[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR922.2]

[Page 119-120]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
CHAPTER IX--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                               OF COMMERCE
 
PART 922_NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY PROGRAM REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
                            Subpart A_General
 
Sec. 922.2  Mission, goals, and special policies.

    (a) In accordance with the standards set forth in title III of the 
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended, 
also known as the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (Act) the mission of 
the National Marine Sanctuary program (Program) is to identify, 
designate and manage areas of the marine environment of special 
national, and in some cases international, significance due to their 
conservation,

[[Page 120]]

recreational, ecological, historical, research, educational, or 
aesthetic qualities.
    (b) The goals of the Program are to carry out the mission to:
    (1) Identify and designate as National Marine Sanctuaries areas of 
the marine environment which are of special national significance;
    (2) Provide authority for comprehensive and coordinated conservation 
and management of these marine areas, and activities affecting them, in 
a manner which complements existing regulatory authorities;
    (3) Support, promote, and coordinate scientific research on, and 
monitoring of, the resources of these marine areas, especially long-term 
monitoring and research of these areas;
    (4) Enhance public awareness, understanding, appreciation, and wise 
use of the marine environment;
    (5) Facilitate to the extent compatible with the primary objective 
of resource protection, all public and private uses of the resources of 
these marine areas not prohibited pursuant to other authorities;
    (6) Develop and implement coordinated plans for the protection and 
management of these areas with appropriate Federal agencies, State and 
local governments, Native American tribes and organizations, 
international organizations, and other public and private interests 
concerned with the continuing health and resilience of these marine 
areas;
    (7) Create models of, and incentives for, ways to conserve and 
manage these areas;
    (8) Cooperate with global programs encouraging conservation of 
marine resources; and
    (9) Maintain, restore, and enhance living resources by providing 
places for species that depend upon these marine areas to survive and 
propagate.
    (c) To the extent consistent with the policies set forth in the Act, 
in carrying out the Program's mission and goals:
    (1) Particular attention will be given to the establishment and 
management of marine areas as National Marine Sanctuaries for the 
protection of the area's natural resource and ecosystem values; 
particularly for ecologically or economically important or threatened 
species or species assemblages, and for offshore areas where there are 
no existing special area protection mechanisms;
    (2) The size of a National Marine Sanctuary, while highly dependent 
on the nature of the site's resources, will be no larger than necessary 
to ensure effective management;
    (d) Management efforts will be coordinated to the extent practicable 
with other countries managing marine protected areas;
    (e) Program regulations, policies, standards, guidelines, and 
procedures under the Act concerning the identification, evaluation, 
registration, and treatment of historical resources shall be consistent, 
to the extent practicable, with the declared national policy for the 
protection and preservation of these resources as stated in the National 
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq., the 
Archeological and Historical Preservation Act of 1974, 16 U.S.C. 469 et 
seq., and the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA), 16 
U.S.C. 470aa et seq. The same degree of regulatory protection and 
preservation planning policy extended to historical resources on land 
shall be extended, to the extent practicable, to historical resources in 
the marine environment within the boundaries of designated National 
Marine Sanctuaries. The management of historical resources under the 
authority of the Act shall be consistent, to the extent practicable, 
with the Federal archeological program by consulting the Uniform 
Regulations, ARPA (43 CFR part 7) and other relevant Federal 
regulations. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines 
for Archeology may also be consulted for guidance. These guidelines are 
available from the Office of Ocean and Coastal Management at (301) 713-
3125.