Marine SanctuariesNational Marine Sanctuary:
A federally designated area within U.S. waters that protects specific areas of the marine environment
Marine Protected Area:Areas where natural and/or cultural resources
are given greater protection than the surrounding waters
Marine SanctuariesWhy do we make it a sanctuary?
ConservationRecreationEcologyHistoryCultureArcheologyScienceEducationAesthetics
Marine SanctuariesSo what’s the difference between a Marine
Sanctuary and a Marine Protected Area?Marine Sanctuaries are multiple-use marine
protected areas, protected under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act
What?? Multiple-use???Multiple-use mean the use of land for more
than one purpose
Marine SanctuariesMarine Protection, Research, and
Sanctuaries Act (Ocean Dumping Act)1972Secretary of Commerce gets to choose a
National marine Sanctuary after talking to the heads of involved agencies
Governor can declare it unacceptable
Marine SanctuariesWho runs National Marine Sanctuaries?
NMSPNational Marine Sanctuaries ProgramThis program is a division of NOAA (Yay
NOAA!)There are “14” U.S. National Marine
Sanctuaries
MonitorFeb 30, 1975North Carolina Designated by NOAA to protect the ironclad
shipwreck of the USS Monitor First National Marine SanctuaryOnly sanctuary created to protect a cultural
resource rather than a natural oneSize: 1 sq. mile
Key Largo*Jan 1976FloridaDesignated by NOAA to protect the portion of
barrier reef beyond state waters of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary subsumed this sanctuary in 1990
Size: 100 sq. miles
Channel IslandsOct 1980California Designated by NOAA to protect a confluence
of cold and warm water currents with a great abundance of marine life
Expanded in 2007Size: 1,658 sq. miles
Gulf of FarallonesJan 1981CaliforniaDesignated by NOAA to protect an extensive
marine habitat and bird coloniesIn the waters off San Francisco Size: 1,255 sq. miles
Looe Key*Jan 1981FloridaDesignated by NOAA to protect the unusual
and highly important spur and grove reef system
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary subsumed this sanctuary in 1990
Size: 5.32 sq. miles
Gray’s ReefJan 1981GeorgiaDesignated by NOAA to protect a prime
example of South Atlantic hard/live bottom coral habitat
One of the largest near shore live-bottom reefs in the southeastern U.S.
Size: 23 sq. miles
Fagatele Bay April 1986American SamoaDesignated by NOAA to protect an example
of a South Pacific, tropical, fringing reef coral system
Smallest and most remoteOnly true tropical reef in the programSize: 0.25 sq. miles
Cordell BankMay 1989California Designated by NOAA to protect an area
where upwelling nutrient-rich deep water supports a flourishing ecosystem
Seamount, discovered by Edward Cordell in 1853
Size: 526 sq. miles
Florida Keys Nov 1990Florida (duh)Designated by Congress in response to a
series of large vessel groundings Protects the largest coral barrier reef system
in the U.S. (3rd largest in the world)Expanded in 2001Size: 3,674 sq. miles
Flower Garden Banks Jan 1992Texas/LouisianaDesignated by NOAA to protect important
coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico East Flower Garden Banks and West Flower
Garden BanksExpanded in 1996; Stetson BankSize: 56 sq. miles
Monterey BaySep 1992CaliforniaDesignated by NOAA to protect a variety of
habitats, including kelp forests, shores, and an underwater canyon
Supports one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems
Expanded in 2009Size: 5,328 sq. miles
Stellwagen BankNov 1992Massachusetts Designated by congress to protect the
primary feeding grounds of the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale
Size: 842 sq. miles
Hawaiian Islands Humpback WhaleNov 1992Hawaii (duh!)Designated by Congress to protect calving
and breeding grounds of the endangered North Pacific Humpback Whale
One of the world’s most important whale habitat
Size: 1,300 sq. miles
Olympic Coast May 1994Washington Designated by NOAA as a representative
marine and near-shore habitat of the Pacific Northwest
Size: 3,310
Thunder BayJun 2000MichiganDesignated by NOAA to protect the collection
of nationally significant historic shipwrecks (Shipwreck Alley, Lake Huron)
Only sanctuary in the Great Lakes About 116 shipsSize: 448 sq. miles
Papahanaumokuakea June 15, 2006Hawaii Marine National MonumentLargest MPA in the worldNamed after the goddess who ‘gave birth’ to
the islands in Hawaiian mythologySize: 140,000 sq. miles