We are pleased to share an important announcement regarding our collective role in protecting the health of our ocean, cultural resources and ecosystems that all life depends on. Yesterday, the National Ocean Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced its plan to begin the designation process for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary nomination.

In 2015, Fred Collins, Former Chairman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council (NCTC), submitted a sanctuary nomination in an effort to protect our marine ecosystem, maritime heritage resources, and cultural values and practices of Chumash tribal communities.

Designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (Chumash Heritage NMS) provides an exceptional opportunity to contribute to state, national, and international 30x30 goals by advancing the first Tribal-led national marine sanctuary nomination and setting a precedent for elevating Indigenous voices, maritime practices, perspectives, and cultural values through Chumash tribal co-management in state and federal ocean conservation. The area proposed for sanctuary designation, adjacent to San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, would recognize Chumash tribal and local communities in the area and protect an internationally significant ecological transition zone, where temperate waters from the north meet the subtropics, providing a haven for cultural keystone species of marine mammals, invertebrates, sea birds, and fishes and protection of submerged sacred sites. These are our living and non-living relatives, our ancestors, the spirit of the ocean that provides us the knowledge of sustainable and right living.

**Area proposed for Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: NOAA**

The proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (NMS) would protect sacred Chumash sites, hotspots of biodiversity, and productive marine habitats along the California coast. It includes feeding grounds for numerous species of whales and dolphins, sea otter populations, kelp forests, and is home to vital tribal, commercial, and recreational fisheries. And in the face of climate change, warming oceans, losses in marine biodiversity, and impacts to tribal and local communities, cultural traditions, and economies, national marine sanctuaries can be a critically important tribal co-management tool to conserve marine biodiversity as well as safeguard the tribal, local economies and people that depend on healthy and reciprocal relationships with our ocean ecosystem.

These waters are essential to the heritage and cultural practices of our Chumash and local communities, the ocean-going bands among the First People of the Pacific Coast. The island and marine ecosystems co-evolved with our Chumash and Indigenous peoples and our traditional practices that continue today.

We believe the Chumash Heritage National Marine SANCTUARY designation and conservation will rightfully elevate Indigenous voices, perspectives, cultural values and practices by establishing Chumash tribal co-management to support tribal and locally led and co-designed conservation efforts and priorities through a full integration and respect for Indigenous Leadership and Indigenous Rights. We cannot successfully address the climate change reality and protections of our ancestral waters and land without Indigenous Peoples at the for front world wide; 30x30 can’t do it in isolation. #decolonize #30x30

According to http:www.campaingfornature.org/indigenous-peoples

Indigenous Communities”…they make up only 6% of the global population, Indigenous Peoples inhabit approximately 85% of areas proposed for biodiversity conservation worldwide.”

…Expanding IPLC (Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities) community based conservation institutions and local governance regimes have been effective in preventing habitat loss, often more effective than traditional conservation methods. Expanding recognition of IPLC land right is an effective, moral, and affordable solution for protecting our world and preventing the Indigenous rights violations that have historically placed many traditional conservation strategies.”

Indigenous ancestral knowledge has been historically ignored. It’s time to #decolonize #30x30, conservation and climate actions.

**Photo Credit: Robert Schwemmer, NOAA**
**Chumash Community Tomols: Muptamai of Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and Grandmother Elye’wun of the Chumash Maritime Association, Santa Barbara**

Please join us in supporting this milestone by urging the Administration to designate Chumash Heritage NMS. We would like to thank @POTUS and @NOAA for advancing the nomination of #ChumashSanctuary and @SecDebHaaland for her continued support. Sign on at: https://nctc.nationbuilder.com/takeaction

In special recognition, we honor the life of former Chairman, Fred Collins, of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council for his tremendous efforts and tireless work toward bringing this dream to fruition. This is a major step toward elevating Indigenous voices, maritime perspectives, and cultural values through Chumash Tribal Co-Management in ocean conservation. A memorial celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2021.

Mati Waiya, Founder and Executive Director Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation and Enrolled member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation

For more information Primary Contact:

Violet Sage Walker

violetsagewalker@gmail.com

(760) 549-3532

Public Contact: info@chnms.org

Website: chumashsanctuary.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theChumashSanctuary

Instagram: @chumashsanctuary

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CHNMSanctuary