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Once these structures have reached the end of their functional lifespan, drilling operators, government agencies, and surrounding communities must decide what to do with them.

Summary of the City of Long Beach Climate Resiliency Assessment Report Created by the Aquarium of the Pacific at the request of Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia

Key to gaining public support in establishing marine protected areas and natural protected areas is including the public in the process of identifying, designating and maintaining these special areas. On September 23-24, 2010, a workshop was held at the Aquarium of the Pacific that brought together scientists, environmental managers, policy-makers, informal educators, and stakeholders to develop public outreach strategies for two areas with different challenges but the same need to protect ocean resources—the Gulf of California and the Southern California Bight. This report is a summary of the workshop discussion and recommendations.

The Southern California Bight (SCB) is a highly developed region with multiple and diverse uses by a population of more than 20 million people. The challenge is to allocate human uses and uses by marine life in a sustainable way.

The Gulf of California is sparsely developed and has a population of only about 8.6 million people, many of whom depend upon the gulf for their livelihoods. Fishing is a major source of income for them. The challenges here are to work for sustainable development and to ensure that plans for designation of special ocean places will enhance the standard of living of those whose livelihood depends on the Gulf of California resources.

A watershed is defined as a specific land area that drains water into a river system or other body of water. The prominent cities in Southern California would not be located where they are today were it not for the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers and the fertile soil around its watersheds.

For centuries these rivers were the sole source of water for its inhabitants. The rivers’ water not only helped make Los Angeles County and Orange County two of the richest agriculture regions in the nation, but also shaped its image as the “Southern California Eden”. Today however, the images of our watersheds contradict its importance to the history and development of this region.

As the Aquarium of the Pacific plans to expand, there is a need for fresh ideas to incorporate into the programs and exhibits. In order to increase and sustain attendance, the Aquarium must refresh itself through growth and improvements to the existing facility. Opportunities may be presented through future additions and extensions, but can also be started on a smaller scale with more modest and meaningful enhancements to the existing building. The second of a series of workshops on animals ranging from whales to corals, today’s meeting focused on the plight of turtles and the different ways the Aquarium can bring out their stories, threats, experiences, and habitats. A list of participants is included in Appendix A, and the workshop agenda is included in Appendix B. This workshop is an outgrowth of a discussion held by the Forward Planning Committee of the Aquarium’s Board of Directors.