11/05/2026
The evening of Oct. 14, on a dark, bumpy bus ride from Santa Barbara to Sacramento, college students from Allan Hancock College, Cuesta, and Cal Poly were nervous. They were about to give their first public testimony. Riding with them, longtime environmental advocates shared advice and stories.
The Point Sal and Mishopshno state marine conservation areas proposals were among the first ever tribally nominated MPAs and emphasized tribal co-stewardship. Both proposals prohibit the harvest or damage of “any living, geologic, or cultural marine resource” but still allow hook-and-line fishing from the shore.
The petition to designate the Point Sal State Marine Conservation Area was co-sponsored by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and Natural Resources Defense Council. It encompasses 9.18 square miles of ocean off of Point Sal, west of Guadalupe and Santa Maria and south of Mussel Point. The region is a migratory whale corridor and ocean nursery, providing key habitat for baby fish to develop before they depart for the big ocean beyond. This is also an important part of protecting Chumash ancestral territory.
The Mishopshno State Marine Conservation Area petition was co-sponsored by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Center. Mishopshno is named after an important Chumash village. The protection extends 9.05 square miles of ocean southwest of Carpinteria. This ecosystem supports a biodiversity hotspot, including a juvenile white shark zone, a rocky reef, and one of the only persistent kelp areas in the region.
The morning after the bus arrived in Sacramento, more than 50 advocates walked to the Fish and Game Commission hearing. As it began, some students were wondering whether they had enough expertise to give public comment, facing the daunting experience of questioning, “Is my opinion and my story worth sharing?” And it worked.
Thanks to tribal leadership and abundant community support, the Point Sal and Mishopshno state marine conservation areas achieved designation.
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