On Oct 7, 2005 in Santa Barbara, CA, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation hosted a special awards gala in celebration of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary 25th anniversary. To celebrate this important sanctuary milestone, the Foundation honored Congresswoman Lois Capps, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Captain Fred Benko with the NMSF’s Stewardship Award. Local community members Jean and Barry Schuyler received the NMSF’s Lifetime Achievement Award for their commitment to the conservation and protection of our marine resources.
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| Tribute Dinner Honorees gather at sunset with Sanctuary Manager Chris Mobley during the evening reception. |
Congresswoman Lois Capps and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger were honored for their leadership on ocean issues in the State of California, particularly their support of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Sanctuary champions Jean and Barry Schuyler and Captain Fred Benko were recognized for their dedication to protecting and preserving this unique and spectacular marine environment.
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| The NMSF Stewardship Awards were designed by Santa Barbara sculptor Bud Bottoms. |
Ocean conservationist, explorer and NMSF Trustee Jean-Michel Cousteau served as Master of Ceremonies for the awards program. This gala dinner featured a video tribute and award presentation to each of the honorees, as well as a historical retrospective about the sanctuary and its treasures and an outlook for the future.
The gala tribute was co-hosted by Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF). Sponsors include Inamed Corporation, Aquarium of the Pacific, The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Kavlico Corporation, Oppenheimer, The Ocean Foundation, and Venoco, Inc.
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| Jean-Michel Cousteau with representatives of the evening’s Presenting Sponsor - Inamed Corporation. |
All proceeds from event will go to help raise awareness for marine conservation and education including programs like MERITO - Multicultural Education of Resource Issues Threatening Oceans. MERITO is an innovative regional program which engages the Latino community in marine conservation and education.
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| A silent auction raised over $10,000, which will be used to support education and outreach programs of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. |
 The Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary is the Santa Barbara non-profit partner for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. The local foundation was created in 1997 to assist the sanctuary with education, outreach and research programs designed to protect, preserve, and promote meaningful opportunities for public interaction with the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
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| Office of the National Marine Sanctuaries Director Dan Basta informs gala attendees of the many accomplishments achieved over the past 25 years. |
NMSF Executive Director Lori Arguelles congratulates the sanctuary on its many successes in the first 25 years and discusses ways the Foundation will help add to future successes. |
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the private, non-profit partner to the federally managed National Marine Sanctuary System; and was created to inspire all people to preserve, protect and promote our nationwide network of marine sanctuaries. These 14 marine protected areas encompass over 131,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters stretching from the Florida Keys to the Hawaiian Islands, from Lake Huron to the Gulf of Mexico. Through public and private sector partnerships the Foundation creates conservation-based research, education and outreach programs designed to connect the public with these special ocean and coastal recourses.
Current and previous Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary staff members celebrate the sanctuary’s Silver Anniversary. |
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Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Managers from present and past. |
The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is located 25 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. The sanctuary encompasses the waters surrounding San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara Islands. A fertile combination of warm and cool currents results in a great variety of plants and animals, including large near shore forests of giant kelp, flourishing populations of fish and invertebrates, numerous seabirds, seals and sea lions. Farther from shore the Pacific Ocean sustains abundant and diverse populations of several species of whales and dolphins including the endangered blue and humpback whales.
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| Local singer-songwriter Kimberly Ford entertains gala attendees with Songs in the Key of Sea. |
Honoree Captain Fred Benko celebrates with his Condor Cruises crew. |
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| NMSF Trustees Jean-Michel Cousteau and Bob Talbot with filmmaker Mike deGruy |
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Photographs are courtesy of Matthew Meier Photography and Robert Schwemmer.
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