EM710 Water Column Sonar Data Collected During F00844

The survey area is located 12 miles off the coast of southern California between Port Hueneme in the south and Purisima Point in the north. The waters surrounding the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) are highly productive and are home to recreational and commercial fishing efforts, and regularly host kayakers, surfers, sightseers, whale watchers, researchers, and Channel Islands National Park concessionaires, who all access the sanctuary via boats. Correspondingly, the abundance of sea life and aquatic habitats drives a thriving industry of recreational and commercial fishing that brings varied vessel traffic through the waters of CINMS. Additionally, major mainland port traffic transiting to and from Los Angeles and Long Beach, California routes large cargo and tanker vessels close to CINMS boundaries. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are top 10 ports in the United States for containers and tonnage. This poses a serious risk to life, property, and the delicate ecosystem of the area. Multibeam, backscatter, and water column data have been collected in support of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Pacific Region area around selected offshore platforms and pipelines. Survey data from this project is intended to supersede all prior survey data in the common area.