By Christine Heinrichs
Love our beautiful coastline? Here’s some ways to get involved, learn more, and help others understand and protect it.
Become a NOAA Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Volunteer at the Coastal Discovery Center in San Simeon
The Coastal Discovery Center at William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach in San Simeon welcomes volunteers to support its mission of education, research, and resource protection. Volunteer docents receive comprehensive training about the sanctuary so that they can greet visitors, interpret exhibits, tell the public about the incredible sanctuary stories, and assist with K-12 school programs.
No prior experience needed! Bring your love of the coast and ocean and enthusiasm to share its wonders with others. Increase your own enjoyment of the Central Coast by learning about sanctuary research, resource protection, and how you can have a part in protecting this incredible ecosystem.
This is a great way to support marine conservation and connect with your community.
For more information about volunteer opportunities, contact mbnms.discoverycenter@noaa.gov or stop by the Coastal Discovery Center from Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to talk to a current docent or staff member. Volunteering is a fun way to connect with your community and be more informed and involved in marine conservation.
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a federally protected marine area off the central California coast. Stretching 276 miles from Marin to Cambria, the sanctuary encompasses 6,094 square miles of ocean and extends an average of 30 miles from shore. At its deepest point, the sanctuary reaches 12,743 feet — more than two miles. It is one of the nation’s largest national marine sanctuaries, surpassing the size of Yellowstone National Park.
Marine Sanctuaries Seeks Applicants for Advisory Councils
NOAA’s Monterey Bay and Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Councils represent the public’s interests in sanctuary matters. SACs study sanctuary issues, such as the Moss Landing battery fire and threats to kelp forests, resource protection, research, education, and outreach programs and advises the sanctuary superintendent. Recently, the MBNMS advisory council has focused on marine protected areas in federal waters and management plan review.
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary extends from Marin County to Cambria. The Chumash Heritage NMS covers 116 miles of coastline from south of Point Buchon to south of Point Conception. Advisory Councils assure continuous public participation in the management of the sanctuary.
Monterey Bay SAC has 20 voting members and seven ex-officio members. Members represent local user groups such as commercial fishermen, agriculture, and tourism, as well as the public, and local and state governmental jurisdictions. Each seat has a Primary member and an Alternate, to assume a seat if a primary member resigns.
The MBNMSAC meets quarterly. The next meeting will be September 18, in person at a location to be determined, and remotely via technology. The May meeting is held annually in Cambria, to allow council members to connect with issues at the south end of the sanctuary.
Several seats are open for new members: Agriculture Alternate, Commercial Fishing Alternate, Diving Primary and Alternate, Education Alternate, Tourism Primary and Alternate, and San Luis Obispo Citizen At Large Alternate. Candidates will be selected based on their expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying, community and professional affiliations, and knowledge regarding the protection and management of marine resources.
Deadline for applications is August 31, 2026.
Applications are at https://montereybay.noaa.gov/sac/#apply or by contacting Robbin Porter, Program Specialist, robbbin.porter@noaa.gov, (831) 647-4206.Applications are to be submitted to Porter.
Submit completed applications via e-mail to Robbin Porter at robbin.porter@noaa.gov.
For more information, contact Porter at (831) 647-4206, SLO Citizen At Large member Christine Heinrichs, Christine.heinrichs@gmail.com, or view the sanctuary’s webpage for the advisory council at https://montereybay.noaa.gov/sac/
Chumash Heritage NMS Advisory Council is seeking applicants for Research Primary member. The Research Primary member must be affiliated with scientific research institutions or organizations active in the sanctuary region. See additional qualifications at nmssanctuaries.blob.core.windows.net/sanctuaries-prod/media/docs/202608-chnms-ac-seat-descriptions.pdf.
CHNMS Advisory Council has 15 primary and alternate members representing a variety of public interest groups and provides advice and recommendations on the management of the sanctuary.
Applications for the Research Primary seat are due by Sept. 20, 2026. For more information, including a seat description and a copy of the application, please visit Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council webpage at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/chumash-heritage/advisory/apply.html
Applicants do not necessarily need prior first-hand experience within the sanctuary but should be very familiar with their constituents’ regional interests and how they relate to, or benefit, the management of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. Anyone with the desire and ability to effectively represent their respective community’s interest in the management of the sanctuary is encouraged to apply, regardless of the applicant’s geographic location within the region.
To learn more about Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary visit: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/chumash-heritage/ or contact: Sachiko Lamen, Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, Program Analyst, at sachiko.lamen@noaa.gov or by phone at 805-203-6004.
