County Finalizes Controversial Housing Plan
Morgan Patton, Executive Director

The County of Marin Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted multiple changes to the Countywide Plan (CWP) with the approval of the Housing and Safety Elements and accompanying Environmental Impact Report, zoning and density changes, form-based code, and housing overlay districts on January 24th. The vote concluded more than a year's worth of effort by the County and community members in the controversial update to the Housing Element that is required by the State of California every eight years. 

We were not surprised by the outcome of the Board of Supervisors meeting–despite the Planning Commission's disapproval of the Housing Element on January 5th–due to the severe penalties the County would face if the plan was not submitted on time.

Continue Reading to Learn How Your Support Made a Difference

10-Year Review of California MPAs
Morgan Patton, Executive Director

In 1999, California passed the California Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) requiring the state to create an interconnected ecological network of 124 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to protect and sustain diverse marine life and coastal and ocean habitats through adaptive ecological management strategies. A key part of the adaptive management plan included the development of four-pillars that would guide the implementation of the MLPA to ensure the MPA network was meeting its goals.

At the end of the year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released the first-ever review of the MPA network in their report, California Marine Protected Area Decadal Management Review. The report reviews the last 10 years of research and monitoring; outreach and education; policy and permitting; and enforcement and compliance activities. It also provides the public with information and recommendations for the future to address knowledge gaps and changing environmental and socioeconomic conditions.  

MPAs are living laboratories that provide important information on the health of our coast and oceans. This is especially interesting since the network of MPAs is designed regionally. All MPAs allow recreational access and have different levels of take or consumptive activities allowed. For example, some do not allow any fishing and collecting, while others are open to fishing for specific species at certain times of the year. This variation makes for a complicated review of the network management goals.

The Review provides information on research and community science studies on species diversity, abundance, population, and ocean conditions across a variety of habitats (rocky intertidal, kelp forests, nearshore rocky reefs, estuaries and coastal marshes, sandy beaches, and nearshore ocean conditions) and human activities including recreation, consumption (taking and collecting), enforcement responses, and community partnerships.

Here at EAC, we have been contributing to community science and outreach and education efforts promoting the state network of MPAs for more than a decade. We are thrilled that MPA Watch data has been integrated into the Review and to find a photograph of our Summer 2022 Office Exhibit about Marine Protected Areas in the Review...

Keep Reading for the Review timeline and EAC's work

Coastal Advocate Applications Open
Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, Program Director

An important part of our advocacy and community engagement work is providing high school, college, and graduate internship opportunities for young people to gain real-world job training in the environmental field. Every year, we welcome legal, policy, and coastal advocates into our internship program to gain experience in environmental policy, law, advocacy, community science, and education.

These mentoring opportunities not only provide a meaningful and applicable experience that can be applied to future education and career goals, but they help to foster the environmental stewards of the future who will help protect the resilience and health of the natural world.

We are now accepting applications for our summer Coastal Advocate program through March 10th. Apply Here

We’ve had two fantastic Coastal Advocates this school year from area high schools. They’ve worked with us to learn about community science through Marin MPA Watch, helping to collect and enter data and work on events and community engagement projects.

Last summer, three college-aged Coastal Advocates helped administer the Marin MPA Watch program volunteer training and data management, and enjoyed educating visitors and community members about MPAs and ocean conservation through tabling at Duxbury Reef and our office exhibit. Their deep-dive capstone projects helped advance EAC’s mission, including data analysis of MPA Watch camera monitoring over Drakes Bay; preparation and presentation about MPA Watch to the Tomales Bay Watershed Foundation and; preparation of eelgrass and mariculture mapping overlays for Tomales Bay using GIS.

Julian Durante, Summer 2022 Intern, shared with us:

During my summer internship with EAC, I gained valuable skills in local surveying, data entry, and mapping, became comfortable discussing all-things-MPAs, and developed an even deeper appreciation for (and responsibility to protect) California’s coastal ecosystems. The relationships I was fortunate enough to build with staff, my fellow interns, volunteers, and community members are inspiring and meaningful. My teammates truly supported me in building a strong foundation for my future as an environmental advocate and introduced me to the work it takes to be a powerful steward for our coasts, lands, ecosystems, and planet. Thank you EAC for an outstanding summer experience!

Learn more about our intern's experiences by reading their blog posts on our MPA Watch page.

See our Internships webpage for more information and spread the word to aspiring environmental advocates you know!

California's Aquaculture Action Plan
Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, Legal and Policy Director

The California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) listed the development of a statewide aquaculture action plan as Objective 4.2 of their 2020-25 Strategic Plan to Protect California’s Coast and Ocean. Specifically, their target is to “With [state partners], develop a statewide aquaculture action plan focused on marine algae and shellfish and landbased/ recirculating tank operations of marine algae, shellfish, and finfish by 2023.

The plan should identify areas of opportunity and avoidance to minimize impacts to habitat, biodiversity, and wild fisheries and should include minimum project criteria, including best practices for eliminating detrimental environmental impacts.” (emphasis added)

EAC has been actively following the development of the statewide action plan, advocating for a strong plan consistent with the OPC’s strategic plan that explicitly identifies and addresses marine aquaculture impacts.

We participated in a working group on this topic, we have spoken at agency meetings, and we meet with OPC staff. In December 2022, we submitted a detailed comment letter with 9 partners, providing feedback on the finalized statewide Guiding Principles for Sustainable Marine Aquaculture and feedback on the forthcoming aquaculture action plan. Our letter also included our collective opposition to marine finfish. 

OPC provided an update in their January Executive Director report (p.10), stating that the “OPC and the Aquaculture Leadership Team have brought authorship of this document back to the state and refined the scope to focus on improving California’s current system and management of existing operations in order to build a robust framework for future development to sustainably expand aquaculture in California.

OPC has convened a working group of the Leadership Team that has identified priorities and policy recommendations and is in the process of collaboratively developing a draft Action Plan that meets state needs, reflects state priorities, and will lead to meaningful change and progress for sustainable aquaculture development in California.” 

Consistent with our advocacy for best management conditions and strong coastal development permit conditions, we support these considerations and the additional research which may be needed to support the development of a well-thought-out and adaptive action plan. We look forward to continued and expanded work with our local and state partners on this important issue.

Keep Reading

Aquaculture Public Interest Criteria
Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, Legal and Policy Director

The Fish and Game Commission is in the process of developing criteria for when a new aquaculture lease is or is not found to be in the public interest, which is required under state law.

Public interest criteria will be applied when new lease applications are submitted — like the proposed lease by San Andreas Shellfish near the mouth of Tomales Bay — to ensure that decisions made throughout the state for new leases consider the overall impacts of the lease on the environment and community. 

The development of criteria is critical to aid in public transparency and clear decision-making by the Fish and Game Commission concerning where new leases may be sited and consider the public’s strong interest in state waters for recreational, fishing, and other interests. 

Throughout 2022, we participated in a number of public meetings on this topic, attended workshops, coordinated with partners and agency staff, and reviewed and commented on two rounds of draft criteria. 

We are looking forward to the hopeful finalization of the criteria in the coming months. The revised draft criteria will be reviewed at the March 14th Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee meeting.

Following the March meeting, the Fish and Game Commission will consider the final criteria for adoption at their April 2023 meeting.

We continue our advocacy for strong criteria that is protective of eelgrass and other habitats.

Learn More:

Read our Blog Post

Fish and Wildlife Aquaculture

2023 Fish and Game Commission meetings

EAC’s 2022 Comments: March, June, November, December

Save the Date: 14th Annual Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival

Mark Your Calendars for the 14th Annual Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival, April 21st through April 23rd!

Since 2010, the Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival has celebrated the spring bird and wildlife migration along the Pacific Flyway throughout Marin and Sonoma counties. This annual event brings together experienced birders and naturalists and others interested to learn about birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and the unique lands and waters of the area.

This year's event features 40+ field events in Marin and Sonoma counties for field trips, a keynote program, and a Sunday Family Fun Day that will support the work of Amigos Alados. Descriptions, schedules, and festival swag will be posted soon.

Ticket Sales: Early bird member registration begins Monday, February 27th. Members receive one-week advance registration and waived registration fees. Member invitations with registration codes are being mailed to homes next week. Be sure to save your postcard with the Early Bird Registration Code. Public sales (non-EAC members) will open on March 6th. 

Interested in Becoming a Friend of the Festival? 

Festival sponsors help bring our Festival to life. Sponsor support helps us provide high-quality programming and honorariums for our guides and speakers, reduced pricing for attendees and scholarships for youth, elders, and educators, FREE youth/family program with live bird ambassadors, and nature and art activities, and helps support EAC’s mission to protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of West Marin.

Learn More about Sponsoring the Festival

Exhibit: Advocate, Protect What You Love, Opens February 11th

Come down to the EAC office on February 11th to check out our newest office display, Advocate: Protect What You Love.

Many people don't know the stories of why so many wild and open spaces exist in West Marin or what environmental advocacy organizations like EAC do. We thought this was an opportunity to provide information on the conservation history of the area.

Since 1971, we have been uniting people, policy, and science to save vital ecosystems, defend environmental laws, demand accountability from leaders, find solutions to problems, and mobilize community action around complex issues.

Our newest display highlights six conservation and advocacy stories about Bolinas Lagoon, Tomales Bay, Estero Americano, Tomales Dunes, Drakes Estero, and Duxbury Reef for the general public to learn about EAC's work and why it matters to get involved as environmental advocates to help protect the places you love. 

Thank you to our friends and partners who donated their time and photography to our exhibit to tell this story. Thank you Carlos Porrata, Richard Blair and Kathleen Goodwin, Sarah Killingsworth, Mairi Pileggi, Patricia Neubacher, and the Wildlands Conservancy.

The event is sponsored by Unicorn Printing and the generous contributions made to celebrate our 50th Anniversary in 2021.

Learn More

Past Copies of Print and Email Newsletters, Publications, and Blogs

Point Reyes Ranching: Water Quality Program

Visitor Stewardship: Cleaner Marin County Coast

Take Action: Volunteer or Intern with Us

Save the Date: Point Reyes Birding & Nature Festival

Bookmark: Community Resources Pages

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MISSION

To protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and
biodiversity of West Marin. 

VISION

Our work strives to provide long-term protection and conservation of the unique ecosystems of West Marin and serves as a foundation of environmental protection for future generations.