us for additional Channelkeeper activities outside of her MPA Watch duties like helping out at our East Side Community Watershed Brigade Cleanup event, ” says Education and Outreach Director, Penny Owens. “We are thrilled to have her on our team.”

We took a moment to talk with her recently and learn more about her interest in the ocean and marine biology.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Mexico, in the bordering city of Tijuana, Baja California until I was 9 years old. My family and I moved to the United States as I was entering my 4th year of elementary school, and there wasn’t a single drop of English on my tongue. All I knew how to say is “Hello, my name is Andrea’ and “yes”. Within a year I knew English. Reading has always been a passion of mine, so by 6th grade I had already read all the Harry Potter books in English, as well as other series. I am interested in aquatic biology, especially marine life. I am currently a 4th year in Aquatic Biology at UCSB. I have worked hands-on with sea turtles in Costa Rica, am an intern for Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, and will be starting to work at the Sea Center at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Other interests of mine include soccer, reading, Harry Potter, baseball, and hiking.

Why do you believe that Marine Protected Areas are important?

I believe that Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are important because we need to protect marine life as much as we can, and the purpose of MPAs is to do exactly that. Our ocean holds so many important species and ecosystems. Protecting our ocean must be a top priority.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve seen while conducting an MPA Watch survey?

I once saw a pod of dolphins jumping around the waters of Kashtayit beach where I was conducting the KWEST transect survey with Penny Owens. They were beautiful and it was actually the first time I had ever seen dolphins. The day was so beautiful and warm, the water was so blue and glistening, and the sky was so clear that the sun shone bright in a beautiful way. The dolphins looked majestic jumping and diving in the water together as if dancing. Doing MPA Watch surveys has allowed me to see a lot of beautiful sunsets and views, but I have to say the dolphins were my favorite.

What have you learned?

I have learned a lot during my time being an MPA Watch intern with Channelkeeper. I’ve learned how to input data more efficiently, I have learned what to include in my surveys and the commentary that goes with it, I have learned when people will most likely be on the beach, I have learned how the moon’s cycle affects the tides and the amount of algae in the beach, and most importantly I have learned how relaxing and necessary our beaches are.

What do you appreciate most about the ocean?

The thing I appreciate most about the ocean is that it holds the most diverse life in the world. There are so many different species that are truly fascinating in the ocean that we know of, and so many that we don’t know of. The ocean gives us life, and so much more. To me, the ocean is the essence of planet Earth.

Join Channelkeeper’s virtual MPA Watch Volunteer Training Workshop on Thursday, May 12, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Email [email protected] to sign up.

Marine Protected Areas Enhance Lobster Fisheries Through Spillover Effect

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Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs, are parks and protected areas that provide safe havens for marine wildlife to reproduce, grow, and replenish. MPAs support the long-term conservation of marine wildlife and habitats. In 2012, California completed the nation’s first statewide network of underwater parks in an effort to cultivate stronger and more resilient marine ecosystems. The Santa Barbara Channel includes a network of 19 MPAs, five along the coast and 14 surrounding the Channel Islands, which protect over 350 square miles of marine waters and habitat types, including kelp, eelgrass, and rocky reefs.

Marine Protected Areas are considered one of the best conservation tools available today, and they generally function by restricting certain forms of fishing, which can make them unappealing to many fishermen. However, many MPAs provide benefits to fishing communities. Scientists and resource management specialists around the world have long observed fishing benefits from well-designed and well-managed MPAs. This outcome was recently documented in our own backyard. 

A study conducted by UCSB professors Hunter Lenihan from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, Dan Reed from the Marine Science Institute, and other researchers determined that marine protected areas have benefitted the commercial spiny lobster fishery in our area. In fact, the researchers found that establishing marine reserves enhanced commercial catches despite reducing the overall area open to fishing or that fishermen could fish. 

The team compared lobster populations and catch records from waters off the coast of Santa Barbara and Goleta. From 2012 through 2018, divers conducted surveys of the size and abundance of lobsters at five sites. The data revealed that the number and biomass of lobsters increased in and around the marine reserves once fishing was prohibited. In one fishing zone containing two MPAs, annual lobster landings more than doubled in the six years after the MPAs were established despite a 35% reduction in fishing area. This indicates that lobsters were reproducing and growing inside the reserves and spilling out into surrounding areas.  

Researchers have therefore concluded that marine reserves increase fishery landings by allowing lobsters to grow in size and numbers within the reserves and migrate into fishable areas. 

These findings underscore the importance of Channelkeeper’s work to build stewardship in support of MPAs and educate the public about the benefits of marine reserves. Channelkeeper’s MPA Watch program works with trained volunteers to monitor human uses and activities at the MPAs at Campus Point in Goleta and Naples and Kashtayit MPAs on the Gaviota Coast. The data our volunteers collect can contribute to studies such as this one, by providing important information to help scientists understand how people are using MPAs and to determine how these uses correspond to biological changes in marine life.   

Explore the many benefits of MPAs here and sign up to be an MPA Watch volunteer! Walk designated sections of the coast and use our datasheets to record human activities that you observe. Click here to attend a virtual training and get involved.

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s Plastic Film Festival

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Watch, Learn & Take Action

Plastic pollution is a mounting global concern, and it has significant impacts locally, which is why reducing single-use plastic continues to be a major focus of Channelkeeper’s work.  In an effort to help educate and inspire our community, we’ve compiled a list of seven informative films about plastic that are available to stream online. It’s the perfect opportunity to host a documentary film festival in the comfort of your home.

People often think of plastic pollution as litter. However, plastic pollution is more than the clutter of single-use items that wash down storm drains and collect on our beaches. Plastic has severe consequences throughout its lifecycle. From oil drilling and refining to plastic production and waste, every stage is detrimental to human health, and these harmful processes have created a social justice crisis, since the most vulnerable communities are often disproportionately affected.   

Plastics are poisoning our bodies through the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Recent studies show that on average, each of us consumes a credit-card-sized amount of microplastics every week, which can carry toxic chemicals such as carcinogens and endocrine disrupters.  

Plastic is also a contributor to climate change. More than 99% of plastic is made from fossil fuels. Today, about 4-8% of annual global oil consumption is associated with plastics, according to the World Economic Forum. Plastic production is expected to more than double over the next three decades. If this reliance on plastics persists, plastics will account for 20% of oil consumption by 2050.  

Channelkeeper continues to work locally to educate the community about the impacts of single-use plastic and ways to reduce its use, while also continuing to advocate for local policies to reduce single-use plastic and helping to set an example for the state. With studies predicting that plastic pollution in the ocean will likely triple over the next decade, we recognize the urgency of taking immediate action to address this crisis. 

We invite you to watch these films, discuss them–and then join us in taking action.

A Plastic Ocean  (1hr 42m)
Available on: Netflix or Amazon
This 2016 documentary follows a team of scientists and researchers as well as record-breaking freediver and activist Tanya Streeter, as they travel to 20 different locations across the globe. Directed by journalist Craig Leeson, the film juxtaposes beautiful shots of the ocean with contrasting views of polluted cities and landfills teeming with rubbish. The film reveals how plastic in the ocean gets mistaken for food by marine animals, and goes on to harm organisms all the way up the food chain, including humans. 

Frontline’s Plastic Wars (54m)
Stream on PBS
FRONTLINE and NPR team up to investigate the surge of plastic waste in the environment. Plastic Wars reveals how plastic makers have publicly promoted recycling for decades, despite privately expressing doubts that widespread plastic recycling would ever be economically viable.

Inside the Garbage of the World (54m)
Available on: Amazon Prime
This film explores the plastic island in the Pacific and reveals that the situation is actually more dire than anyone anticipated. Directors Philippe and Maxine Carillo evoke a sense of urgency in changing our behavior in order to preserve our planet and our way of life. 

Microplastic Madness  (1hr 16m)
Vimeo Trailer / Available on YouTube
Told from a child’s perspective, this film follows 56 fifth graders from Brooklyn as they investigate plastic pollution in their community. They collect data which they use to inform policy and set out to rid their cafeteria of all plastic.

Plastic China (1 hr, 22 m)
Available on: Amazon Prime
This film relates the story of people in China who live surrounded by plastic. Tons and tons of plastic are exported to China to be recycled and manufactured into something new. Yi-Jie is an 11-year-old girl whose family lives in one of these waste workshops. Plastic China shows the price that living and working under these circumstances has on their health and way of life.

Plastic Paradise (57m)
Available for rent on Amazon
This film takes us to Midway Atoll, an unincorporated territory of the US off Hawaii, and the site of the Battle of Midway during WWII. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no civilization nearby, the atoll has become a collection site for the waste of the world. Brought in by the currents and tides, the atoll is littered with a massive amount of plastic and garbage that is degrading the paradise which surrounds it, which has become the case all over the Pacific, leading it to be dubbed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Journalist Angela Sun narrates, writes, and directs the film, interviewing a variety of ocean experts, scientists, and advocates.

The Story of Plastic (1hr 35m)
Available on: DiscoveryGo or for rent on Amazon 
With powerful insight, this eye-opening film provides a comprehensive look at the global plastic pollution crisis and the ways in which the oil and gas industry has manipulated the narrative around it. The film highlights the fact that, as consumers, our everyday choices add up. 

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