FOR MORE INFORMATION 

For more information on the National Marine Protected Area Center, please visit http://mpa.gov, 

or contact mpainfo@noaa.gov. 

1 
Message from the Director of the 

National Marine Protected Areas Center 

 Fiscal year 2005 was a busy and productive one for the National Marine Protected Areas Center. We 

focused on an expanded series of scientific and outreach activities to engage the public and private 

sectors in the development of a national system of marine protected areas (MPAs) for the United 

States. As a result of our work, we are on schedule to publish the draft national system framework 

for public comment in 2006. 

 

In addition to hosting federal, state, and public national system workshops, the MPA Center 

accomplished a variety of other major tasks. The MPA Federal Advisory Committee, which is 

supported by the MPA Center, delivered its first set of recommendations to the Departments of 

Commerce and the Interior. The MPA Center increased public access to information about federal 

and state MPA planning processes through our developing web-based Regional Information Centers. 

Hits on our MPA.gov website averaged more than 400,000 per month. We continued our partnership 

with the NOAA Office of Coast Survey and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land 

Management to provide information on the nation’s marine managed areas to mariners through Coast 

Pilot publications. Our ongoing partnership with NOAA Fisheries allowed us to engage the 

scientific community and the public, bring recreational fishermen and scientists together for a 

workshop on benthic-pelagic linkages, and continue facilitating the dialogue between fisheries 

scientists and ecologists. 

We are nearly finished with the inventory of the nation’s marine managed areas, with most final 

federal information posted on MPA.gov and information about the majority of state and territorial 

sites scheduled to be posted in early 2006. To date, we estimate that there are nearly 2,000 marine 

managed areas around the nation. 

In order to better support development of the national system, the MPA Center scaled down its 

training, technical assistance, and education projects in mid 2005. In June, the MPA Center’s 

Training and Technical Assistance Institute was absorbed by the NOAA Coastal Services Center in 

Charleston, South Carolina. The MPA Center also decided to phase out its education program at the 

end of the fiscal year, although the NOAA Office of Education and Sustainable Development 

generously offered to support the Information Exchange for Marine Educators newsletter through 

fiscal year 2006. In addition to these changes, the MPA Center suspended support for a Pacific 

Islands coordinator in 2006, and wrapped up its projects in the Pacific Islands in 2005. 

Internationally, and working through the Commission on Environmental Cooperation, we continued 

to lead U.S. participation in the partnership with Canada and Mexico to develop a North American 

MPA network. With worldwide interest in MPAs as an ecosystem-based management tool on the 

rise, the MPA Center remains an important information resource and a major mechanism for 

cooperation among MPA programs and agencies. We are pleased to be a part of the many 

partnerships to improve coordinated conservation of natural and cultural resources both nationally 

and internationally. 

Sincerely, 

Joseph A. Uravitch, A.I.C.P. 

Director, National Marine Protected Areas Center 

2 
BACKGROUND 

The MPA Initiative and National MPA Center 

Presidential Executive Order 13158 on marine protected areas (MPAs), signed in May 2000, 

called for the establishment of the National Marine Protected Areas Center, a collaboration of 

federal agencies, led by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) and the Department of the Interior. The MPA Center’s main task is to 

consult with government and non-government agencies and the public to develop a scientificallybased, comprehensive national system of MPAs. 

To carry out this task, the MPA Center continued a multi-year process to engage the nation in 

developing a framework for the national system of MPAs. The framework will serve as the set 

of guidelines for defining, developing, and implementing the national system. In order to develop 

the framework, the MPA Center is gathering stakeholder and partner input (from federal 

agencies, states, territories, commonwealths, the MPA Federal Advisory Committee, regional 

fishery management councils, tribes, local trustees, coastal communities, resource users, and 

other stakeholders). The MPA Center is also analyzing natural and social science related to 

marine resources and their use. 

Once implemented, the national system of MPAs will represent diverse U.S. marine ecosystems 

and the nation’s natural and cultural resources. It will address common goals, enhance existing 

systems, and further integrate the management of existing parks, refuges, sanctuaries, estuarine 

reserves, and fisheries management areas in marine and coastal areas. 

National MPA Center Organizational Structure 

The MPA Center is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, and coordinates with federal 

agencies, states, territories, and tribes; supports the MPA Federal Advisory Committee; 

coordinates marine managed area inventory efforts; and conducts outreach and education. The 

MPA Center’s staff in Santa Cruz and Monterey, California provide a bridge between the science 

and policy of MPAs by fostering targeted research, hosting workshops, assessing threats to vital 

habitats and resources, measuring the effectiveness of existing management approaches, and 

analyzing socioeconomic factors that may impact MPAs. In 2005, the MPA Center supported 

regional representatives in New England, the Pacific Coast, and the Pacific Islands. The 

representatives served as on-the-ground links between the MPA Center and regional entities 

involved in MPA-related activities. 

Coordination with the Department of the Interior 

To carry out the Executive Order tasks, the MPA Center coordinates with many federal offices 

including the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service, Minerals Management Service, 

U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. 

Joint efforts include managing the MPA Federal Advisory Committee, collecting data for the 

marine managed areas inventory, and working together on the federal interagency working 

group, in addition to other projects. 

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National Marine Protected Areas Center Mission 

To facilitate the effective use of science, technology, training, and information in the planning, 

management, and evaluation of the nation’s system of marine protected areas. 

National Marine Protected Areas Center Vision Statement 

An effective, science-based, and collaborative national system of marine protected areas 

conserving marine ecosystems and cultural resources throughout the U.S. 

National Marine Protected Areas Center Goals 

• Develop the framework for a national system of MPAs 

• Improve MPA stewardship and effectiveness 

• Facilitate international, national, and regional coordination of MPA activities 

National Marine Protected Areas Center Planning 

In 2005, the National Marine Protected Areas Center focused on planning for the national system 

of MPAs. MPA Center staff and program partners gathered in Virginia for a meeting that 

provided attendees with an understanding of the national system of MPAs and the process for its 

development; identified ways in which staff can support the national system development 

through their roles; and ensured that staff has the basic knowledge and facilitation skills to 

effectively carry out their job responsibilities in support of the national system. 

In addition, staff gathered to develop work plans for a science and analysis foundation for 

developing an effective national system of MPAs. The meeting focused on plans for 

characterizations of natural and cultural resources; analysis of patterns and impacts of human 

uses of U.S. waters; identification of gaps in place-based protection for key habitats; and 

initiation of a west coast regional pilot project as part of the overall national system planning 

effort. 

Report Overview 

This report highlights the accomplishments and milestones of the National Marine Protected 

Areas Center for the 2005 fiscal year (October 1, 2004-September 30, 2005). Accomplishments 

and milestones are organized by the goal they support. In addition, the MPA Center’s outreach 

and education accomplishments, which support all MPA Center goals, are highlighted in a 

separate section. 

4 
GOAL: DEVELOP THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE 

NATIONAL SYSTEM OF MPAS

The past two decades have witnessed an increase in the use of marine protected areas (MPAs) as 

a conservation and management tool to protect the nation’s vital natural and cultural marine 

resources and areas. MPAs in the United States are now created and managed by a myriad of 

agencies and programs at all levels of government with diverse conservation objectives. In 

response to this trend, Presidential Executive Order 13158 directs the MPA Center to work with 

the Department of the Interior and other agencies and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive 

plan for an effective, integrated national system of MPAs. Such a national system is needed to 

coordinate ecosystem-based management activities among the hundreds of federal, state, 

territory, and tribal MPA authorities with thousands of sites in U.S. waters and their countless 

MPA types, purposes, and terms. 

A major step in this effort is to develop a framework for an effective, science-based national 

system of MPAs. The framework will describe the rationale, goals and components of the 

national system, and the processes for designing and implementing it with a strong science 

foundation and broad stakeholder input. Several efforts were completed in 2005 to support this 

goal. The draft framework will be available for public comment in April 2006. 

Collaborative Planning for the Framework for a National System of MPAs 

In 2005, the MPA Center began a collaborative process of engaging and informing the nation on 

the development of the framework for a national system. The MPA Center held a series of 

briefings, workshops, and participatory dialogues to gather recommendations and input from the 

MPA Federal Advisory Committee, government and non-government agencies and 

organizations, authorities, coastal communities, user groups, and other stakeholders. The 

feedback gathered at these sessions serve as a cornerstone to drafting the framework. The MPA 

Center’s collaborative efforts are described below. 

Briefings on the Framework for a National System 

Staff from the MPA Center provided separate internal and external briefings on developing the 

national system of MPAs. These briefings included updates on efforts to implement Executive 

Order 13158, a description of efforts to gather input and recommendations from state agencies 

and public stakeholders, and an explanation of how the MPA Center is coordinating and 

collaborating with other NOAA programs. Briefings were given to the following leaders, 

agencies, and organizations: 

• NOAA Ocean Council 

• NOAA Ecosystem Goal Team 

• NOAA National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator 

• NOAA National Ocean Service Deputy Assistant Administrator 

• NOAA Fisheries Deputy Assistant Administrator 

• NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management 

• NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program 

• NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Social Science Team 

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• U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Environmental Resources Coordination Group 

• U.S. Navy 

• D.C. Marine Community (meeting co-sponsored by International Union for the 

Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) 

• Various recreation, oil and gas, and industry non-governmental organizations, including 

the American Petroleum Institute, American Sportfishing Association, National Ocean 

Industries Association, and National Marine Manufacturers Association 

• The Nature Conservancy 

• Maryland Coastal Bays Program and Assateague Island National Seashore 

Presentations on the Framework for a National System 

The MPA Center presented information at several conferences and meetings to inform 

stakeholders on plans for developing the framework for the national system of MPAs. 

Presentations focused on educating stakeholders on the national system, increasing stakeholder 

involvement, building partnerships, and requesting feedback on MPA uses and values as they 

might relate to developing the national system. 

Presentations were delivered at the following events:

• Oceans Policy Committee of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 

Meeting 

• Saltwater Sportfishing Partners Meeting 

• NOAA Fisheries State Marine Fisheries Directors Biennial Meeting 

• Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting

• National Fishery Management Council Member Meeting 

• New England Fishery Management Council MPA Education and Outreach Workshops 

• Northeastern Association of Marine Laboratories Annual Meeting 

• Pacific Interstate Fisheries Commission Meeting 

• Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting 

• Managing Our Nation's Fisheries II Conference (sponsored by the Regional Fishery 

Management Councils and NOAA Fisheries)

• Annual Oceans and Coastal Program Managers Meeting 

• National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Chairs and Staff Meeting 

• National Marine Sanctuary Program’s Leadership Team Meeting 

• National Marine Sanctuary Program’s Managers Meeting for the Maritime Heritage 

Program 

• National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers 

• Seventh Maritime Heritage Conference 

• Society for Historical Archaeology Conference 

• George Wright Society Conference 

• Advocacy Panel at American Zoo and Aquarium Association Annual Meeting 

• Coastal Zone ’05 Conference (via a panel titled Developing Recommendations from U.S. 

States and Territories for a National System of MPAs) 

• White House Cooperative Conservation Conference 

• Oceans 2005 Conference 

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• Meeting with State of Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Maryland Historic 

Trust representatives 

• Meeting with various Delaware archaeology experts (including representatives of Lewes 

Maritime Archaeology Project, Delaware State Museums, Delaware State Historic 

Preservation Office, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) 

• Meeting with representatives from State of New Hampshire Coastal Program, Department 

of Fish and Game, and New Hampshire Estuary Project 

• Meeting with representatives from State of Maine Coastal Program, Department of Marine 

Resources, Maine Historic Preservation Commission, Department of Conservation, and 

the Maine Sea Grant Program 

• Alaska Ocean Policy Council Meeting 

• Department of the Interior Meetings (including meetings with the Minerals Management 

Service) 

• Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service Alaska Region Meeting 

• Workshop on Integration of Federal Marine Managed Area Programs (also known as the 

“Seamless Network Workshop”) 

• National Conference of Canada’s Ocean Management Research Network 

• Pacific Coast Regional MPA Social Science Workshop 

• Coastal States Organization Annual Meeting

• California’s Marine Life Protection Act Stakeholder Meeting 

• National System of MPAs Article Published in MPA News

Workshops on the Framework for a National System 

The MPA Center held a series of workshops in 2005 for federal agencies, states, and other 

stakeholders to provide feedback on the goals of the national system and the development of the 

framework. Participants provided information on: 

• the process to develop the national system, 

• input on the goals and objectives of the national system, 

• feedback on their vision for a national system, 

• specific considerations for working with their agency or stakeholder group and how a 

national system could serve various stakeholder interests, 

• which natural and cultural resources should be conserved, and 

• how NOAA and the Department of the Interior can work with stakeholders and 

agencies around the country to develop the system. 

The following is a description of these workshops. 

• Federal Agency Workshop 

Held in January 2005 in Washington, D.C, the federal agency workshop included more than 

70 field and headquarters participants from ten federal agencies. It was attended by staff from 

across NOAA programs and offices, Department of the Interior, Department of State, 

Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security/U.S. 

Coast Guard, U.S. Agency for International Development, Environmental Protection Agency, 

and Fishery Management Councils. Participants provided feedback on the needs of MPA 

managers, and how the national system can help address marine conservation goals. A 

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summary of this workshop can be found at 

http://mpa.gov/national_system/pdf/fed_mpa_wks_rpt032105.pdf. 

• Regional State/Territory Workshops 

The MPA Center and the Coastal States Organization sponsored three regional workshops 

titled Developing the National/Regional System of MPAs from the State and Territorial 

Perspective. These workshops were designed to educate, gather state information, and 

generate recommendations from state coastal, parks, wildlife, fisheries and cultural resource 

managers regarding their role, opportunities, concerns, and considerations. The first 

workshop, held in Tiburon, California in February 2005, included participants from the west 

coast and Pacific Islands region. The second, held in St. Petersburg, Florida in April 2005, 

included participants from the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions. The third, cosponsored by the National Marine Sanctuary Program and held in Chicago, Illinois in June 

2005, included participants from the Great Lakes, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions. The 

comments and recommendations resulting from these workshops can be found at 

http://mpa.gov/national_system/pdf/final-mpawhitepaper-071505.pdf. 

• Regional Public Dialogues 

The MPA Center held five public dialogue sessions around the country in 2005 to ensure that 

the national system will represent the nation's interests in the marine environment. Input 

collected from these dialogues will be used to develop the national system framework. 

Dialogues were held in Washington, D.C. in March 2005; Portland, Maine in May 2005; 

New Orleans, Louisiana (during the Coastal Zone ’05 conference) in July 2005; and in San 

Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington in December 2005 (the latter two meetings 

were held in fiscal year 2006). On average, 30-50 participants attended these sessions, 

including representatives from environmental, conservation, recreation, commercial, and 

industry organizations, as well as local government, coastal states, science, academia, the 

energy industry, recreational and commercial fishing interests, state and federal agencies, and 

other public interests. Participant lists and a compilation of participant responses from each 

workshop are posted on http://mpa.gov/national_system/#workshop. 

Marine Managed Areas Inventory 

The marine managed areas (MMA) inventory is a multi-agency effort to gather information 

about the wide range of place-based marine management efforts in the U.S. Examples of marine 

managed areas include national parks, national wildlife refuges, national marine sanctuaries, 

national estuarine research reserves, fisheries management areas, state beaches, and state parks. 

The data collected in the inventory contains a general description and site characteristics such as 

location, purpose, and type of site, as well as detailed information on natural and cultural 

resources, legal authorities, site management, and regulations and restrictions. 

The marine managed areas inventory: 

• helps regional, local, state and federal managers, scientists, non-governmental organizations, 

and others to better analyze and understand what sites exist and the management capabilities 

of those sites; 

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• allows users to analyze and assess issues such as threats and effectiveness in protecting 

natural and cultural resources; and 

• provides a comprehensive information base to assist in the development of a national system 

of MPAs. 

The MPA Center plans to finalize the inventory in 2006. The majority of federal sites are 

complete and information from 32 of 35 coastal states and territories will be posted to the 

database in 2006. The MPA Center estimates that there are at least 2,000 marine managed areas 

in the United States. 

A preliminary analysis of the inventory was begun in 2005. This analysis will determine the 

general trends and purposes of existing marine managed areas, and is the first step in a gap 

assessment that will enhance planning for the national MPA system. 

In 2005, the inventory team continued to promote the inventory through a variety of outreach 

materials: 

• Produced inventory updates for states and territories through a quarterly newsletter. 

• Presented a poster entitled "Getting the Most out of the Marine Managed Areas Inventory” at 

the Coastal Zone 2005 Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

• Presented a poster entitled “U.S. Marine Managed Areas Inventory Atlas: A Tool for 

Visualizing Spatial Data” at the Coastal Geotools 2005 Conference in Myrtle Beach, South 

Carolina.

Coordination with the Coastal States Organization 

The MPA Center and the Coastal States Organization (CSO) continued their close relationship in 

2005. The two groups coordinated and/or presented at several workshops and seminars to discuss 

the development and implementation of the national system of MPAs. Three regional workshops 

were held to educate, gather state information, and generate recommendations from state coastal, 

fisheries, and cultural resource managers regarding their role, opportunities, concerns, and 

considerations related to the national system. A summary white paper report from these 

workshops entitled Developing the National/Regional System of MPAs from the State and 

Territorial Perspective was presented by CSO during a panel session at the Coastal Zone ’05 

Conference in New Orleans. The draft summary can be found at 

http://www.mpa.gov/national_system/pdf/final-mpawhitepaper-071505.pdf. 

Other joint projects included presentations to the Interstate Fisheries Management Program 

Policy Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Ocean Policy 

Committee of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. In addition, CSO 

maintained their role as liaison between the marine managed areas inventory team and 

state/territory agencies in the effort to collect, review, and finalize state data for the inventory. 

The Executive Director of CSO presented testimony to the MPA Federal Advisory Committee 

on MPA State Advisory Group activities that are coordinated by CSO. 

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Finally, MPA Center staff traveled to Traverse City, Michigan to attend CSO’s 34th annual 

meeting. While there, the MPA Center Director participated in a panel discussion to address the 

use of marine managed areas in historic preservation. 

Cultural and Historical Resources 

The MPA Center’s maritime archaeologist serves as a liaison to cultural and historical programs 

within NOAA and other federal and state agencies. 

As part of this work, the National Marine Protected Areas Center engaged in several planning 

meetings with the National Marine Sanctuary Program, the Department of the Interior, the Navy, 

and other cultural resource personnel to discuss development of the submerged cultural resource 

component of the national system of MPAs, strengthening cultural resource programs through 

collaboration, and increasing public awareness of the nation’s maritime heritage, historic 

shipwrecks, and prehistoric submerged sites. Some examples of these planning meetings 

included the National Marine Sanctuary Program’s Maritime Heritage Program Managers annual 

meeting, discussions with the Department of the Interior’s cultural resource personnel, and visits 

to Delaware and Maryland to discuss the MPA Center’s work with cultural and historic 

resources. In addition, the MPA Center provided travel funds for state cultural resource 

managers to participate in three regional workshops on the development of the national system of 

MPAs. 

In summer 2005, the MPA Center hired an intern to work on developing a front-end database for 

analyzing the cultural resource information in the marine managed areas inventory. As part of 

this work, the MPA Center was able to standardize the cultural resource data and begin filling in 

data gaps by working closely with state and federal agencies. 

In addition, the MPA Center maritime archaeologist presented papers at the seventh Maritime 

Heritage Conference in Norfolk, Virginia and the Society for Historical Archaeology thirtyeighth annual Conference on Underwater and Historical Archaeology in York, England. The 

MPA Center also participated in discussion panels at the National Conference of State Historic 

Preservation Officers in Washington, D.C.; the fourteenth annual Government Managers Forum 

in York, England; and the George Wright Society annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Social Science 

The MPA Center hired a senior social scientist in 2005 to forge strategic partnerships and 

promote research on the human dimensions of MPAs. Social science is a key component in 

developing the national system of MPAs, as the success and failure of MPAs is often determined 

by the human dimensions of coastal and ocean management. The national system will depend on 

the integration of natural and social sciences and an understanding of the role of humans in 

ecosystem functioning. 

In addition, the MPA Center participated in numerous initiatives to further develop partnerships 

and build social science capacity within the NOAA community, including the development of 

joint proposals for the funding of social science research on MPAs; work sponsored by NOAA 

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Fisheries to develop a model for social impact assessments; and the creation of the National 

Ocean Service social science plan. The social science plan aims to develop a better 

understanding of ecosystems and ocean science by acknowledging the role of humans and 

society and the need for sound research on these dimensions. It describes social science projects 

currently underway in NOAA, and a vision for a cohesive set of social science activities that 

support NOAA's mission. 

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GOAL: IMPROVE MPA STEWARDSHIP AND EFFECTIVENESS

The National Marine Protected Areas Center aims to improve MPA stewardship and 

effectiveness by strengthening capacity for planning, management, and evaluation within the 

MPA community. Creating and implementing effective management strategies requires the 

awareness, understanding, and application of best practices by management and affected 

stakeholder groups. The National Marine Protected Areas Center targets MPA management staff 

at the local, state, regional, tribal, and national levels, and reaches out to those affected by 

management decisions to provide opportunities for substantive involvement in decision-making. 

Science and Analysis 

Social Science Resources 

As part of the MPA Center’s ongoing effort to bring its national MPA social science research 

strategy to the regional level, the MPA Center hosted a workshop on the Pacific coast for 

representatives from universities, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations 

from Alaska to California. More than 30 participants at the workshop identified regional social 

science research priorities and projects pertaining to MPA planning, management, and evaluation 

for the Pacific coast. They also provided suggestions for building regional interest in and 

capacity to conduct research on the human dimensions of MPAs. 

 

The MPA Center engaged in other social science projects to develop a work plan and process for 

mapping human uses in the marine environment to inform the development of the national 

system of MPAs. A project and literature review was conducted to guide project scoping and a 

suite of human uses were identified for further study. The MPA Center’s human use patterns 

and impacts project was established to develop, test, and apply a method for documenting 

patterns of human uses, and their social, cultural and economic significance in marine 

ecosystems; and to develop, test, and apply models to predict the potential impact of specific 

human uses on important aspects of MPAs in the national system (i.e. ecosystem integrity, 

submerged cultural resources, and other users). This information will provide a critical layer in 

the analysis of priority areas as the MPA Center tests the national system on the west coast 

starting in 2006. The project will generate a methodological process and guidelines for 

documenting human use patterns in marine ecosystems; tools for storing, analyzing synthesizing 

and presenting the data; and tools to assess potential impacts of human uses in a variety of 

contexts. 

Cultural and Historical Resources 

To promote collaboration and information exchange among individuals and agencies involved 

with the preservation and management of cultural and historic resources for future generations, 

the MPA Center launched a monthly newsletter highlighting marine cultural and historic news 

and updates from around the world. The publication, Cultural and Historic Resources 

Newsletter, features short summaries and links to news sites or relevant agency websites, and 

provides contact information when available. The newsletter serves as a primary resource for 

government and non-governmental partners engaged in MPA cultural resources work, as well as 

those interested in the subject of maritime heritage. It’s distributed to more than 200 primary 

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subscribers worldwide, and is redistributed to another 100 people through the Maritime 

Archaeology and Historical Society. 

Integrating MPAs and Fisheries Science 

Fisheries scientists and conservation biologists have some differing perspectives about how, 

when, and where MPAs should be used for the management of our nation’s marine resources. 

There are uncertainties about how effective MPAs will be at meeting fisheries and conservation 

goals. Consequently, there is an urgent need for scientists from both disciplines to integrate their 

specialized knowledge and expertise into the development of guidelines and methods for the 

design, implementation, monitoring, and management of MPAs as tools for both fisheries and 

biodiversity conservation. 

To help coordinate this integration, the MPA Center, in partnership with NOAA Fisheries in 

Santa Cruz, California, convened a working group for participants representing NOAA, 

academia, and industry to identify priority topics and develop work plans to address key 

information gaps in the use of MPAs in traditional fisheries management. One of the outcomes 

of the workshop was agreement on the major scientific challenges for designing and managing 

MPAs. The participants categorized these challenges as follows: 

• connecting scientific topics and MPAs 

• managing MPAs for natural heritage purposes 

• balancing sustainable fishing, natural heritage, and fisheries objectives for MPAs 

• identifying ecological indicators for evaluating sustainable fisheries and natural heritage 

benefits of MPAs 

Benthic-Pelagic Linkage 

The MPA Center held a two-day workshop with over forty scientists, research managers, and 

recreational fisherman to discuss the effects of recreational pelagic fishing on benthic 

communities and to determine if such fishing is compatible with MPAs. Vertical zoning was 

explored as an option for protecting benthic communities without eliminating recreational 

pelagic fishing. Participants developed general principles and guidelines that describe those cases 

in which vertical zoning is appropriate for MPAs. Several products are expected to result from 

this workshop, including a general summary of guidance, future research, and a scientific peer 

reviewed publication as it applies to specific species. 

Natural Resource Characterization 

The MPA Center designed methodology for characterizing natural resources within U.S. marine 

areas for national MPA system development purposes. Part of the effort includes gathering an 

inventory of existing data and databases on natural marine resources, with an initial focus on the 

west coast. Once a picture of existing data is drawn, the MPA Center plans to develop standard 

methodologies for data collection and integration. 

Inventory of De-Facto MPA Sites 

Not all closed areas are MPAs and some areas are closed for non-conservation purposes. To 

understand this critical part of the ocean governance picture, the MPA Center has created an 

inventory and associated GIS database of de facto MPAs throughout the United States. The de 

facto MPA inventory allows for a comprehensive and objective assessment of the nature and 

13 
extent of ocean areas closed because of security zones, safety areas, navigation lanes, etc. This 

comprehensive inventory will then be evaluated to determine the impacts of the de facto MPA on 

human users, and their potential contribution to conservation and management of the nation’s 

marine ecosystems. The de facto MPA inventory includes over 1,200 classified sites throughout 

U.S. and territorial waters, each with digital boundaries. 

Inventory Analysis 

The MPA Center initiated an effort to consolidate and standardize information on existing MPAs 

into an analysis database. A critical component of the analysis database is the MPA 

classification system, which categorizes MPA sites based on conservation focus, level of 

protection, permanence of protection, constancy of protection, ecological scale of protection, and 

restrictions on extractions. The analysis database will provide the foundation for comparisons 

among existing and potential MPAs. Spatial boundaries for each MPA will be linked to the 

standardized information in the analysis database, thus allowing for comprehensive regional and 

place-based evaluations. This multi-faceted analysis tool will provide crucial information for 

developing the national system of MPAs. 

Training 

Managing Visitor Use in Coastal and Marine Protected Areas 

The MPA Center, in cooperation with the NOAA Coastal Services Center, taught visitor use 

management workshops for coastal and marine protected area resource managers and associated 

environmental professionals at different locations around the United States in 2005, including the 

Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve in Tivoli, New York; Grand Bay National 

Estuarine Research Reserve in Biloxi, Mississippi; ACE Basin, North Inlet Winyah Bay, and 

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserves in Charleston, South Carolina; and Rookery 

Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Naples, Florida. 

These workshops introduced participants to a detailed problem identification process, methods 

for identifying indicators and standards for monitoring visitor impacts, and a planning 

framework for balancing visitor use and resource protection in coastal and marine protected 

areas. The workshop also incorporated guest presentations of local visitor use management 

issues and a field exercise to illustrate methods for monitoring visitor impacts in a natural setting. 

Participants included representatives from local, state, and federal natural resource management 

agencies, local, regional, and national nonprofit conservation organizations, and academia. 

MPA Management Effectiveness Initiative 

In early 2005, the MPA Center piloted an MPA effectiveness training program for the Florida 

Aquatic Preserve Program in Tallahassee, Florida. This training was developed to address the 

needs of coastal managers to conduct informed program evaluations and monitor management 

effectiveness, which are integral to the success and appropriate application of MPAs. Working 

with officials in Florida, the training involved identifying long-term goals for the aquatic 

preserve system, drafting an outline for site management plans, examining possible indicators, 

and reviewing stakeholder participation strategies. 

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Based on feedback from the pilot and subsequent training, the training program was revised and 

handed over to the NOAA Coastal Services Center in Charleston, South Carolina, for any further 

revisions or training requests. 

Workshop on “Understanding MPAs” 

In 2005, the MPA Center once again partnered with Coastal America to bring the full-day 

workshop “Understanding Marine Protected Areas” to a number of aquariums designated as 

Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers, including the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut; the 

New York Aquarium in Brooklyn, New York; the National Mississippi Museum and Aquarium 

in Dubuque, Iowa; and the North Carolina Aquarium in Fort Fisher, North Carolina. These 

workshops provided training to stakeholders, including the general public, on the basic principles 

and issues surrounding MPAs. Workshop topics included MPA types and uses, history, the role 

of science, and information on how to get involved. 

Based on the success of the full-day “Understanding Marine Protected Areas” workshop, the 

MPA Center created a condensed, one-hour presentation on U.S. MPAs for use at conferences 

and other relevant venues. This one-hour version was presented to internal NOAA staff and 

featured during a panel session at the annual George Wright Society Conference in Philadelphia. 

Course on Negotiating for Coastal Resources 

This course, developed by the MPA Center and the NOAA Coastal Services Center, teaches 

when, what, and how to negotiate interagency relationships and coastal issues. It helps managers 

distinguish the roles of advocacy, negotiation, facilitation, education, and outreach. The MPA 

Center handed this training offering to the Coastal Services Center in mid 2005. 

Technical Assistance 

Training and Technical Assistance Database 

The MPA Center, with support from the NOAA Coastal Services Center, developed a searchable 

database of MPA-related technical assistance and training programs from various organizations 

around the U.S. In order for this information to be easily accessible and helpful to the user, it is 

being converted to an external, publicly-accessible database located on MPA.gov. 

Technical Assistance for Addressing Visitor Use at MPAs 

The MPA Center offered the opportunity to MPA site staff to build capacity and foster increased 

application of systematic natural resource recreation monitoring, planning, and management 

strategies drawing from the “Managing Visitor Use” training that is offered by the NOAA 

Coastal Services Center. Serving as consultants, the MPA Center worked with site staff to 

gather visitor use and natural resource data in order to complete “rapid recreation assessments” 

for project sites. Workshops were held to present and discuss specific visitor use management 

issues and potential monitoring and management actions for long-term recreation management. 

The four sites that participated were Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Rachel Carson 

National Wildlife Refuge, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Ten 

Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The MPA Center handed this technical assistance 

offering to the Coastal Services Center in mid 2005. 

15 
Website on Social Science Methods for Marine Protected Areas 

The NOAA Coastal Services Center, in collaboration with the MPA Center, launched a website 

on the human dimensions of marine and coastal resource management. The website focuses on a 

number of the themes identified and described in the MPA Center’s national social science 

research strategy for MPAs, including use patterns; attitudes, perceptions and beliefs; 

governments, institutions and processes; communities; and, economics. It provides overviews of 

methodological tools, case studies, and reference materials. 

Developing Digital Marine Boundaries 

A draft of the Marine Boundaries Best Practices Handbook was completed and a final version is 

in progress. The handbook will provide best practices for crafting legal descriptions and digital 

boundaries for marine managed areas. The handbook was a joint project between the Federal 

Geographic Data Committee Marine Boundary Working Group, the MPA Center, and NOAA’s 

Coastal Services Center. 

Data Tool to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary 

MPA Center staff delivered final products for the Beach Data Volunteer Data Entry Tool to the 

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The tool will help sanctuary staff and Beach Comber 

volunteers organize information on physical and biological conditions of the beaches on the 

sanctuary's edge. Using the tool via the web, volunteers will be able to enter the beach 

monitoring data directly into a database so that it can be easily accessed and analyzed. The 

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary will begin incorporating the tool into their volunteer 

monitoring program in the near future. 

Internet Mapping Website 

The MPA Center developed an Internet mapping website in partnership with the South Carolina 

Department of Natural Resources to publish more than 30 years worth of fishery survey data that 

are available for online mapping and analysis. The Southeast Geographic Fishery-Independent 

Survey and Historical (SEA-GEOFISH) database is a web-based mapping application that allows 

stakeholders to visualize and analyze fishery monitoring and assessment data. The application 

provides access to data on species distribution, abundance, biomass, and spawning, as well as 

GIS-based statistical tools for better analysis of the data. 

Inventory of Decision-Support Tools for MPAs 

In an effort to document existing GIS decision-support tools to aid MPA managers, the MPA 

Center, in cooperation with the NOAA Coastal Services Center, compiled an "Inventory of GISBased Decision-Support Tools for MPAs." The report focuses on GIS tools with the highest 

utility for MPA processes. Each tool summary includes a description of what the tool does, the 

data and software needed to run it, and contact information. In addition, several tools are 

highlighted in greater detail, providing examples of how they have been used in MPA zoning and 

monitoring activities. The inventory is intended as a living document and will be updated to 

include new tools on a regular basis. 

Enforcement Report 

The MPA Center, in cooperation with the NOAA Coastal Services Center, published “Enforcing 

U.S. Marine Protected Areas: Synthesis Report,” which details the challenges, needs, and 

16 
suggestions of coastal and marine resource managers, enforcement agencies, attorneys, 

education/outreach specialists, and numerous other public and private stakeholders. Using 

interviews and case studies, the authors summarize existing literature on MPA enforcement, 

examine a range of perspectives on the issue, and provide suggestions for effective enforcement 

of MPAs. 

Navigating the Nation's Marine Managed Areas 

The MPA Center is collaborating with the NOAA Office of Coast Survey to provide data from 

the marine managed areas inventory to mariners and other users about the location, purpose, and 

allowable activities in existing sites through the U.S. Coast Pilot® and other navigation products. 

A final project description was released to the public in August 2005. The project is now in 

production phase. Priority regions for data synthesis and publication in fiscal year 2006 include 

the west coast of the U.S. and the Florida Keys. 

17 
GOAL: FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, AND 

REGIONAL COORDINATION OF MPA ACTIVITIES

The National Marine Protected Areas Center facilitates collaboration among MPA sites and 

agencies, fosters meaningful stakeholder participation in regional activities, and improves 

national and international linkages across MPA programs. 

Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee 

The Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee provides expert advice to the 

Departments of Commerce and the Interior on the implementation of MPA Executive Order 

13158. The 30 Committee members are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and, with their 

diverse backgrounds and experience, represent parties interested in the use and impact of MPAs 

as a management tool. The members represent a broad stakeholder community, including 

scientists, commercial and recreational fishermen, state and tribal resource managers, 

environmentalists, and other resource users. In addition, nine federal agencies are represented by 

non-voting members of the Committee. The Committee, which is supported by the National 

Marine Protected Areas Center, met twice in 2005. 

In February 2005, the Federal Advisory Committee met in Arlington, Virginia to review three 

subcommittee reports and begin developing a full Committee report. In addition, the 

Committee heard presentations from fishery management councils and tribal resource managers 

from different regions. James Connaughton, chairman of the President’s Council on 

Environmental Quality, addressed the Committee on the role of MPAs within the U.S. Ocean 

Action Plan, and participated in a lively discussion with Committee members. 

In May 2005, the Federal Advisory Committee met in Portland, Maine to finalize its 

recommendations, and, after much discussion, voted unanimously to approve them. The 

recommendations were delivered to the Departments of Commerce and the Interior in June 2005. 

Dr. Daniel Bromley, the chairman, met with Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 

Atmosphere Conrad C. Lautenbacher and Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for 

Lands and Minerals Management Rebecca Watson in August 2005 to brief them on the 

Committee’s recommendations. In addition, the report was distributed to members of Congress, 

researchers, federal and state agencies, and other interested parties, and made available on the 

MPA.gov website. 

Marine Protected Areas State Advisory Group 

The Marine Protected Areas State Advisory Group (SAG) provides guidance to the MPA Center 

on matters relevant to state interests. Members of the SAG are state leaders in natural and 

cultural coastal resource management, and are in a unique position to both assure that the 

forthcoming national system of MPAs will accurately reflect the interests of their respective 

states and to improve the effectiveness of the system to protect and enhance cultural and living 

marine resources. To accomplish these goals, the SAG participates in monthly conference calls 

and assists the Coastal States Organization with determining how states and territories should be 

integrated into the development of the framework for the national system of MPAs. In 2005, the 

SAG expanded their membership to be more inclusive of broad state interests by including state 

18 
fisheries management representatives, revised their mission statement to reflect this change, and 

completed a contact directory that includes state and territorial coastal zone managers, fishery 

managers, and other relevant state contacts. 

International Coordination 

The National Marine Protected Areas Center coordinated with various international parties in 

2005 on global MPA issues. 

North American MPA Network 

The MPA Center continued to lead U.S. participation in the development of the North American 

MPA Network (NAMPAN) alongside Parks Canada, Mexico’s National Commission on 

Protected Areas, and the tri-national Commission for Environmental Cooperation. In early 2005, 

the country leads for NAMPAN organized a workshop held in Loreto, Mexico. The focus of the 

conference was to develop a pilot project for NAMPAN, based on the migration route of Gray 

whales along the Pacific coast. Three sessions – “Measuring the Effectiveness of MPAs," 

"Socioeconomic and Ecological Benefits of MPAs," and "Creative Financing of MPAs" – 

showcased 30 presentations made by scientists, government officials, and NGO representatives 

from across North America. 

Based on the presentations made in Loreto, the country leads met in Silver Spring, Maryland, to 

further develop the scope of the pilot project, strategize on the operating plan, and discuss 

coordination with other tri-national agreements. The principal representatives agreed to convene 

a tri-national MPA monitoring workshop in Ventura, California in February 2006. The 

workshop will begin the establishment of a NAMPAN-related monitoring network in the Bajato-Bering region and develop relationships among the three nations’ MPA programs. 

The representatives also assessed the commonality of missions for the Commission on 

Environment Cooperation, Security and Prosperity Partnership, and Trilateral Committee for 

Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation and Management, as well as other bi-national, tri-national, 

and multi-national agreements with MPAs responsibilities. The representatives identified a 

considerable number of common participants and tasks that could result in plans for streamlining 

and improved effectiveness. 

A major product of this tri-national effort was publication of Marine Priority Conservation 

Areas: Baja California to the Bering Sea and supporting poster, which were prepared by the 

Marine Conservation Biology Institute and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 

These documents provide a model for doing conservation at a continental scale and a first 

framework for cooperative conservation across the nations. 

Canada/Mexico/U.S. Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation and 

Management 

In 2005, the MPA Center, in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries, initiated participation in the 

Canada/Mexico/U.S. Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation and 

Management. After 10 years of focusing its efforts on terrestrial environments, the Trilateral 

adopted marine issues into its component tables at its 10th annual meeting in May 2005. The 

Trilateral is composed of six working tables: the executive table, CITES, law enforcement, 

19 
migratory birds and wetlands, species of common concern, and ecosystem conservation. The 

MPA Center participates at the ecosystem conservation table.

In order to prepare for a follow-up meeting scheduled for 2006, the MPA Center met with 

colleagues from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Canadian Wildlife Service, and Mexico's 

Semarnat and CONANP in Ensenada, Mexico. The follow-up meeting, to be held in San Diego 

from May 15-26, 2006, will formerly incorporate marine issues into the Trilateral forum.

International MPA Congress 

The MPA Center partnered with the National Ocean Service International Program Office and 

National Marine Sanctuary Program to coordinate NOAA participation in the first International 

MPA Congress (IMPAC), held in October 2005 in Geelong, Australia. The MPA Center 

directed the development and organization for the NOAA exhibit, resulting in participation from 

six offices: Office of Response and Restoration Corals Program, National Marine Sanctuary 

Program, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, MPA Center, NOS Public Affairs, and 

NOAA Fisheries Office of Constituent Affairs. The MPA Center participated in a panel 

discussion focused on national MPA system efforts, and presented a poster that highlighted 

North American MPA partnerships under the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 

More than 800 policy makers, government officials, non-governmental representatives, 

scientists, and educators from around the world attended IMPAC. 

Information Exchanges with Delegates 

In an effort to share ideas and strengthen collaboration, the National Marine Protected Areas 

Center participated in separate information exchanges with delegates from Mexico, Chile, Brazil, 

and the IUCN, including with: 

• Flavio Chazaro, Mexico’s MPA program manager, about Executive Order 13158 and its 

implementation by the MPA Center and federal agencies. This information will be used 

as source material to prepare transition and option papers for the next Mexican 

Administration. 

• A delegation of representatives from Chilean ministries to present the U.S. MPA 

initiative (the MPA Executive Order). The meeting was part of a study tour developed by 

the Environmental Law Institute. 

• Dr. Alexandre Cordeiro from the Republic of Brazil Special Secretariat for Aquaculture 

and Fisheries to present the development of a national system of MPAs. 

• Dr. Peter Shadie of the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) World Commission on 

Protected Areas (WCPA) to assess mutual priorities and identify potential areas of 

collaboration. 

Gulf of Maine 

The National Marine Protected Areas Center’s northeast regional coordinator continued to work 

closely with the Gulf of Maine Council as a member of the Gulf of Maine Council working 

group and as co-chair of the habitat conservation subcommittee. The Council consists of 

representatives from U.S. state and Canadian provincial and federal governmental agencies that 

seek to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine for sustainable 

resource use by existing and future generations. 

20 
In October 2004, the MPA Center assisted with the Gulf of Maine Summit held in St. Andrews, 

New Brunswick. The theme of the summit was “Committing to Change,” and the centerpiece of 

the Summit was a report entitled Tides of Change Across the Gulf: An Environmental report on 

the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy. About 250 delegates were in attendance from around the 

region. It was during the summit that the premiers from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and the 

governors from Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire released their “Committing to 

Change” proclamation. 

The MPA Center continued to support the Gulf of Maine Council through co-chairing its habitat 

conservation subcommittee on a two-year project on Gulf of Maine marine habitats. In 2005, the 

Gulf of Maine Council distributed the Gulf of Maine Marine Habitat Primer, which provides an 

overview of marine habitats in the Gulf of Maine. Following from the Primer, the Gulf of Maine 

Council organized a workshop titled “Impacts to Marine Habitats” in cooperation with the 

Nature Conservancy. The workshop focused on primary human impacts for four marine 

habitats. The MPA Center’s New England regional coordinator will become the U.S. co-chair of 

the Gulf of Maine Council’s habitat conservation subcommittee in 2006. 

National Coordination 

The National Marine Protected Areas Center’s key responsibilities include consulting with 

stakeholders on the design of a national system of MPAs and working with federal agencies and 

programs to enhance cooperation among federal agencies, site managers, and other partners. The 

MPA Center engages in several methods to continue communication among agencies. 

Federal Coordination 

In 2005, the National Marine Protected Areas Center briefed several federal agencies on the 

status of MPA Center activities, focused on developing the framework for the national system of 

MPAs and supported the MPA Federal Advisory Committee. 

In addition to federal briefings, the MPA Center moderated a panel on marine protected areas 

and cold water corals at the "Managing the Nation's Fisheries" conference sponsored by the 

Regional Fishery Management Councils and NOAA Fisheries. The session included discussion 

on the multiple goals of MPAs, the need to consider the social and economic impacts of closures, 

and the importance of including all stakeholders in decision making. 

The MPA Center director attended the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation, 

where he participated in sessions on improving coordination across federal-state-tribal and 

private sector lines. He also discussed the status of the MPA Executive Order with 

representatives of the Department of the Interior and non-governmental organizations. 

The MPA Center and NOAA Coastal Services Center met with Rick Lemon, director of the 

Department of Interior's National Conservation Training Center, to discuss how NOAA and the 

Department of the Interior can work together to improve training opportunities for coastal 

resource managers. The meeting began with an assessment of each agency’s program strengths, 

limitations, and similarities in audiences. Discussions then focused on next steps that would be 

mutually beneficial. 

21 
Federal Interagency Working Group 

The MPA Center launched the Federal Inter-Agency MPA Working Group in 2004 to coordinate 

implementation of the Executive Order and support federal agency involvement in the Federal 

Advisory Committee. The Working Group met four times in 2005. They helped plan a 

workshop for federal agencies to provide input on the development of the national MPA system 

framework. The two-day workshop was held in January 2005, and more than 80 representatives 

attended. 

Throughout the year, MPA Center staff met with the Working Group and individually with 

federal agencies to develop language for the section of the framework that will address the 

requirement to “avoid harm” to the resources protected by an MPA. This language will be 

included in the draft framework that will be published for public comment in 2006. Other issues 

addressed by the Working Group included reviewing and responding to the MPA Federal 

Advisory Committee recommendations, and providing input on the process for admitting federal 

sites into the national system.

The Working Group includes representatives of NOAA (National Marine Sanctuaries, National 

Estuarine Research Reserves, MPA Center, NOAA Fisheries), Department of the Interior 

(National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Minerals Management Service), 

Department of Defense (Navy and Army Corps of Engineers), Environmental Protection 

Agency, Homeland Security (Coast Guard), Department of Agriculture, Department of State, and 

the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

Stakeholder Coordination 

Among other outreach activities in 2005, the National Marine Protected Areas Center engaged 

stakeholders around the nation to gather feedback on the framework for the national MPA 

system. Five public dialogue sessions were held (the last two in fiscal year 2006) to record 

stakeholder comments on MPA values and issues related to the development of the national 

system. These public dialogue meetings were held in strategic regions around the nation to gain 

as much insight as possible from the American public. The meetings were held in Washington, 

D.C.; Portland, Maine; New Orleans, Louisiana; San Francisco, California; and Seattle, 

Washington, and attracted more than 200 members of the public. Other national system outreach 

included coordinating the D.C. Marine Community Brownbag (co-sponsored by International 

Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), and meetings with various 

recreational fisheries, oil and gas, and industry non-governmental organizations (co-hosted by 

the American Petroleum Institute). The MPA Center has published a comprehensive list of 

stakeholder participants and their comments regarding the national system on the MPA.gov 

website. 

Regional Coordination 

Regional coordination offers an opportunity to link management efforts at individual sites into 

larger, more effective networks, and to address issues of regional importance. The National 

Marine Protected Areas Center supported regional coordination in several ways, including the 

22 
placement of regionally-located staff members and the implementation of regionally-focused 

projects. 

Regional Coordination Team 

In 2005, the MPA Center continued to build regional coordination capacity through the regional 

coordination team. This team helped to link MPAs at the regional level, identify opportunities for 

collaboration, strengthen natural and social science to support regional MPA natural and cultural 

resource management efforts, and support the development of the national system of MPAs. 

They focused on implementing three core functions: 

1) Monitoring regional landscapes 

2) Building and coordinating partnerships 

3) Supporting and informing MPA science and technical training and assistance 

The MPA Center formalized cooperative efforts between Great Lakes regional staff of the 

National Marine Sanctuary Program and the MPA Center's New England regional coordinator to 

accomplish these functions. Members of the regional team actively provided support for key 

activities of regional partners, such as the New England Fishery Management Council, 

Northwest Straits Commission, Gulf of Maine Council, and states of Washington and 

Massachusetts. 

Regional Staff Members 

The National Marine Protected Areas Center continued regional coordination in 2005 through its 

regionally-focused staff members. The MPA Center’s New England coordinator based in 

Boston, Massachusetts, was hosted by the National Park Service Northeast regional office. The 

Pacific coordinator for the coast and the U.S. Pacific Islands resided in the MPA Center’s offices 

in Monterey, California. And the Pacific Islands local liaison (co-funded with the NOAA Coral 

Conservation Program) served the MPA Center part-time from Hawaii at the NOAA Pacific 

Services Center. These regional staff members served as on-the-ground links between the MPA 

Center and regional entities, states, and organizations involved in MPA-related activities. 

Regional Projects 

Many projects and activities were supported through the National Marine Protected Areas 

Center’s regional presence. 

• MPA Center joins with California Marine Life Protection Act and Monterey Bay National 

Marine Sanctuary to Create Decision Support Tool 

The MPA Center collaborated with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the 

California Marine Life Protection Act team to produce a web-based, spatial decision support 

tool to support central California MPA processes. The tool was designed by a working group 

of members from each agency. The goals of the tool are to allow equal access to the tool by 

multiple users in various settings; provide spatial datasets relevant to MPA processes; 

encourage users to evaluate the datasets using a simple web interface; and capture and 

present MPA ideas generated by stakeholders and working groups. 

• MPA Educational Newspaper Insert Published in Hawaii 

23 
With the support of the MPA Center, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, 

Division of Aquatic Resources, published an insert on marine protected areas in the Honolulu 

Advertiser, a major Hawaii newspaper. The 16-page, color newspaper insert appeared in 

March 2005 and described the historical and cultural context of MPAs in Hawaii, MPAs and 

ecosystems, stressors to and conditions of Hawaii’s marine ecosystems, current MPAs in the 

main Hawaiian Islands and the status of MPAs in Hawaii and other parts of the Pacific, 

benefits and drawbacks of MPAs, what Hawaii is doing regarding MPAs, and examples of 

how the community could get involved in MPA activities.

• Pacific Islands Marine Protected Areas Community Workshop 

In 2005, the MPA Center facilitated a meeting in Guam of more than 50 MPA leaders from 

around the Pacific Islands. During the four-day meeting, the leaders discussed their common 

strengths, challenges, and commitments to work together to build effective MPAs in the 

region. The workshop was a joint effort by the National Marine Protected Areas Center and 

the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management’s Coastal Programs Division. 

Workshop representatives, including governmental and non-governmental representatives 

from the U.S. Pacific Islands, Freely Associated States of the Pacific, and Fiji developed a 

shared vision and regional plan of action for strengthening their individual and collective 

MPA efforts. The group reached agreement that MPAs are vital tools for ensuring a 

sustainable future for the region’s island cultures and economies, and committed to work 

together in an evolving, regional Pacific Islands MPA community. Other organizers included 

NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands regional office, the Nature Conservancy, and the 

Community Conservation Network. The University of Guam Marine Lab co-hosted the 

workshop and funding was provided by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and 

Pacific Services Center. 

• Global Socioeconomic Monitoring Initiative for Coastal Management 

Recognizing the need for clear, concise guidance on how to monitor socioeconomic 

conditions for the benefit of coastal management, NOAA, in partnership with several global 

and regional organizations, began coordinating the Global Socioeconomic Monitoring 

Initiative for Coastal Management. The goal is to increase coastal managers' capacity to

understand and incorporate socioeconomics into coastal management programs by 

establishing monitoring programs at sites around the world. 

The MPA Center assisted with an organizational meeting in February 2005 with regional 

partners to discuss current socioeconomic monitoring activities and future needs in the 

Pacific Islands. This meeting was attended by representatives from NOAA, South Pacific 

Regional Environmental Programme, Locally Managed Marine Area Network, University of 

the South Pacific, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, University of Guam, Foundation 

of the Peoples of the South Pacific International, World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife 

Conservation Society, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, World Fish Centre, and the 

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. A workshop to draft relevant guidelines for the region and 

fundraising to hire a regional coordinator are planned for 2006. 

• MPA Specialist Hired in Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 

24 
The MPA Center provided technical assistance to the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Islands to hire an MPA specialist, who will assist the Commonwealth with the 

establishment of an MPA program and serve as an MPA activities liaison between the MPA 

Center and the Commonwealth. 

• New England Fishery Management Council

The National Marine Protected Areas Center supported the New England Fishery 

Management Council with two outreach and education workshops in Rhode Island and 

Maine in May 2005. The workshops served to educate stakeholders on the use of MPAs as a 

tool in fisheries management and gather input on developing a formal MPA policy. The 

MPA Center’s New England regional coordinator participated in the steering committee and 

gave the introductory presentation at the workshops. At their September 2005 meeting, the 

New England Fishery Management Council adopted an official MPA policy, which was 

largely based on the discussion from the workshops. 

• Gulf of Maine 

The MPA Center continued to host quarterly NOAA Gulf of Maine coordination meetings, 

with discussion focused on updates on MPA- or ecosystem-based management activities in 

the region. 

• Online Regional Information Centers Launched 

In an effort to help stakeholders stay informed about ongoing MPA planning processes 

across the nation, the MPA Center launched web-based MPA Regional Information Centers 

in 2005. The Information Centers, housed on www.MPA.gov, provide “one-stop-shopping” 

for comprehensive information on ongoing federal, state, and tribal MPA planning processes. 

Stakeholders can search for MPA planning processes by region of the U.S. (including the 

Pacific Coast, Pacific Islands, Gulf of Mexico, Mid Atlantic, New England, Great Lakes, and 

Caribbean regions), or by state. 

The Regional Information Centers database was designed with the assistance of the NOAA 

Special Project Office. They were adapted based on a pilot project in 2002 that tracked 

Pacific Coast MPA planning process. 

25 
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION 

The MPA Center’s outreach and education activities increase understanding and awareness of 

MPAs among government agencies, coastal and marine educators, managers, and stakeholders. 

They support the development of programming and materials that incorporate MPA themes and 

messages. Several of these 2005 initiatives are listed below. 

MPA.gov 

The U.S. website on marine protected areas, http://mpa.gov, continued to provide stakeholders 

with MPA information, tools, and MPA programs. In 2005, the site averaged more than 400,000 

hits per month (an 8 percent increase from 2004), 43,000 pages viewed per month (a 7 percent 

increase from 2004), and nearly 15,000 downloads per month (a 5 percent increase from 2004). 

New information was added to the website, including: 

• Minutes, transcript, and presentations from MPA Federal Advisory Committee meetings in 

Arlington, Virginia and Portland, Maine in 2005. 

• A section on developing the national system of MPAs, including background information on 

MPAs and the Executive Order on MPAs, reasons for and benefits of the national system, 

and agendas, notes, and presentations from each of the federal, state, and public dialogue 

meetings held. 

• Regional Information Centers database, allowing stakeholders to track MPA planning 

processes across the U.S. 

• Issues of the MPA Center’s 2005 newsletters: MPA Connections, Information Exchange for 

Marine Educators, and Marine Cultural and Historic Resources

• Several new documents and publications, including Regional Priorities for Social Science 

Research on Marine Protected Areas, Inventory of GIS-Based Decision-Support Tools for 

MPAs, and Enforcing U.S. Marine Protected Areas: Synthesis Report.

MPA Virtual Library 

The MPA Virtual Library grew considerably in 2005. Nearly 400 items (including books, 

reports, conference proceedings, journal articles, conferences, and website) were added to its 

MPA collection, bringing the total number of resources available to more than 1,500. 

In 2005, the NOAA Central Library created an online MPA Center History Collection, which

documents the formation, organization, statutory authority, management, and operations of the 

MPA Center. The physical collection is stored in the Rare Book Room in the NOAA Central 

Library. 

Community Events/Booths 

The National Marine Protected Areas Center participated in a number of outreach and education 

events aimed at reaching students, teachers, and community members at the local and national 

level. Examples of events where the MPA Center participated included: 

• Make a Splash with Project WET, Washington, D.C. 

• Maury Project Education Workshop, Silver Spring, Maryland 

• University of Delaware's 29th Annual Coast Day, Lewes, Delaware 

• National Fishing and Boating Week, Washington, D.C. 

26 
• Coastal Zone 05, New Orleans, Louisiana 

Special Presentations 

The MPA Center hosted two special presentations for NOAA staff. The first session was a 

brownbag on the topic “Stakeholder Involvement in Recent Marine Protected Area Processes: 

Identifying Lessons Learned,” which focused on the findings from a lessons learned project 

released by the MPA Center in 2004. The presentation highlighted strengths and weaknesses of 

six MPA processes studied for the project and provided overall recommendations for future and 

ongoing MPA planning efforts. The second presentation was entitled, “Understanding Marine 

Protected Areas,” and was adapted from a full-day workshop. This one-hour presentation 

covered basic information about MPAs, including the many types and purposes of MPAs, the 

MPA Executive Order, the MPA classification system, authorities and legislation, natural and 

social science, enforcement, effectiveness, stakeholder involvement, and coordination. 

The MPA Center invited Sherman’s Lagoon cartoonist Jim Toomey to speak at the annual 

National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) conference in July 2005. Toomey designed an 

MPA poster for the MPA Center’s use in 2001, and contributed several original cartoons for the 

Center’s education program. At the NMEA conference, his presentation was part of the Marine 

Science Symposium, under the theme, “Multidimensional Marine Science: Culture and the Arts.” 

Outreach and Education Materials 

Several MPA-themed education and outreach materials were produced in 2005. As part of the 

Discovery Classroom program, NOAA's National Ocean Service worked with the MPA Center 

to develop lesson plans for teachers of grades nine through twelve to use when addressing the 

topic of MPAs. The MPA Center created a fact sheet focusing on MPA cultural and historic 

resources, and began drafting a middle school lesson plan that focuses on marine protected areas 

topics. The draft lesson plan was piloted at the Tennessee Educators of Aquatic and Marine 

Sciences’ spring conference. 

The MPA Center’s efforts to develop the national system of MPAs were featured in the July 

2005 issue of MPA News, an international newsletter published monthly by Marine Affairs 

Research and Education, in association with the University of Washington. The article examined 

the MPA Center’s progress and its plans to continue working with government agencies, 

communities, and other stakeholders to develop the framework for the system through a series of 

public dialogues and other workshops. The article also included a question and answer feature 

with the MPA Center’s national system coordinator and the communications director. 

MPA Center Newsletters 

The MPA Center made progress toward informing and updating stakeholders on activities, plans, 

and accomplishments via three newsletters, all of which are archived on the www.MPA.gov

website: 

• MPA Connections 

The National Marine Protected Areas Center’s primary newsletter, MPA Connections, 

celebrated its three-year anniversary in November 2005. The newsletter provides updates on 

the MPA Center’s resources, training, research, management tools, publications, websites, 

27 
public meetings, and the work of the MPA Federal Advisory Committee. MPA Connections

is distributed via listserv to more than 3,000 recipients worldwide. Some regular features 

include the “Clarifying Misconceptions about MPAs” series and profiles of MPA volunteers 

and Federal Advisory Committee members. 

• MPA Cultural and Historic Resources Newsletter 

In 2005, the MPA Center launched a monthly newsletter, MPA Cultural and Historic 

Resources, which highlights marine cultural and historic news and updates from around the 

world. The newsletter serves as a prime resource for government and non-governmental 

partners engaged in MPA cultural resources work, as well as those interested in the subject of 

maritime heritage. 

• Information Exchange for Marine Educators 

In 2005, the MPA Center continued distributing the monthly email newsletter for coastal and 

marine educators, titled Information Exchange for Marine Educators. The newsletter features 

a list of MPA educational programs, new opportunities, calls for abstracts, funding and 

professional development opportunities, and websites of general interest to marine educators. 

It is distributed to more than 900 recipients, posted on the MPA.gov website, and made 

available through the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service’s Research Learning 

Centers Clearinghouse educational website. At the end of fiscal year 2005, the Information 

Exchange for Marine Educators transitioned to support by the NOAA Office of Education 

and Sustainable Development. 

28 
CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

As part of its mission, the National Marine Protected Areas Center participated in and/or 

sponsored several conferences and workshops in 2005. In some cases, National Marine Protected 

Areas Center staff members were presenters and facilitators. Many of the following conferences 

and workshops allowed the National Marine Protected Areas Center to display its latest 

educational exhibits, outreach materials, and updates on developing the national system of 

MPAs. Such conferences included: 

• Coastal GeoTools '05 Conference 

• Tennessee Educators of Aquatic and Marine Sciences’ Spring Conference 

• National Marine Educators Association Annual Conference

• American Fisheries Society Annual Conference

• George Wright Society Conference

• North American Association of Environmental Educators Conference

• National Interpreters Association Conference

• National Conference of Canada’s Ocean Management Research Network 

• Northeastern Association of Marine Laboratories Annual Meeting 

• Managing Our Nation's Fisheries II Conference 

• Annual Oceans and Coastal Program Managers Meeting 

• National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers 

• Seventh Maritime Heritage Conference 

• Society for Historical Archaeology Conference 

l Meeting 

servation Conference 

n Annual Meeting 

• American Zoo and Aquarium Association Annua

• Coastal Zone ’05 Conference 

• White House Cooperative Con

• Oceans 2005 Conference 

• Coastal States Organizatio

 

 

 

 

 

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