[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 15, Volume 3]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 15CFR922.2]



[Page 118-119]

 

                  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 119]]



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.