For more than a decade, members of the Chumash tribe have been campaigning to establish a new marine sanctuary on the central California coast, specifically including the waters off Point Conception, which holds sacred significance for the tribe. The central California coast is renowned for its scenic beauty, attracting many visitors, but for the Chumash people, it holds far greater significance. According to Violet Sage Walker, the chairwoman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, the coastline is filled with their sacred sites, where the tribe has been conducting prayers and ceremonies for thousands of years.
The proposed marine sanctuary could span more than 7,000 square miles of ocean, potentially becoming the largest national marine sanctuary in the continental U.S. It would also represent an important milestone as one of the first federal sanctuaries led by a Native American tribe, reflecting a broader movement to give tribes a voice in the management of lands and waters that were historically theirs. The campaign began over a decade ago when Walker’s father nominated the area to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2015.
The designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary would afford significant protection to the waters, preventing development activities like oil rigs and wind turbines. However, the Chumash tribe is seeking more than just conservation; they want to be co-managers of the sanctuary. Under the Biden administration, efforts have been made to grant tribes decision-making powers over public lands in several locations as a step towards rectifying centuries of exclusion and displacement. Walker emphasizes that the tribe is not seeking to be employees of NOAA but rather desires autonomous decision-making authority.
NOAA is expected to release details about the potential for co-management in the coming weeks as part of the final proposal for the sanctuary. In the meantime, Walker has taken steps to set up an ecosystem monitoring program in collaboration with tribal members and scientists. This program serves as a means of demonstrating the active involvement of the community in both the historical and future aspects of the region.
Restoring their connection to the coast is a crucial element of reviving Chumash culture, according to Walker. European settlers forcibly displaced the estimated 20,000 Chumash people and took away their lands, leading to a significant population decline due to disease and displacement. To rekindle their cultural heritage, tribal members constructed the first traditional plank canoe, called a tomol, in over a century in the 1970s. They also protested against the proposed liquified natural gas terminal at Point Conception, a site they consider spiritually significant.
The establishment of national marine sanctuaries in the U.S. is largely rooted in the environmental history of these waters. Following a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969, federal legislation was passed to create the national marine sanctuary system. Today, most marine sanctuaries in federal waters are protected from oil drilling and wind power development, with NOAA providing monitoring and management of local ecosystems. William Douros, regional director of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries for the West Coast, acknowledges the threats present in the area and highlights the significance of its ecological and cultural resources.
After nearly a decade of waiting, Walker eagerly anticipates the formal designation of the sanctuary, particularly before the next election that could potentially bring changes to federal agency leadership. She emphasizes that the Chumash are not waiting for permission to operate as a marine sanctuary; they are already taking action. Working in collaboration with scientists from Stanford University, Chumash tribal members are conducting scientific assessments of the marine life in the region. Innovative technology, such as fishing rods equipped to collect DNA shed by marine animals, is being utilized to study the ecosystem. This partnership between the tribe and scientists serves the dual purpose of conducting research and fostering the training of tribal members in scientific monitoring. The long-term goal is to incorporate traditional Chumash practices, such as using tomols, to gather comprehensive data on the region and ensure ongoing monitoring.