Table of Contents

Cover

Table of Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

Part I:
Executive Summary

Part II:
The Affected Environment
I. Section
II.Section
III. Section
IV. Section

Part III:
Alternatives Including The Preferred Alternative
I. Section
II.Section
III. Section

Part IV
Environmental Concequences
I. Section
II.Section
III. Section
IV. Section
V. Section

Part V:
Sanctuary Management Plan
I. Section
II.Section
III. Section
IV. Section
V. Section

Part VI:
List of Preparers and Alternatives

Part VII:
List of Agencies, Organizations, and Persons Receiving Copies

Part VIII:
References

Part IX
Appendices
 






VOLUME I
  LIST OF FIGURES
  LIST OF TABLES
  PART I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  PART II: THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
   
I. Section: The Regional Context II-4
A. Sanctuary Location II-4
B. Regional Access II-5
II. Section: Sanctuary Resources II-6
A. Introduction II-6
B. Environmental Conditions II-7
1. Geological Oceanography II-7
2. Meteorology II-10
3. Physical Oceanography II-11
a. Waves II-11
b. Water Temperature II-12
c. Offshore Ocean Currents II-12
d. Upwelling and Eddies II-14
e. Nearshore coastal currents II-17
f. Freshwater input II-18
4. Water Quality II-18

C. Habitats

II-25
1. Introduction II-25
2. Submarine Canyon Habitat II-25
3. Nearshore Sublittoral Habitat II-27
4. Rocky Intertidal Habitat II-27
5. Sandy Beach Intertidal Habitat II-28
6. Kelp Forest Habitat II-28
7. Estuaries and Sloughs II-29

D. Biological Resources

II-31
1. Introduction II-31
2. Plankton II-31
3. Algae II-32
4. Invertebrates II-34
5. Fishes II-36
6. Seabirds II-40
7. Turtles II-44
8. Marine Mammals II-44
a. Pinnipeds II-44
b. Cetaceans II-48
c. Fissipeds II-50

E. Cultural and Historical Resources

II-53
1. Historic sites II-53
2. Shipwrecks II-54
F. Existing Protected Areas II-54
1. State Refuges and Reserves II-57
a. Ecological Reserves II-57
b. Game Refuges II-58
c. Marine Life Refuges II-59
d. Fish Refuge II-59
e. Marine Reserves II-60
2. State Historic Parks II-61
3. California State Park System and Beaches II-61

III. Section: Human Activities

II-63
A. Fishing II-63
1. Commercial Fishing II-63
2. Aquaculture II-63
3. Kelp Harvesting II-67
B. Hydrocarbon and Mineral Activities II-68
1. Oil and Gas II-68
2. Sand Mining II-70

C. Vessel Traffic, Harbors and Dredging

II-70
1. Vessel Traffic II-70
a. Commercial Shipping II-70
b. Commercial Fishing Vessels II-73
c. Research Vessels II-73
d. Recreational Boating II-73
2. Harbors II-74
a. Santa Cruz Harbor II-74
b. Moss Landing Harbor II-74
c. Monterey Harbor II-74
d. Princeton/Pillar Point Harbor II-74
3. Dredging II-79
4. Dredge Disposal II-79

D. Discharges, and Non-Dredge Material Dump Sites

II-79
1. Point Source Discharges II-79
2. Non-Point Source Discharges II-86
3. Non-Dredge Material Dump Sites II-86
E. Military Activity II-88
F. Research and Education II-90
G. Land Use II-93
H. Coastal Development II-96
I. Recreational Activities and Tourism II-96
1. Tourism II-96
2. Coastal Recreation Areas II-98
3. Recreational Boating II-98
4. "Personal water craft" II-98
5. Recreational Fishing II-99
6. Intertidal Collecting II-102
7. Diving II-102
8. Nature Observation II-102
9. Surfing II-102

IV. Section: Existing Resource Protection Regime

II-104
A. Introduction II-104
B. Federal Authorities II-104
C. State Authorities II-105
  PART III: ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
   
I. Section: Boundary Alternatives III-5
A. Introduction III-5
B. Boundary Alternative 1 III-6
1. Geography III-6
2. Distinguishing Characteristics III-6
C. Boundary Alternative 2 III-10
1. Geography III-10
2. Distinguishing Characteristics III-10
D. Boundary Alternative 3 III-14
1. Geography III-14
2. Distinguishing Characteristics III-14
E. Boundary Alternative 4 III-18
1. Geography III-18
2. Distinguishing Characteristics III-18
F. Boundary Alternative 5 (Preferred) III-22
1. Geography III-22
2. Distinguishing Characteristics III-22
G. Boundary Alternative 6 III-26
1. Geography III-26
2. Distinguishing Characteristics III-26
H. Boundary Alternative 7 III-30
1. Geography III-30
2. Distinguishing Characteristics III-30

II. Section: Regulatory Alternatives

III-34
A. Introduction III-34
B. Oil, Gas and Mineral Activities III-40
1. Status Quo III-40
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-40
b. Impact to Resources III-40
c. Impact to Uses III-41
2. Sanctuary Alternative 1 III-41
a. Sanctuary Action III-41
b. Impact to Resources III-42
c. Impact to Uses III-42
3. Sanctuary Alternative 2 (Preferred) III-42
a. Sanctuary Action III-42
b. Impact to Resources III-43
c. Impact to Uses III-43
C. Discharges or Deposits III-44
1. Status Quo III-44
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-44
(1) Point Source Discharges III-45
(2) Non-Point Source Discharges (NPS) III-45
(3) Hazardous waste, oil and trash disposal III-46

(4) Ocean dumping

III-47
b. Impact to Resources III-47
c. Impact to Uses III-48
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) III-49
a. Sanctuary Action III-49
b. Impact to Resources III-49
c. Impact to Uses III-50
(1) Vessels III-51
(2) Dredge Disposal Activities III-51
(3) Point Source Discharges III-52
(4) Non-Point Source Discharges (NPS)III-54
D. Historical Resources III-55
1. Status Quo III-55
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-55
b. Impact to Resources III-55
c. Impact to Uses III-56
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) III-56
a. Sanctuary Action III-56
b. Impact to Resources III-56
c. Impact to Uses III-57

E. Alteration of or Construction on the Seabed

III-58
1. Status Quo III-58
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-58
b. Impact to Resources III-58
c. Impact to Uses III-59
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) III-59
a. Sanctuary Action III-59
b. Impact to Resources III-59
c. Impact to Uses III-59
F. Taking Marine Mammals, Turtles and Seabirds III-61
1. Status Quo III-61
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-61
b. Impact to Resources III-61
c. Impact to Uses III-61
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) III-61
a. Sanctuary Action III-61
b. Impact to Resources III-62
c. Impact to Uses III-62

G. Overflights

III-63
1. Status Quo III-63
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-63
b. Impact to Resources III-63
c. Impact to Uses III-63
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) III-63
a. Sanctuary Action III-63
b. Impact to Resources III-64
c. Impact to Uses III-64
H. Operation of "Personal Water Craft" III-66
1. Status Quo III-66
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-66
b. Impact to Resources III-66
c. Impact to Uses III-66
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) III-66
a. Sanctuary Action III-66
b. Impact to Resources III-67
c. Impact to Uses III-69
I. Vessel Traffic III-70

1. Status Quo (Preferred)

III-70
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-70
b. Impact to Resources III-70
c. Impact to Uses III-72
2. Sanctuary Alternative III-73
a. Sanctuary Action III-73
b. Impact to Resources III-73
c. Impact to Uses III-74
J. Fishing, Kelp Harvesting and Aquaculture III-75
1. Status Quo (Preferred) III-75
a. Existing Regulatory Framework III-75
b. Impact to Resources III-75
c. Impact to Uses III-79
2. Sanctuary Alternative III-81
a. Sanctuary Action III-81
b. Impact to Resources III-81
c. Impact to Uses III-81

III. Section: Management Alternatives

III-82
A. Introduction III-82
B. Alternatives III-82
1. Status Quo III-82
2. Sanctuary Management Alternative 1 III-82
3. Sanctuary Management Alternative 2 (Preferred)III-82
  PART IV: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF ALTERNATIVES
    <

I. Section: Boundary Alternatives

IV-5
A. IntroductionIV-5
B. Boundary Alternative 1 IV-5
C. Boundary Alternative 2 IV-8
D. Boundary Alternative 3 IV-10
E. Boundary Alternative 4 IV-11
F. Boundary Alternative 5 IV-12
G. Boundary Alternative 6 IV-13
H. Boundary Alternative 7 IV-14
II. Section: Regulatory AlternativesIV-16
A. Introduction IV-16
B. Oil, Gas and Mineral Activities IV-17
1. Status Quo IV-17
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-17
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-22
2. Sanctuary Alternative 2 (Preferred) IV-22
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-22
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-25

C. Discharges or Deposits

IV-27
1. Status Quo IV-27
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-27
(1) Discharges from Point Sources IV-27
(2) Discharges from Non-Point Sources (NPS) IV-28
(3) Hazardous waste, oil and trash disposal IV-29
(4) Ocean dumping IV-30
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-30
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-31
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-31
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-31

D. Historical Resources

IV-36

1. Status Quo

 IV-36
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-36
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-36
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-36
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-36
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-37
E. Alteration of or Construction on the Seabed IV-39
1. Status Quo IV-39
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-39
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-40
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-40
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-40
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-41

F. Taking Marine Mammals, Turtles and Seabirds

 IV-42
1. Status Quo IV-42
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-42
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-43
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-43

a. Consequence of Impact to Resources

IV-43
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-43
G. Overflights IV-45
1. Status Quo IV-45
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-45
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-45
2. Sanctuary Alternative (Preferred) IV-45
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-45
b. Consequence of Impact to Uses IV-46

H. Operation of "Personal Water Craft"

IV-48
1. Status Quo IV-48
a. Consequence of Impact to Resources IV-48