The Monterey Bay Sanctuary - A Sacred Place?

This video has been created by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to provide information about the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.


A sanctuary is defined as a sacred place and I agree with this definition for our Monterey Bay Sanctuary. The good people that worked for the Sanctuary designation knew that it was only an important first step. As with many things, how we preserve this sanctuary is much more complicated than its title. 


I don't think any story about the Sanctuary is complete without a picture of our wonderful sea otters. These make their home in the Elkhorn Slough:

Some additional pictures of our Monterey Bay Sanctuary:

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Slide Show


Here's the scoop from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- it might be more than you want to know, but just in case......


also at:  http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/condition/mbnms/welcome.html

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary 6,094 square statue miles (4,602 square nautical miles) Congressionally designated in 1992 as a National Marine Sanctuary for the purpose of resource protection, research, education, and public use. Includes bays, estuaries, coastal and oceanic waters High diversity of flora and fauna including 33 species of marine mammals, 94 species of seabird, 345 species of fishes, and numerous species of invertebrates and plants Contains the Monterey Canyon, a submarine canyon that rivals the Grand Canyon in size Contains an estimated 225 documented shipwrecks or lost aircraft and 718 historic sites

Also from NOAA:

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the largest national marine sanctuary and one of the largest marine protected areas in the United States. Within the boundaries of the sanctuary is a rich array of habitats, from rugged rocky shores and lush kelp forests to one of the largest underwater canyons in North America. These habitats abound with life, from tiny microscopic plants to enormous blue whales. The sanctuary is home to a diversity of species including marine mammals, seabirds and shorebirds, sea turtles, fishes, invertebrates, and marine algae.

Activities that put pressure on sanctuary resources are diverse. Some of the most prominent pressures include vessel traffic, commercial and recreational fishing, agricultural and urban runoff, harmful algal blooms, coastal development, marine debris, the introduction of non-indigenous species, and disturbances to wildlife.