Promoting greater awareness of marine conservation issues and stewardship of our coastal and ocean resources.

SOS utilized the results from our Everyone Deserves Reserves survey by crafting appropriate messages and relevant conservation topics to inform central coast residents about ocean protection and marine policy issues.

SOS launched the 2005 Stewardship Series™, noted above, to promote education and inspire citizens to protect and conserve the marine ecosystems of California’s Central coast. In addition, SOS led in-field stewardship activities including our annual Earth Day and Star Spangled Beaches™ clean ups to remove trash and preserve our coastline. In 2005, SOS led 26 beach and creek sites in San Mateo County as the county coordinator during Coastal Clean-Up Day.

Promoting clean boating practices, as well as water quality, conservation and supply alternatives on the central coast.

SOS hosted its 2005 Stewardship Series™ “Get On Board: A Citizen’s Role in Water Supply Concerns & Alternatives”, a forum that engaged citizens in regional strategies to address water supply and desalination as one solution. The forum featured top experts from the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, Planning & Conservation League, and the Water & Sustainability Program at the Pacific Institute.

SOS joined the Coalition for Responsible Desalination, a community-based initiative to promote awareness of the social, economic, and environmental costs of desalination and its alternatives. In addition, SOS co-sponsored the Second Annual AMBAG Conference on Water Alternatives which focused on the overall water supply portfolio in the region.

Promoting public awareness for the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) in state and federal waters along the central California coast.

SOS participated with regional scientific, fishing, and environmental communities to seek consensus in the design and designation processes for MPAs mandated by the 1999 Marine Life Protection Act. To further citizen engagement, SOS launched our 2005 Stewardship Series,™ “Get on Board: A Citizen’s Role in the MLPA”, a sequence of public education forums designed to increase public participation in the MPA designation process that featured top experts in the fields of conservation, marine science and fishing.

SOS continued its membership on the Coalition of Organizations for Ocean Life and our support for the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative, an effort to implement a network of MPAs within state waters. Led by the California Resources Agency’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, SOS is participating in their efforts to make informed public policy recommendations and better enable the MLPA mandate. SOS contributed to the Initiative proceedings in 2005 by: