Marine Sanctuary

MONTEREY BAY: A WEALTH OF HABITATS WORTH PROTECTING

"Established by congress in 1992, the Monterey Bay National Marine is the largest federally protected area in the lower 48 states. Encompassing square miles of open water (4,024 nautical miles), an area much larger than Yellowstone or Yosemite National Park, its boundaries span nearshore and ocean habitats, extending from the high tide mark to as far as 53 miles (85 offshore. The seaward boundary averages 30 miles (48 kilometers). Its edge spans one-fifth of the California coast, from Rocky Point, seven miles of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin Headlands, north of San Francisco, to a south of Cambria Rock, in San Luis Obispo County; due west of San Simeon ­ a distance of over 400 miles (680 kilometers). The deepest point in the sanctuary 10,663 feet (3,250 meters) below the surface in the Monterey Canyon, which is ~ the depth of the Grand Canyon.

"Sheer cliffs, wave-swept rocky beaches, and placid sandy beaches are all attractions with visitors to the sanctuary along the coasts of Monterey; Big Sur, and Half Moon Bay. But more important, these coastal habitats important feeding, breeding, and resting areas for the many mammals, birds, 5, and amphibians that stop over or live here year-round. Some of their inhabitants including the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, are listed as endangered; ., like the California sea otter, are classified by wildlife authorities as "threatened" or "sensitive" species, warranting protection under state and federal law.

"Offshore habitats are equally as varied and supportive of life. A stones throw shore, lush stands of 100-foot-tall giant kelp rise from the seafloor. These swaying pillars of Monterey Bays underwater forest provide permanent or temporary :r to an array of creatures--from tiny marine snails to silvery anchovies and leopard sharks. To the bays resident population of California sea otters, the kelp forests serve as sun-dappled hunting grounds, rich with crabs, snails, urchins, octopus, and a multitude of fishes. This habitat once represented the last refuge for these marine mammals, which, at the turn of the century; were nearly eliminated by the fur traders' zeal to acquire the most luxurious of all animal pelts.

"Farther from shore, the seafloor becomes a featureless field of sand and mud, a barren landscape that is occasionally broken by granite outcroppings, shale reefs, or the remains of shipwrecks. Colorful communities of fishes and invertebrates congregate in and around these structures. Sablefish, lingcod, boccaccio, jack mackerel, market squid, Pacific sardine and hake are only a few of the species of fishes pursued by commercial and recreational fishermen. Yearly catches at the sanctuary's submerged sites are valued in the millions of dollars.

"One of the most significant features of the offshore environment is also the least understood: a massive sunken canyon often likened to Arizona's Grand Canyon, although different in size. One of the deepest and largest submarine canyons on the west coast of North America, its eroded rock walls fan out from Moss Landing across Monterey Bay, meandering over 60 miles of seafloor, and dipping down two miles into the oceanic abyss. Most of the creatures at this depth can be observed only by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and state-of-the-art submersibles such as the Alvin or Deep Rover. Many, including the small, gray catsharks with highly reflective green eyes or the orange clusters of plump pincushion sea stars, bear obvious resemblance to life forms in shallower seas. However, canyon dwellers such as the 90-foot-long siphonophore, a distant relative of the Portuguese man-o'-war jellyfish, look like aliens from another planet On almost every expedition into the sanctuary's dark abyss, scientists gain insights and understanding into the mysteries of deep ocean life.

"All told, the sanctuary boasts a vast diversity of sea life, with 27 species of marine mammals, 94 species of seabirds, 345 species of fish, 4 species of turtles, 31 phyla of invertebrates and more than 450 species of marine algae.

"Cultural resources abound as well. Within the unpredictable waters of the sanctuary lie 1,276 reported shipwrecks, and along its shores, 718 prehistoric sites."

Quoted from:
A Natural History of the Monterey Bay
NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation - 2006