Petition Update: Moving Forward with NOAA Fisheries

Petition Updates

I wanted to share an important update with everyone who has signed and supported my petition to help protect the sea lions at the Channel Islands Harbor haul-out.

After receiving a letter from Kevin Paredes, Warden – Ventura, Southern Enforcement District, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, explaining that fishing is currently not prohibited in this area, as well as a response from the Harbor Director, I learned something very important. Both explained that they do not have the authority to establish a no-fishing buffer or exclusion zone around the sea lion haul-out. Instead, they directed me to NOAA Fisheries, the federal agency responsible for evaluating  marine mammal protection measures under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

While it was disappointing to learn that fishing cannot currently be prohibited in this location because no official exclusion zone exists, I am encouraged that we now know which agency has the authority to evaluate additional protections.

My next step is to formally present our petition, along with the responses from the Harbor Director and Warden Kevin Paredes, to NOAA Fisheries. I will respectfully request that they review the conditions at the Channel Islands Harbor sea lion haul-out and consider whether additional protective measures, including a no-fishing buffer or other appropriate protections, are warranted. 

“Although Change.org currently displays this as a ‘Victory,’ I consider this a partial victory because our ultimate goal—a protective buffer around the sea lion haul-out—has not yet been achieved.”

Thank you to everyone who signed this petition, shared it, and stood behind this effort. Your voices have helped bring us to this point, and I am truly grateful for your support.

Getting signs is a victory, but getting educational signs that help protect these animals is our ultimate goal. We will continue this fight together until meaningful protection is in place. ❤️🦭

Please continue to sign and share this petition. Every signature and every share helps keep this issue moving forward and brings us one step closer to meaningful protection for these sea lions.