To ensure the Bay remains healthy and thriving, we advocate to protect wildlife and sensitive habitats from harmful industrial, commercial, and excessive recreational development activities.

We fight for consistent management strategies, enforcement, and strong permit conditions; and we engage with state resource management agencies to improve oversight, compliance, and planning guidance.

We work to protect coastal resources, like eelgrass (Zostera marina), species of special concern, endangered and native species, marine mammals, and shore and waterbirds in Tomales Bay and beyond.

Unfortunately, our state’s oceans, bays, wetlands, estuaries, and species have already suffered harm and are threatened by ocean acidification, warming, biodiversity loss, and other climatic changes. Considering this, we must employ a precautionary approach to coastal management.

We also defend against attacks on California’s Coastal Act; these come in different shapes and sizes and have been increasing with constant development pressure.

Our work is far-reaching, as state and national policies affect what happens to Tomales Bay; and we can’t do it alone. We developed an advisory committee made up of local stakeholders to provide expertise and coordination to address issues that arise; and we organized a statewide coalition to amplify our work, build partnerships, protect regulations, and safeguard coastal, offshore, and estuarine habitats and biodiversity.

2022 was a busy year for our Healthy Tomales Bay campaign including acting on the following important issues, where we:

Championed regulatory permit conditions to protect sensitive eelgrass habitats from aquaculture development and expansion, including advocating for strong permit conditions to protect eelgrass and herring habitat when Tomales Bay Oyster Company finalized their coastal development permit.
Protected Tomales Bay’s significant eelgrass habitat through our work on the statewide Wetlands Restoration Principles coalition and California Blue Carbon Collaborative. Eelgrass has significant carbon sequestration and ecosystem services benefits, and it is always easier to protect than attempt to restore once destroyed.
Upheld the California Coastal Act to protect sensitive habitats, public access, viewsheds, and water quality including our successful opposition to AB 303, a bill that would have exempted the California Coastal Act from five large pilot aquaculture projects.
Advocated successfully with partners to ban the use of hydraulic pumps for harvesting clam, sand crabs, and shrimp statewide.
Joined partners in advocating for sustainable state fisheries including fighting to end harmful fishing methods which result in unintentionally catching other species, harming biodiversity.
Advocated and led the effort for statewide criteria to determine whether new aquaculture leases are in the public’s best interest. Public interest criteria will be applied when new lease applications are submitted — like the proposed lease by San Andreas Shellfish near the mouth of Tomales Bay. Clear criteria will improve transparency and decision-making when the Fish and Game Commission considers approving a new lease application.
Continued our advocacy for a strong and complete statewide aquaculture action plan under the Ocean Protection Council’s strategic plan.
Tracked federal offshore aquaculture opportunity areas and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration strategic planning regarding aquaculture expansion in federal waters that could impact California’s coastal resources and would not be subject to the same regulations.
Coordinated with resource agencies around additional eelgrass surveying and led intern capstone projects to GIS map existing eelgrass and aquaculture operations in Tomales Bay and research aquaculture and trade imbalances.
Tracked state and federal legislation and litigation around aquaculture permitting and fees.
Cleaned up discarded oyster shells at Millerton State Park as part of our annual Litter Bugs Me/Coastal Clean up event in partnership with Tomales Bay Oyster Company.
Coordinated with our Waters Advisory Committee, which met four times and included presentations on Tomales Bay bird and estuary monitoring results. Thank you to our committee members for their dedication and knowledge, which helps inform and expand our work.

Our work in this area continues to grow each year. We are committed and engaged alongside our coalition partners. Stay tuned for more information in 2023 and how you can get involved or support this work.

*This article also appeared in our Winter 2022 print newsletter without hyperlinks.