The Obama administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have announced plans to double the size of the Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones national marine sanctuaries off Northern California.

The Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, originally designated in 1989, is located north of San Francisco will increase to 1,286 square miles from its present 529 square miles. The Culf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, designated in 1981, located due west of San Francisco will expand to 3,295 from its current 1,282 square miles.

“We are thrilled to announce the expansion of two of our sanctuaries in California. It’s important to conserve these special places that encourage partnerships in science, education, technology, management and community,” said Holly Bamford, Ph.D., acting assistant secretary of conservation and management and NOAA’s deputy administrator in a statement.

The decision to expand the sanctuaries is based on years of study and public comment by the NOAA and other interested organizations. Research identified the areas as one of North America’s most productive “nutrient-rich upwelling zone’ which originates off Point Arena and flows south. The upwelling zone delivers nutrients, which many marine species depend on, from the deep ocean to coastal areas.

The two sanctuaries also contain valuable ecosystems including shallow marine banks, estuarine wetlands, “rocky intertidal habitat” as well as open ocean. They are also home to a wide range of species including 36 marine mammals and 25 endangered or threatened species.

“This expansion is the outcome of a tremendous collaborative effort by government, local communities, academia and elected officials to provide additional protection for critical marine resources. It presents a bold vision for protecting the waters off the northern California coast for current and future generations,” said Daniel J. Basta, director of the NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

The original expansion plan for the sanctuaries was originally submitted for public comment in 2001, then revised and re-opened for consultation in 2008. A further public engagement process, open to the public, was conducted from 2012 until 2014.

According to a statement from the White House, “NOAA’s action today reflects President Obama’s strong commitment to protecting our oceans and coasts. The ocean provides food, jobs, and opportunities for tourism and recreation for Americans all over the country. But the ocean is in trouble, facing serious threats from carbon pollution to overfishing. That’s why the President has taken action throughout his Administration to promote marine conservation and give Americans a voice in protecting areas of the sea that matter most to them.”

The National Marine Sanctuaries Program (NMSP) consists of 13 areas managed by NOAA. The areas are designated based an a perceived importance in terms of their ecological importance or the importance of the species that live there. They can also be designated based on educational, scientific, historical, cultural, archeological or aesthetic value.

Designating an area as a marine sanctuary does not necessarily mean a ban on fishing, development or other activities but it does mean that the area functions under a different set of rules than the standard laws governing US coastal or international waters.