California’s ocean economy generates more than $44 billion annually and supports thousands of jobs in commercial fishing, tourism, recreation, and shipping. Unfortunately, California’s marine animals, fish, and shellfish farmers and fishermen are suffering due to a range of human activities, including polluting our waters with under-treated sewage. Especially when waters are warmer, like during late summer and early fall, coastal sewage releases create a chain reaction that causes dramatic drops in dissolved oxygen in ocean water and increases in toxins that create health problems in marine wildlife. If you’ve heard about sea lions and dolphins dying on beaches or crabs having trouble making strong shells due to ocean acidification, urban wastewater releases are at least partly to blame.
We are calling on California to act. We need:
✓ Immediate regulatory action
✓ Technology-based standards by 2028
✓ Infrastructure funding for wastewater upgrades
✓ Binding water quality objectives
Sign the petition and learn more about CCKA’s Ocean Life Protection Project at https://cacoastkeeper.org/ocean-life-protection-project/.
Associate Director Natalie Caulk provides operational leadership and manages the ongoing implementation of programs and partnerships of CCKA.
