Thousands of our members, supporters and social media friends signed our petition that was delivered today in support of expanding the protective boundaries of the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries in California. If we are successful, the marine sanctuary  expansion would block all future offshore oil and gas activity from an additional 2,700 square miles of northern California's ocean.

The new marine sanctuary boundaries would expand north from the existing boundaries to include the Sonoma and Mendocino County Coasts, and a critical upwelling zone that supports one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world. Pacific leatherback sea turtles, white sharks, blue whales, seabirds and coho salmon are just a few of the endangered and charismatic creatures that rely on this marine habitat for their continued existence.

Our petition contained the following message to the National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent:

Dear Sanctuary Superintendent Ms. Maria Brown,

I strongly support a northward expansion of the Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries to protect California's endangered marine life from future threats of the offshore oil industry. The proposed area offshore of the Sonoma and Mendocino Coasts includes critical upwelling zones that support one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world. Pacific leatherback sea turtles, white sharks, blue whales, and coho salmon are just a few of the endangered and charismatic creatures that rely on this marine habitat for their continued existence.

The rich diversity and health of the Farallone Island rookeries and Cordell Bank reefs depends on the cold nutrient-rich source water originating from the Point Arena upwelling center. This area's natural resource and ecological qualities should become part of the National Marine Sanctuary system as soon as possible. The ocean upwelling system within the proposed northern expansion of the boundary change is critical to the economic and biological well-being of the Northern California Coastal region.