Tell the California Natural Resources Agency: Take a stronger stance for the sea

Governor Newsom's executive order to protect 30% of California's lands and waters by 2030 positions our state as a national leader in conservation. In order to fulfill this vision, we should be working to create ocean refuges, set aside for the conservation of our whales, sea otters and other amazing ocean life.

California's criteria for ocean protections should set a gold standard for the rest of the country and ensure the best possible outcomes for the health and biodiversity of our ocean ecosystems. Conserved areas should be ones that are off-limits to all destructive human activities or achieve a similar level of ecosystem-wide protection. And as it considers the path forward for establishing new protected areas, the state should solicit input from a broad range of Californians who love the ocean.

By taking these important steps, California will retain our leading role in ocean conservation in the decades to come, and leave behind a healthier ocean for our marine life and for future generations of the Golden State.

Sincerely,