Northern Chumash Tribal Council to host Rally at the Rock event today
Event will highlight the importance of including Lisamu’ (Morro Rock) in the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary
– The Northern Chumash Tribal Council will hold a community event today from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. by Lisamu’ (Morro Rock) Jetty Beach to highlight the importance of including Morro Rock and the waters off of Northern SLO County in the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.
The Rally at the Rock will include a Northern Chumash Tribal Council opening, speakers at noon, community booths, refreshments, and cake. The public is invited to join the council to Rally at the Rock and ask for Lisamu’ (Morro Rock) to stay in the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.
“We need the Chumash Sanctuary to have the biggest possible boundaries, including the waters off of Northern San Luis Obispo County, from Cambria past to Los Osos. The northern region is home to many: to our communities, to threatened wildlife, abundant fisheries, and sacred sites like Lisamu’ (Morro Rock). Excluding the 2,000 square miles from Cambria to Los Osos, would leave our communities, our sacred sites and our wildlife vulnerable to industrial development and toxic discharge. The Chumash Sanctuary must span the Central Coast to protect all of our people and our ocean,” said Violet Sage Walker, Northern Chumash Tribal Council Chairwoman.
The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary has been decades in the making and on Aug. 25 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) opened the final public comment period for the sanctuary. NOAA is asking for public input on their Chumash Sanctuary draft documents, which outline a draft of what the sanctuary could look like. This includes potential alternatives for the boundaries of the sanctuary, some of which do not include the area from Cambria to Morro Bay. Click here to see boundary alternatives.
The Northern Chumash Tribal Council, nominator of the Chumash Sanctuary, is joined by many community members, organizations and scientists, to ask NOAA for the largest possible contiguous sanctuary boundaries, as shown in the Initial Boundary Alternative combined with the Gaviota Coast Extension (Sub-Alternative 5b), because it would provide the most protection to this important area. Without the full boundaries, there could be a 2,000-square-mile swath of unprotected waters between Cambria and Los Osos, leaving communities, wildlife, and cultural and natural resources vulnerable to industrialization and toxic discharge, according to the council.
Rally at the Rock is an opportunity to have fun while learning how to submit meaningful comments to include the area from Cambria to Los Osos in the Chumash Heritage Sanctuary.
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