2019: Year in Review
- The amount of oxygen in seawater impacts sea life greatly. The Foundation has supported the study of low oxygen events through the purchase of instruments and funding for their placement and retrieval within the Sanctuary waters for the past 6 years.
- Foundation Board members facilitated the production of a new half-hour documentary film, “Cordell Bank: A National Treasure,” now showing on PBS. You can find a link to this film at the top of our home page.
- The Foundation co-hosted the Ocean Film Festival at the Point Arena Theater, including a post-film conversation with film maker Josh Berry and former sea urchin diver turned white shark videographer Ron Elliott.
- The 30th Anniversary celebration of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary was hosted by the Foundation. Many of the original Cordell Expedition members from the 1970s and 80s, including leader Bob Schmieder, were in attendance. In addition to remarks made by Dan Howard (CBNMS Superintendent), Sarah Hameed (President of the Foundation Board of Directors), and John Armor (Director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries), attendees were treated to the west coast premier of “Cordell Bank: A National Treasure.”
- The Foundation’s web site has been revamped to help provide an outlet for news and information about the Sanctuary.
Chromoplexaura cordellbankensis (above right), is a new coral species discovered in the Sanctuary in 2019 by Gary Williams, California Academy of Sciences, aboard the R/V “Bell M. Shimada” (above left) and named after Cordell Bank. coral photo by Gary C. Williams
Plans for 2020
In the coming year, the Foundation plans to facilitate Sanctuary priority projects including:
- Detailed analysis and summary of remote operated vehicle (ROV) survey imagery data. ROV video and photo transects in the Sanctuary captures changes in fish, coral, and other animal populations. This work is critical in light of our changing climate.
- Co-host the Ocean Film Festival at the Point Arena Theater, with additional events at other venues nearby.
- An increase in funding for the study of low oxygen events in the Sanctuary. Additional measurements are planned for 2020 to help create a more fine-scale and detailed picture of these potentially deadly events.
- We also hope to enable the Sanctuary to conduct deep-water surveys with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from a NOAA ship, the R/V “Bell M. Shimada”.
Welcome to our New Board Members
We are thrilled to have welcomed three new board members in 2019.
Carina Fish (above left), a Ph.D. candidate at UC Davis, uses the chemistry of deep-sea coral skeletons to uncover modern and past oceanographic change.
Kate Hewett (above center), a Ph.D. candidate at UC Davis, studies ocean acidification and low oxygen events in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
Keith Flood (above right) uses his underwater photography to bring awareness to the challenges facing our oceans; he was a scuba diver and photographer for Cordell Expeditions from 1987-1990.
Please Join Us!
We believe that through research and public awareness of this unique and vital area, Cordell Bank and the diverse life it hosts can be protected for future generations.
The Cordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We do not have paid staff, marketing campaigns, or office space, so almost all of your tax-deductible contributions go directly to supporting the research and education efforts of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
We accept donations online: http://cordellfoundation.org/donate/ Checks made out to Cordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation can be mailed to:
Cordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation 911 Lakeville Street, #187
Petaluma, CA 94952
We will provide you with a receipt for your records. Thank you for your continued support and goodwill.