The Otter Project’s Top 2024 Accomplishments
As 2024 closes, we celebrate the progress we’ve made toward cleaner waters and healthier habitats for the sea otter. The future holds significant challenges, but as we build upon our past achievements, we remain unwaveringly committed to fighting for the watersheds and coastal oceans upon which the southern sea otter and our communities depend. Here are some of the accomplishments we are most proud of this year:
Preserved sea otter habitat via the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary encompasses 4,543 square miles of Central California’s beautiful coastal and ocean waters between the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, a crucial safe zone for a large percentage of the remaining sea otters in California.
Protected sea otters from coastal pollution by challenging Pebble Beach to clean up water quality violations along the Monterey coast. The waters off the Monterey coast are some of the most iconic and protected ocean waters in the nation, yet the Pebble Beach community and golf courses have been allowed to discharge unpermitted pollutants for decades without oversight. Our lawsuit will require Pebble Beach to clean up their act and stop this pollution in perpetuity.
Secured California’s commitment to a first-of-its-kind policy to prevent ocean acidification dead zones in sea otter habitat. This year, The Otter Project assembled a coalition of environmental advocates to send a letter to the Governor urging him to address wastewater pollution’s devastating contributions to ocean acidification hot spots. As a result, the state has committed to developing a landmark ocean acidification policy.