Foreword
The waters off the coast of Southern California are home toa rich abundance of ocean life, including a wide variety of marine mammals.Some are common, such as dolphins and gray whales, while others are rare, suchas blue, fin, humpback, and various species of beaked whales. SouthernCalifornia is also the site of the largest Navy base on the West Coast, home tothe U.S. Pacific fleet, which routinely conducts training exercises in thecoastal areas. One such program — a series of anti-submarine warfare (ASW)exercises — has pitted the U.S. government against a consortium ofenvironmental groups, sparking a legal battle that reached…
