Location / Boundaries / Size
The Sanctuary includes ocean waters of the central
California Coast from Cambria to north of San Francisco, and extends seaward to an average
of 30 miles. Monterey Bay proper actually comprises less than 1/15th of the entire
Sanctuary. Sanctuary boundaries do not include any dry land areas.
The Sanctuary encompasses 5,322 square statute miles. It is
the largest marine sanctuary in the United States. It is the largest marine sanctuary in
the world by volume and the second largest in the world by area.
The Monterey Bay submarine canyon is larger than the Grand
Canyon.
The deepest point in the Sanctuary is 10,663 feet (3,250
meters).
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Regulations
Federal regulations prohibit the following activities
within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary:
- Exploring for, developing or producing oil, gas or minerals
- Discharge or deposit of any materials (some specific
exceptions)
- Moving, removing or injuring a Sanctuary historic resource
- Altering the seabed (some specific exceptions)
- Disturbing marine mammals, sea turtles or marine birds
- Flying motorized aircraft below 1,000 feet in certain areas
- Possessing any historical resource, marine mammal, sea
turtle or marine bird
- Interfering with enforcement of Sanctuary laws or
regulations
- Operating "personal watercraft" (Jet Skis)
outside of the four designated zones and access routes
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Average Ocean Temperature
The surface temperature averages 55 F (13 C).
Living Marine Resources
- Marine mammals - 26 species
- Seabirds - 94 species
- Fish - 345 species
- Turtles - 4 species
- Invertebrates 31 phyla
- Marine algae (plants) - 450+ species
Approximately 21 endangered and threatened animals spend
all or part of their lives in the Sanctuary.
Grey whales are seasonal migrants, traveling close to shore
during two annual migrations between Alaska and breeding grounds in Baja California. Blue
whales are found in the Sanctuary from late spring to late autumn. Other cetaceans include
Minke whales, Fin whales, Humpback whales, Pacific Right whales, Sperm whales, and several
porpoise and dolphin species.
The sea otter population within the Sanctuary is estimated
to be more than 1,200. Thirty-one percent of the population inhabits the coastal area from
Point Sur to Año Nuevo/Pigeon Point. An official California Sea Otter Game Refuge extends
from Carmel south to Santa Rosa Creek near Cambria, encompassing about half of the otter's
established range.
Upwelling (the movement of deep, nutrient rich ocean water
to the surface) is a critical element in the Sanctuary. The cold, nutrient rich water from
the ocean floor triggers a food web that feeds a remarkable mix of organisms from the
smallest microscopic plants (phytoplankton) to Earth's largest creature, the endangered
Blue whale. Upwelling occurs on the West Coast during the summer. When the cold water
rises to the surface and meets the warmer air temperatures, marine fog is produced.
Giant kelp is the fastest growing plant on earth; it grows
up to 14 inches a day in water as deep as 100 feet. The kelp supports biological
communities among their protective canopies, and is a favorite resting spot of the sea
otter, which naps in the protective bed of floating strands. When the kelp is washed
ashore, it continues to support communities of invertebrates, crustaceans and birds.
Activities
The Sanctuary has many diverse uses, including the
following:
- Boating, sailing and harbors
- Board sports and SCUBA diving
- Commercial and recreational fishing
- Tourism and recreation
- Scientific research
- Kelp harvesting
- Shipping
- Military activities
- Coastal development
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|
For more
information |
National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
299 Foam Street Suite D
Monterey, CA 93940
831.647.4201
www.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov/
|
Information for this site is provided by the National
Oceanic & Atmospheric
Administration
and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary |
