The US has created its first tribally nominated marine sanctuary

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary protects 11,770 km2 of ocean along a 175km stretch of the Central California coastline. This area supports several vulnerable or endangered species from southern sea otters to blue whales and leatherback turtles. The sanctuary is the culmination of a decades-long campaign led by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council to protect coastline, wildlife and ocean sacred to the Chumash Peoples.