Matching Gift Challenge

Monterey, CA – The recently established Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is dedicated to raising funds to support the long-term health of NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary for the two million residents spread across the five counties adjacent to the Sanctuary as well as the millions of tourists who visit the region every year.

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the creation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation was given the opportunity to receive a matching gift of $100,000 from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation to formally establish a local chapter for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. We are incredibly close to meeting this goal, but we need your help!

Generous support from the community will be used to support the following critical programs:

Whale Disentanglement and rescue efforts conducted by agencies and trained volunteers helps to prevent the unnecessary deaths of these iconic species. Thirty-six species of marine mammals live within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, including several iconic whale species such as blue, humpback, gray and killer whales. Every year, thousands of people venture out on boats or peer from land to catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures. Unfortunately, each year high numbers of whales become entangled in fishing gear or other debris.  Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary works closely with NOAA Fisheries, the California Whale Rescue network and other permitted responders to disentangle debris from large whales. The cost for responses and trainings to keep qualified volunteers on stand-by to rescue whales is expensive and require financial resources. Investments will enable the rescue teams to purchase fuel to spend more time on the water to locate, track and attend to entangled whales.

Team OCEAN uses trained, knowledgeable naturalists to go out in kayaks to serve as docents for the Sanctuary and protect sensitive wildlife from disturbance. Volunteers interact with over 5,000 people per year and their presence helps keep boaters from harming sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, birds and other wildlife. Team OCEAN volunteers can be found in Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing and along the kelp beds off Cannery Row in Monterey. Investments in Team OCEAN will put more volunteers on the water for more days and locations. Funding is used for training, equipment and education materials.

Bay Net trains volunteer naturalists, stationed along the recreation trails in Monterey, Pacific Grove, Santa Cruz and Moss Landing to educate about 40,000 people per year about the sanctuary and protecting local wildlife. During the spring, volunteers station themselves at harbor seal pupping beaches to ask people to keep a safe distance from harbor seal mothers and their pups. Funding is used for training, equipment and educational materials.

To learn more about these programs, visit here.

We are close to meeting our fundraising goal of $100,000 to receive the full grant from our generous benefactors. Can you help us meet this goal by June 30? This is a great time to double the impact of your gift, and help us protect Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary for generations to come.

Donate online here or send your check to:

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 510
Silver Spring, MD 20910