WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden Administration’s designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, the first Tribally nominated national marine sanctuary, is a landmark victory for the Indigenous communities and wildlife that depend upon this area along the central California Coast.

“Designating the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary — the first national marine sanctuary nominated by a sovereign Tribal Nation — underscores the importance of collaborative Tribal co-stewardship and integrating traditional practices and knowledge into federal processes,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “This decision will help ensure wildlife, including at-risk species like snowy plovers, southern sea otters, leatherback sea turtles, black abalone, and blue whales, can thrive for future generations. We are committed to working with future administrations to build upon this incredible model of Tribal-led collaborative conservation as our nation pursues strategies to conserve and restore lands and waters that are essential for wildlife and people whose ways of life depend upon them.”