The National Marine Sanctuary System National Oceanic

and Atmospheric

Administration

US Secretary of Commerce

Donald L. Evans

Under Secretary of Commerce

for Oceans and Atmosphere

and Administrator, National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

Vice Admiral

Conrad C. Lautenbacher,

USN (Ret.)

Assistant Administrator for

Ocean Services and Coastal

Zone Management, National

Ocean Service

Margaret A. Davidson, acting

National Marine

Sanctuary Program

Director

Daniel J. Basta

Deputy Director

Michael Weiss

Branch Chiefs—

Charles Alexander

National Programs

Helen Golde

Conservation Policy

and Planning

Matt Stout

Communications

and Development

Our national marine sanctuaries embrace part of our collective riches as a nation. Within their

protected waters, giant humpback whales breed and calve their young, coral colonies flourish, and

shipwrecks tell stories of our maritime history. Sanctuary habitats include beautiful rocky reefs,

lush kelp forests, whale migration corridors, spectacular deep-sea canyons, and underwater

archaeological sites. Our nation’s sanctuaries can provide a safe habitat for species close to extinction

or protect historically significant shipwrecks. Ranging in size from less than one square mile to over

5,300 square miles, each sanctuary is a unique place needing special protections. Natural classrooms,

cherished recreational spots, and valuable commercial industries—marine sanctuaries represent

many things to many people.

 The National Marine Sanctuary Program serves as the trustee for a system of thirteen underwater

parks, encompassing 18,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington State to

the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration’s (NOAA) Ocean Service has managed National Marine Sanctuaries since passage of the

Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act in 1972. Protecting sanctuary resources requires

a great deal of planning, management, and cooperation between federal, state, and local officials. The

National Marine Sanctuary Program works cooperatively with its partners and the public to balance

enjoyment and use with long-term conservation. Increasing public awareness of our marine

heritage, scientific research, monitoring, exploration, educational programs, and outreach are just a few

of the ways the National Marine Sanctuary Program fulfills its mission to the American people. The

Program’s staff is ever mindful of their responsibility to protect America’s ocean treasures for this and

future generations.
The National Marine Sanctuary Program’s (NMSP) guiding vision is to inspire people through

education, research, public outreach, ocean exploration, and marine management to value

marine sanctuaries as treasured places today and for generations ahead. Its mission is to serve

as trustee of our nation’s underwater parks in conserving, protecting and enhancing their

biodiversity, ecological integrity, and cultural legacy. Three branches—National Programs,

Communications and Development, and Conservation Policy and Planning—support the system’s

13 sites. Currently, NMSP has begun the process for designating our country’s fourteenth

national marine sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This area contains over 24

species of coral, more than 7,000 marine species and includes nearly the entire world population of

endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

Director’s Office

Operations Staff

National Programs

Branch

Sanctuary Field

Operations Division

Conservation Policy &

Planning Division

Communications &

Development Branch

Pacific Islands West Coast Gulf of Mexico &

Southeast

Northeast &

Great Lakes

Hawaiian Islands

Humpback Whale

NMS

Olympic Coast NMS

Flower Garden

Banks NMS

Gerry E. Studds

Stellwagen Bank

NMS

Fagatele Bay NMS

Northwestern

Hawaiian Islands

Coral-Reef

Ecosystem Reserve

NMS

Cordell Bank NMS

Gulf of the

Farallones NMS

Monterey Bay NMS

Channel Islands

NMS

Florida Keys NMS

Gray’s Reef NMS

Monitor NMS

Thunder Bay NMS &

Underwater Preserve

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands were named a Coral-Reef Ecosystem Reserve under Executive Orders 13178 and

13196. It is currently beginning a process to determine if it will be designated a national marine santuary.
6

In his address to the nation after September 11, President George W. Bush described our country

as “the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world...no one will keep that light

from shining." The events of last year have taught many lessons to our nation and the world

about the American spirit and the importance of preserving and enhancing the values that

embody that spirit: freedom to explore, to discover, to pursue education, to honor communities,

and most importantly to prevail in our commitment to protect, preserve, and pass on to future

generations the national resources we ourselves inherited. This year, we in the National Marine

Sanctuary Program renew again our commitment to preserve our nation’s system of underwater

parks from Washington State to the Florida Keys, from Massachusetts to California and far

offshore to American Samoa.

Americans have held a deep appreciation for our nation’s great natural resources, our national

parks, and more recently, our coasts and oceans. Over the last century advances in science and

technology have confirmed the oceans’ importance to our very existence.

For many years, our marine sanctuaries were as unfamiliar and mysterious to the public as the

ocean habitats the Program protects today. Ten years ago funding for the system of sanctuaries

that Congress had created in 1972 to protect our country’s special ocean places was a mere $5

million. As knowledge of the oceans’ importance increased, so did support for this important

marine program. In 2002, the year of its 30th anniversary, the National Marine Sanctuary

Program will operate with a total budget of $48.9 million. Currently, the Program protects 18,618

square miles of ocean and freshwater natural resources on both coasts and in American Samoa.

The National Marine Sanctuary Program today is developing new marine conservation

partnerships and utilizing innovative management structures that bring direct public participation

to a new level. We’re working together with others throughout the NOAA family—the National

Weather Service, the Office of Ocean Exploration, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the

National Undersea Research Program, as well as with a wide mix of state and other Federal

agencies. In addition, new partners in our marine outreach and education efforts include the

National Geographic Society and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

In 2001 the non-profit National Marine Sanctuary Foundation was created to expand the reach

of our program’s education and outreach nationwide. Within a short time, the Foundation and

Board members, which include marine explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, Director of the Institute for

Exploration Dr. Robert Ballard, and ocean explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle, began promoting the vision

Message from the Director...
7

National Marine

Sanctuary Program FAQs

Headquarters address:

1305 East-West Highway

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Telephone: 301-713-3125

Fax: 301-713-0404

E-mail: nmscomments@noaa.gov

Website: http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/

Total area protected: 18,618 square miles

Date created: On October 23, 1972 with

the passage of the Marine Protection,

Research, and Sanctuaries Act

and mission of our national marine sanctuaries. In its first year, the Foundation was the organizing

sponsor of the first Ocean Day on Capital Hill, engaging members and staff from both the House and

the Senate to learn more about the work of our national marine sanctuaries.

Also in 2001, we broke new ground through the Management Plan Review process which continues

today. This review process ensures each sanctuary can reevaluate its mission and goals with help

from its constituents. In 2001, the Program for the first time is using an integrated ecosystem

framework in jointly reviewing the management plans of three California sanctuaries: Cordell Bank,

Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay.

This year, for the first time in its history, the National Marine Sanctuary Program will have Sanctuary

Advisory Councils (SAC) at all of its 13 sites. Currently more than 200 citizens along our coasts

participate on these councils as members or act as alternates. SACs bring together leaders from

business, recreation, diving, conservation, boating and fishing communities who share in a common

goal—to protect our oceans and Great Lakes.

With the increased funds, we are making major investments in the Sanctuary Program infrastructure

and building a physical presence never before seen at our sites, in visitor centers, in sea-going

vessels, and in the equipment necessary for scientific research. These investments will pay ten-fold

dividends in bringing the vision of marine conservation and national stewardship to all Americans.

For example, the Dr. Nancy Foster Center, to be constructed in Key West, will house Florida Keys

Sanctuary operations and laboratory space, provide waterfront for research vessels and

scientific collaborators, and state and federal agency activities. The Center will also offer a place to

educate visitors about the marine environment and conservation. The recent transfer of a US

Coast Guard three-story building and boathouse in Scituate, Massachusetts to NOAA also furthers

Program conservation efforts. This space now provides office space for the Stellwagen Bank Marine

Sanctuary operations.

We’re especially excited about the Program’s increased use of pioneering innovative technology that

will bring a vast array of ocean treasures directly to the American public and change the way we

experience marine environments. Most Americans have never seen a marine sanctuary and most of

those who have, only see the surface. We plan to bring real-time virtual experiences of the

underwater world to classrooms and venues across the country.

The National Marine Sanctuary Program is partnering with Bob Ballard’s Institute for Exploration and
8

•

Sea Research Foundation to build and test a model in ocean education with telepresence

technologies. Now after exploring the floor of the Monterey Bay with remote camera systems, students

become part of a computer-generated experience of the Monterey environment and learn about the

different marine species and plants of the region. This project is the first step in linking all 13 national

marine sanctuaries together into a networked web of live interactive cameras and introducing

advanced education programs that bring visitors under the waves and into the sanctuaries to explore,

examine, and experience.

Our submerged cultural marine resources will also be highlighted. With increased funding, the

Program’s early focus on marine inhabitants and ecosystems can now include a stronger emphasis on

creating a nationally recognized submerged cultural resources program. The Monitor NMS office and

The Mariners’ Museum are joining together to create the USS Monitor Center and NOAA Submerged

Cultural Resources Center. The creation of this center will demonstrate the beginning of our Program’s

new emphasis on submerged cultural resources.

In 2002, the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary concludes the Program’s most significant cultural

resource project as NOAA and the US Navy attempt to raise the turret of the famed Civil War shipwreck

off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. In the future, underwater cameras will let students and teachers tag

along when marine archeologists visit the sunken remains of historic shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay

National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve in Lake Huron.

Exciting sea adventures have challenged the American public to learn more about our mysterious

ocean worlds. As a maturing program we’ve taken up the challenge and have begun periodic

expeditions of exploration that promote marine conservation, research, and education. In recent years,

we’ve joined the National Geographic Society, NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration, and the Woods Hole

Oceanographic Institution in ocean explorations such as the Sustainable Seas Expeditions, Islands in

the Stream and participated in the underwater lab, Aquarius. This year, the National Marine Sanctuary

Program embarks on the “Investigations of Marine Sanctuaries 2002” (IMS2002), a project to identify

linked ecosystems along the Pacific coastline, mapping wrecks in Thunder Bay, Michigan, and joining

with the National Geographic Society’s Sustainable Seas Expeditions in the Gulf of Mexico.

As we move forward with our new programs we are looking over a changed national landscape. All of

the staff, including state and local partners of the National Marine Sanctuary Program, its supporters,

and volunteers are even more dedicated to preserving our nation’s marine sanctuaries. The changed

national landscape has made us think we will never be the same again. And we won’t; we will be better.

 Daniel J. Basta

National Marine Sanctuary Program
9

Table of Contents
10

Gerry E. Studds

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

The slow retreat of massive Ice Age glaciers formed what is today Stellwagen Bank, a sand and

gravel plateau at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay. There, ocean currents sweep water in and out

of the bay, with the bank partially blocking the opening and funneling the flow into relatively

narrow passageways. Nutrient-rich waters make this an area of high marine productivity and a

multilayered food web with species ranging from single-celled phytoplankton to great whales.

 The presence of feeding whales in the sanctuary draws an estimated one million

whalewatchers a year, intent on witnessing the acrobatics of the gregarious but endangered

humpback whale.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: November 4, 1992

Protected area: 842-square miles; 25 miles east of Boston, 3 miles southeast of Cape Ann,

and 3 miles north of Provincetown

Key species: Humpback whale, northern right whale, white-sided dolphin, storm petrel,

northern gannet, bluefin tuna, Atlantic cod, winter flounder, sea scallop, northern lobster

Key habitats: Sand and gravel bank, muddy basins, boulder fields, rocky ledges, open water

Sanctuary Superintendent: Dr. Craig MacDonald

Headquarters address: 175 Edward Foster Road, Scituate, Massachusetts 02066

Telephone: 781-545-8026

Fax: 781-545-8036

E-mail: stellwagen@noaa.gov

Website: http://stellwagen.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 -2001

Whalewatch Guidelines—The sanctuary and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

Office of Protected Resources jointly issued revised guidelines for whalewatching in the

northeast region. The guidelines provide approach and departure speeds and minimal distance

recommendations for commercial and recreational humpback whalewatching boats. Regulations

MassachusettsStellwagen Bank Gerry E. Studds

The sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) has over 100 blue

eyes along the edge of its mantle with which it senses light

intensity. This mollusk scoots away from potential danger by

flapping the two parts of its shell, like a swimming castanet.

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is one of the marine fish

species not considered overexploited. Large schools of these

small fish fall prey to a wide variety of predators including

whales, sharks, and tuna.
11

for approach distances when sighting northern right whales are also incorporated into all

materials. The National Marine Fisheries Service, in consultation with the sanctuary, issued an

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for whalewatching in the Northeast.

Humpback Whale Research Funded—Stellwagen Bank’s importance as a major feeding ground

for marine mammals was one of the primary reasons for the sanctuary’s designation. The

information archive on the whales of Stellwagen Bank is extensive. Many peer-reviewed research

publications have been generated based on that archive. The sanctuary has committed funding

to several whale research institutions to continue the maintenance and update of this database.

In addition, the sanctuary has supported monthly cruises to document and identify cetaceans

and to study whale feeding behaviors and sand lance populations.

Partnership with New England Aquarium—The New England Aquarium agreed to serve as the

Boston area Sanctuary Visitor Center. Outdoor exhibit panels focusing on sanctuary resources

and conservation issues were created for the Aquarium’s outdoor mall and whalewatch boats.

The Aquarium’s Immersive Theater currently offers a 15-minute interactive, multi-screen video

called “Storm Over Stellwagen.” The national sanctuary system contracted for an addition of a

brief film trailer to more fully describe the entire system of sanctuaries.

Seafloor Habitat Recovery Monitoring—This program is a collaborative effort between scientists

at the Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary, the National Undersea Research Center at the University of

Connecticut (NURC-UCONN), the University of Maine and Brown University. The program began in

2001 and is planned to continue for 10 years. The specific objectives are to compare the relative

impacts of human-caused and natural changes to the seafloor with respect to fish and benthic

animal communities and seafloor structure. The project uses remotely-operated vehicles and the

Sanctuary's Integrated Seafloor Imaging System (ISIS) along with box cores, side scan sonar,

and current profilers.

Water Monitoring Linked to MWRA Program—Although modeling by the Massachusetts Water

Resources Authority (MWRA) suggests there should be no impact on Sanctuary water quality

through normal operation of the outfall pipe, there has been a significant expression of public

concern over potential impacts from anomalous events. To assess this possibility, the sanctuary

established a multi-year water quality monitoring program in 2001. The sanctuary program works

with the Harbor Outfall Monitoring Program, supported by MWRA, to increase sampling coverage

to multiple sites within the sanctuary.

Submerged Cultural Resources—The sanctuary began its first systematic investigation of cultural

A sheet of water streams off the rounded tail of a humpback

whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). Humpbacks usually lift their

flukes out of the water when they dive; the underside, not seen

here, is different for every whale, giving researchers a way to

identify individual whales by their fluke prints.
12

resources within its boundaries. Sanctuary scientists collaborated with scientists from the

US Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and NOS Coast Survey to visit three

shipwreck sites in the southern sanctuary. The ISIS camera system was used to collect

video and still photographs of each wreck. Those data are being analyzed to further

identification of the wrecks.

Provincetown Visitor Exhibit— In 2001, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

created hi-tech portals that now provide the public with virtual visitation to this site three

miles off the coast of Massachusetts. The new exhibit received enthusiastic reviews from

visitors who expressed amazement in discovering the resources protected in the sanctuary.

“See A Spout – Watch Out”—An important part of the sanctuary’s mandate is protecting

vulnerable marine life from human threats. In 2001, the sanctuary joined with the

International Wildlife Coalition to help prevent whale strikes by recreational boaters in the

Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary through a variety of educational efforts. Almost 5,000 boaters

were trained, some 30,000 rack cards, and 25,000 decals were distributed, and 125

metal dockside signs were installed as a result of this new collaboration.

Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary Enforcement Program—Another noteworthy accomplishment

achieved in 2001 was the development of a Joint Enforcement Plan with the National

Marine Fisheries Service’s Office for Law Enforcement and the Massachusetts

Environmental Police. During the months of

May-October, enforcement officers conducted

two patrols a week and reported that boaters

responded well to on-water interception. Their

report also highlighted the high demand for

greater enforcement efforts.

MassachusettsStellwagen Bank Gerry E. Studds

Former Congressman Gary E. Studds and Congressman Bill

Delahunt cut the ribbon at the grand opening for the

sanctuary’s high tech exhibit in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

Large numbers of boats travel into the sanctuary to watch

whales. Scientists are interested in knowing whether sound

levels are loud enough to hurt whales’ hearing or if noises are

causing whales to change their behaviors.

Caption (right):

A field of live sand dollars (Echinarachnius parma)

sits on a sandy plain along with one test (the white

inner structural form from a dead sand dollar)

Photo: Dann Blackwood and Page Valentine, USGS
13

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, designated in 1975, enjoys the distinction of being the

nation’s first national marine sanctuary.

 The Monitor is recognized worldwide for its significance as the vessel that revolutionized nineteenthcentury naval technology and warfare. In 1862, the turreted ironclad engaged the Confederate warship

CSS Virginia in battle. Less than a year later the Monitor sank off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, during

a storm.

 Since 1995, the National Marine Sanctuary Program and its partners have worked to stabilize the

Monitor’s hull and recover major components of the ship, including the propeller, propeller shaft, and

skeg. The Monitor’s steam engine was recovered in July 2001 and recovery of her famous gun turret

and guns is planned for 2002. All recovered artifacts are transported to The Mariners’ Museum,

Newport News, Virginia, for conservation and eventual public exhibition.

 Resting at a depth of 235 feet, the wreck provides habitat for corals, sponges, anemones, and other

plants and attracts a variety of deepwater fish.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: January 30, 1975

Protected area: 1-square mile

Key species: Amberjack, black sea bass, red barbier, scad, dolphin, sand tiger shark, corals, sea

anemone, sea urchin

Key habitats: Pelagic, open ocean; artificial reef

Sanctuary Manager: Dr. John Broadwater

Headquarters address: c/o The Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606

Telephone: 757-599-3122

Fax: 757-591-7353

E-mail: monitor@nms.noaa.gov

Website: http://monitor.nos.noaa.gov

James River, VA. Close-up view of officers on the Deck of the

USS Monitor near the turret. Taken July 9, 1862

The battle between the USS Monitor and the Confederate

Ironclad Virginia was the subject for a United States postage

stamp in 1995. The Monitoris the vessel near the lower portion

of the stamp.

North CarolinaMonitor
14

Accomplishments 2000 -2001

Silver Anniversary—On January 30, 2000, the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary celebrated its

25th year of preservation, research, education, and outreach. The Mariners’ Museum, Newport News,

Virginia, hosted a ceremony honoring the sanctuary’s anniversary and NOAA’s 30th anniversary.

Monitor Expeditions—The 2000 field season ran April through mid-August with only a three-week

break between the two major expedition phases. Both NOAA and the US Navy fielded dive teams in

an effort to survey the site, install cement bags to stabilize the Monitor’s hull and deploy a 90-ton

engine recovery structure to be used for rigging and raising the vessel’s engine. An important

milestone was reached in July 2001 when The Monitor’s 35-ton steam engine, that had rested for

139 years under the Atlantic Ocean, was recovered. The Monitor 2001 Expedition was the longest,

most complex yet, consisting of six separate expeditions to the sanctuary, including a large-scale U.S.

Navy dive expedition with coordination and advice from the Monitor staff. The Navy again expanded

its capabilities, utilizing for the first time ever a commercial saturation diving system that greatly

increased the amount of time the Navy divers could work on the engine. NOAA supported the Navy

by conducting a spring expedition that mapped and photographed the engine, providing details on

configuration and access needed for the final recovery plan.

Increasing Sanctuary Awareness and Support—As the result of its recovery missions, the Monitor

Sanctuary received major media coverage during 2000 including nearly four and one-half hours of

prime time national television coverage. Many of the documentaries were repeated several times in

the months that followed. The Discovery Channel on May 14 aired a one-hour documentary titled,

Wreck Finder, which featured four significant salvage projects conducted by the USS Grasp. The

Grasp’s 1999 diving expedition to the Monitor was one of the four projects. On October 24, the

award-winning PBS science series NOVA aired a one-hour special on the Monitor titled, Lincoln’s

Secret Weapon. This program documented the recovery of the Monitor’s two-ton propeller by NOAA,

the U.S. Navy and other participants. The NOVA documentary was previewed at a special ceremony at

the National Press Club, Washington, D.C., on September 26. The event featured several key speakers

including Senator John Warner (R-VA), senior Department of Commerce representatives, and other

dignitaries. The History Channel aired Raise the Monitor, a full two-hour documentary on the USS

Monitor and Monitor National Marine Sanctuary on December 11. This program, which has

broadcast numerous times, tells the Monitor’s story from its construction up to the deployment of the

engine lifting structure by NOAA and the U.S. Navy during July 2000. On October 22, CBS Sunday

An illustration of the Monitor as seen from above its current

position. The Civil War ironclad rests on its turret in the deep

waters off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Caption (right): Image compiled from a series of video stills

by Jeff Johnston of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.

Although there is a distinct amount of distortion from the

camera, this image shows some of the significant collapse that

has occurred over the years.
15

Morning ran a feature story on the Monitor with host Charles Osgood reporting on NOAA’s current

efforts to work with the U.S. Navy and others to preserve the Monitor for future generations. In

addition to these new programs, the Arts and Entertainment Channel broadcast a program on the

Monitor on its Civil War Chronicles series. During the 2001 engine recovery expedition, a production

team was aboard to film the event for a documentary to be developed for the Discovery Channel.

International and National Outreach—Sanctuary Manager John Broadwater presented conference

papers and public lectures in numerous U.S. cities and in Canada, Turkey, and Australia. He also

served as NOAA Observer on a deep-sea expedition in the Black Sea sponsored by the Institute for

Exploration, with support from NOAA. A National Geographic Society article on the Black Sea

expedition noted NOAA’s participation.

Expanded Navy Partnerships—During 2001, the sanctuary expanded its partnership with the U.S.

Navy and developed a cooperative program of research and training with the Naval Sea Systems

Command. The training program has proved to be so successful that plans are already underway to

continue the program even after the Monitor’s turret recovery mission scheduled for 2002.

Expanded Dive Partnerships—Also in 2001, the sanctuary expanded its dive program partnerships

with the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and

East Carolina University. The multi-agency dive team has the capability to conduct scientific diving

expeditions to water depths down to 300 feet.

Walter B. Jones Awards—On October 3, 2001 at the Walter B. Jones Awards and NOAA Excellence

Awards Ceremony, Monitor Sanctuary Manager John Broadwater received a NOAA Award for

Excellence in Sanctuary Management. The NOAA award recognized Dr. Broadwater’s efforts to

coordinate the recovery, preservation and exhibition of significant portions of the USS Monitor.

.

North CarolinaMonitor

Bent and bowed deck support stanchions and the angled ends

of “floor beams” along the port boiler.

James River, VA. U.S.S. Monitor Onondaga. Soldiers in rowboat

in foreground.
16

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

Gray’s Reef is 17 miles off the coast of Georgia, in waters 50-70 feet deep. One of the largest

nearshore sandstone reefs in the southeastern United States, its sandy, flat-bottom troughs and

sandstone outcroppings and ledges are optimal for the colonization of marine invertebrates,

including sponges and corals that in turn attract a rich diversity of reef and pelagic fish, sea turtles

and marine mammals. The sanctuary lies near the only known calving grounds for the northern right

whale, the most endangered large whale in the world.

 In 1986, the United Nations listed Gray’s Reef as an International Biosphere Reserve. In recent

years, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council designated Gray’s Reef as a “Habitat Area of

Particular Concern” citing its important biological and ecological values. The Council also noted its

scientific importance as a marine habitat, and its great interest to sport fishers and divers.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: January 16, 1981

Protected area: 23-square miles, 17 miles east of Sapelo Island, Georgia

Key species: Loggerhead sea turtle, spotted and bottlenose dolphins, gag grouper, black sea bass,

angelfish, barrel sponge, ivory bush coral, and sea whips

Key habitats: Calcareous sandstone reefs, sand bottom communities, moderate relief ledges, patch

reefs, tropical/temperate reef

Sanctuary Manager: Reed Bohne

Headquarters address: 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, Georgia 31411

Telephone: 912-598-2345

Fax: 912-598-2367

E-mail: graysreef@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.graysreef.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Habitat Assessment - Gray’s Reef initiated a comprehensive study of the sanctuary habitat through

NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS). The habitat assessment study

analyzed reef fish monitoring data, the importance of the non-reef habitats for juvenile fish, possible

The orange ridged sea star (Echinaster spinulosus) has orange

yellow spines. It has five legs with small tube feet in the under

side which are used in locomotion. If sea stars are cut in half,

they are able to regenerate and become two individual sea stars.

Sea slugs are uncoiled snails (mollusks) that have no shell and

have external gills (cerata). The regal sea goddess (Hyselodoris

edenticulata)specializes in feeding upon sponges, thus are quite

common in Gray’s Reef.

GeorgiaGray

’s Reef
17

contaminant levels in sediments and shellfish, the species of fish that spawn at Gray’s Reef and the

movements of larval fish to and from Gray’s Reef.

Sanctuary Cruises—The sanctuary also accomplished several research projects during cruises

aboard the NOAA Ship Ferrel. The projects resulted in hundreds of biological and sediment

samples, bongo tows and beam trawls, 90 SCUBA dives, more than a dozen ROV dives of up to four

hours each and the release of drifter buoys, and sidescan sonar operations useful in the

management plan review process. Gray’s Reef also sponsored a detailed mapping of the sanctuary

on the NOAA ship Whiting. The results of this hi-tech bottom mapping will be used to characterize

the habitat of the sanctuary.

Student Ocean Council—The sanctuary created the Student Ocean Council program to enable

upper level high school students from local public and private schools to explore ocean science

related careers and subjects. The Student Ocean Council is comprised of 50 students from several

coastal Georgia counties. In 2000, the programs included field trips to Gray’s Reef and to several of

Georgia’s barrier islands. Students have worked with sanctuary staff, coastal area scientists

(oceanographers, marine biologists and archaeologists), marine educators, marine operations

professionals, search and rescue personnel, fisheries technicians, and NOAA personnel.

Distance Learning Programs—Through Georgia’s distance learning network Gray’s Reef staff are

able to teach “live” with as many as seven classes across the State or across the country. The

sanctuary can bring the reef to life through slides and video footage. Students in downtown Atlanta

and in the mountain community of Helen or on the plains of Texas go beneath the ocean via

sanctuary cameras and explore Gray’s Reef without ever getting wet.

Exploration—In summer 2001, the sanctuary sponsored a research exploration cruise to an area

known as the Savannah Scarp during the NOAA sponsored Islands in the Stream expedition. Using

a three person submersible from the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institutions research vessel

Seward Johnson II, Gray’s Reef scientists joined researchers and educators from South Carolina

and Georgia to explore this productive reef fish habitat and document its value for conservation.

Management Plan Review—Gray’s Reef Marine Sanctuary significantly broadened its scope of

public involvement and awareness in 2001 through management plan revision that drew responses

from 100 individuals, organizations and academic institutions. The sanctuary held workshops and

produced proceedings for research, education and conservation.

Increased Partnerships—Gray’s Reef Marine Sanctuary joined forces with National Marine

Over the years, researchers have learned much about the

loggerhead’s nesting behavior (i.e. seasonality, number of eggs,

sites), but little is known about its behavior when underwater,

away from the beach--especially for the relatively small

Georgia/South Carolina nesting population. With use of

satellite tracking, researchers hope to learn more about the

swimming and resting behaviors, habitat utilization, and

genetics of the post-nesting loggerhead sea turtle.

The R/V Jane Yarn is a 65 foot converted Navy vessel renovated

for marine science and education at Gray’s Reef National

Marine Sanctuary. The vessel is named after the late Mrs. Jane

Yarn, a prominent advocate for protection of Georgia’s barrier

islands, who worked tirelessly to advance the designation of

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. Jane Yarn served on

President Carter’s Council on Environmental Quality.

GeorgiaGray

’s Reef
18

Colonial Tunicate (Symplegma rubra): These orange, yellow,

and red colonies make bright colored patches on the sandstone

outcroppings of Gray's Reef.

Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (SAFMC) to

collaborate on the development of a marine protected areas program for the southeast.

Sanctuary staff have been appointed to SAFMC advisory panels on Habitat and Marine Protected

Areas. The sanctuary also developed the criteria for Marine Protected Area classification adopted

by the Council and developed with NMFS and the SAFMC a memorandum of understanding to

formalize the cooperation among the three organizations.

Caption (right):

Horizontal reef tops provide habitat for sessile (attached)

benthic (bottom dwelling) invertebrates, which rely upon

ocean currents for food, gas exchange, waste removal, and

egg dispersal. Examples include hard corals, soft corals,

sponges, and hydroids.
19

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary contains one of the most diverse underwater communities

of plants and animals in North America. Its dazzling coral reefs support rich marine populations that

depend on the reefs for shelter, food, and habitat. The reefs also hold the final resting places of

shipwrecks that span pre-colonial and modern maritime history.

 This complex marine ecosystem, which also includes fringing mangroves, seagrass meadows,

hardbottom communities, and bank reefs offers many opportunities to commercial fishing and

tourism-based businesses that are crucial to Florida’s economy. Today, the Florida Keys Sanctuary

serves as a model for international marine conservation efforts to save vulnerable oceans.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated (by Congress): November 16, 1990

Protected area: 3,674-square miles of water surrounding the archipelago formed by the Florida Keys

Key species: Hard corals: elkhorn, staghorn, pillar, brain and star corals; soft corals: sea fans, sea

rods, and sea whips; sponges; turtle grass; angelfish; spiny lobster; stone crab; grouper; tarpon

Key habitats: Coral reefs, patch and bank reefs, mangrove-fringed shorelines and islands, sand flats,

seagrass meadows, hardbottom communities

Sanctuary Superintendent: Billy Causey

Headquarters address: P.O. Box 500368, Marathon, Florida 33050. Regional operations offices

located in Key West and Key Largo.

Telephone: 305-743-2437

Fax: 305-743-2357

E-mail: floridakeys@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Research and Monitoring—The Sanctuary Research and Monitoring Program’s primary goal is to

provide the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about protecting the sanctuary’s

Florida Keys

Florida

Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) is a branching coral.

Branching corals grow in the shallow areas of the reef crest

and serve to break up the wave action as it comes onto the

reef. The branches of elkhorn coral resemble an elk's rack of

antlers, thus its name.

Mangrove islands serve as rookeries for many threatened and

endangered species such as the great white heron (Ardea

herodias occidentalis). Many of the islands in the Florida Keys

are zoned for protection of the nesting birds by both the

National Park Service and the National Wildlife Refuges.
20

biological diversity and natural ecosystem and its resources. More than 200 research permits have

been issued since implementation of the Sanctuary’s management plan in 1997. A wide range of

topics is being investigated, including coral physiology and ecology, water quality, fisheries biology,

algal and seagrass ecology, and reef geology (www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/research

monitoring/bycategory.html). Monitoring focuses on the sanctuary-wide status and trends of water

quality, coral reef and hardbottom communities, and seagrass beds. It also compares no-take zones

and reference sites to determine the efficacy of no-take zones in protecting biodiversity and

enhancing human values related to the Sanctuary (www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/research_monitoring/).

Submerged Cultural Resources—The sanctuary’s Submerged Resources Inventory team continued

with its valuable underwater and archival research in 2000. The team documented over 660 sites,

most of which are historical. Led by Mr. Chuck Hayes, the team developed a three-volume set

entitled “Underwater Resources of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Northeast Region.”

Shipwreck Trail—To allow the public to view the sanctuary’s historic shipwrecks in situ, a sanctuary

Shipwreck Trail opened in August 1999, after three years of work by sanctuary staff, contractors, and

volunteers. Today dive shops and the general public receive Shipwreck Trail brochures and

underwater site guides. Sanctuary education staff frequently give presentations on the Shipwreck

Trail to the SCUBA diving community, the marine archaeology community, and the public at large.

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force—The Florida Keys Sanctuary works with the

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and Working Group interagency teams that

coordinate the nation’s largest ecosystem restoration project, to restore water quality, quantity,

timing, and distribution to the Everglades’ natural systems while balancing the ever-growing demand

for fresh water from South Florida. In 2000, the Task Force achieved approval of the Comprehensive

Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), Congressional funding for the restoration project, and

reauthorization of the project’s legislation part of the Water Resources Development Act.

Superintendent Billy Causey serves as the NOAA/NOS/FKNMS representative to the Working Group,

ensuring that restoration decisions fully consider the ultimate downstream recipient of restoration,

the Florida Keys’ coral reefs.

Personal Watercraft Working Group—The sanctuary’s personal watercraft working group met

regularly in 2000 to develop strategies for managing the impact of personal watercraft on the

marine environment and on other user groups. The group includes concerned local citizens,

conservation representatives, flats guides, charter boat captains, personal watercraft rental

operators and industry representatives, resource management agency personnel and enforcement

Florida Keys

Florida

Soft corals,often mistaken for plants, include the deep water

sea fan (Iciligorgia schrammi) and the giant slit-pore sea rod

(Plexaurella nutans). These corals attach themselves to a hard

substrate and slowly move with the natural wave action.

Sponges like this orange elephant ear sponge (Agelas

clathrodes) are water filters for the reef. They filter up to 30,000

times their body volume every day.
21

officials. The group developed strategies to address concerns associated with personal watercraft and

presented these at community meetings.

Sustainable Seas Expeditions/Outreach and Education—In 2000, the Florida Keys Sanctuary

Education and Outreach program taught visitors, residents, teachers and students about the sanctuary,

its resources, and stewardship skills to care for these resources. The 2000 Sustainable Seas

Expeditions provided unique educational opportunities for students from the Midwest and northeast

United States, and South Florida through fish counts, Coral Reef Classroom, tours of the NOAA Ship

Gunter and DeepWorker submersibles, student-at-sea days, and Internet uplinks. By leading the multiagency Florida Keys Seagrass Outreach Partnership, the sanctuary raises statewide awareness of the

importance of seagrass, the seriousness of boating impacts on seagrass, and ways boaters can

participate in a solution. The sanctuary education and outreach staff continued to reach residents and

visitors through Team OCEAN program brochures and on-the-water interpretation by volunteers.

Partnerships—The year 2000 saw many positive results from the sanctuary’s partnerships with the

State of Florida and Florida Keys local governments. Federal, state and local agencies have worked

together on water quality issues, restoration of the South Florida ecosystem, and management of

fisheries, wildlife and other natural resources of the Florida Keys. Foremost among the successes have

been the development of new sanitary wastewater treatment systems, creation of vessel no-discharge

zones around Key West and progress toward a no-discharge zone for state waters, and the cleanup of

spiny lobster and stone crab gear destroyed by hurricanes. Other partnerships include the National Park

Service, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys.

 Florida Keys Sanctuary, the National Park Service and the US Environmental Protection Agency

continued their six-year partnership to produce Waterways, a half-hour television show that profiles the

South Florida environment and sanctuary research and management efforts.

Establishment of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve—In the 1996 final Management Plan for the Florida

Keys National Marine Sanctuary, working closely with the State of Florida, NOAA made a commitment to

establish an ecological reserve in the Tortugas. During fiscal year 2001, the sanctuary established the

Tortugas Ecological Reserve based on a proposal developed by the Tortugas 2000 working group and

adopted by the Sanctuary Advisory Council. The 25-member working group included commercial and

recreational fishermen, divers, scientists, conservationists, citizens-at-large and resource managers. The

process to develop the reserve has drawn accolades from around the country and is touted as a model

for collaborative reserve design. (The Tortugas Ecological Reserve consists of two sections: Tortugas

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is visited by

several marine mammal species, including the endangered

West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). Manatees are

winter visitors while species like the spotted dolphins and

bottlenose dolphins can be seen throughout the year.
22

Florida Keys

Florida

Boulder and massive corals, like this boulder star coral

(Montastrea annularis), are the “builders” of the reef. A coral

head is a colony of small animals called polyps. Polyps the size

of a pencil eraser build an external skeleton of calcium

carbonate around their bodies. The walls of these skeletons

form a rock-like structure. Over time, as new polyps build

their skeletons on top of each other, a large coral head is

formed. The boulder and massive coral skeletons develop the

main reef structure. Coralline algae and encrusting corals glue

everything together.

Caption (right): Corals are large colonies of small animals

called polyps. These polyps reside within a cup-like calcium

carbonate skeleton.

North and Tortugas South, protecting 151-square nautical miles of significant coral reef areas

known as Sherwood Forest and Riley’s Hump.)

Dr. Nancy Foster Florida Keys Environmental Center—On April 26, 2000, the Florida Keys

Sanctuary dedicated the Dr. Nancy Foster Environmental Center at Truman Annex in Key West. An

ex-Navy 2.94 acre site, transferred to NOAA at no cost, will house Lower Region operations and an

interagency visitor center, a partnership among NOAA, the National Park Service and the US Fish

and Wildlife Service.

 Throughout FY2001, the sanctuary worked closely with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the

National Park Service to design an interagency visitor center to be located at the Dr. Nancy Foster

Florida Keys Environmental Center in Key West. The purpose of this world-class center is to increase

the three agencies’ ability to protect the Florida Keys resources by providing coordinated orientation

and education for visitors and residents in one location.

Enhanced Protection of Sanctuary Regulations—In fiscal year 2001, the Florida Keys Sanctuary

provided funds to the State of Florida for the purpose of hiring additional law enforcement officers

for the sanctuary. Due to hiring constraints within the State, only two new officers were hired, and

the funds were used to pay overtime expenses for existing officers. Additionally, funds were

reallocated for the purchase of new vessels. The sanctuary was able to obtain two 82’ and two 41’

enforcement vessels from the US Coast Guard which will be used for both enforcement and to

support research in the newly created Tortugas Ecological Reserve.
23

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

One hundred miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, a trio of underwater gardens emerge

from the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. These fertile coral reefs serve as a regional reservoir of

shallow water Caribbean reef fishes and invertebrates. Like oases in the desert, these salt

domes provide homes for coral reefs, sponges, and fish of such beauty that the Flower Garden

Banks have become a premier diving destination in the United States. Each winter schools of

hammerhead sharks visit the sanctuary, and in summer, an annual coral spawning attracts

scientists and recreational divers from around the world.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: January 17, 1992

Protected area: 56-square miles

Key species: Star coral, brain coral, manta ray, hammerhead shark, and loggerhead turtle

Key habitats: Coral reefs, algal-sponge communities, brine seep, sand flats, artificial reef and

pelagic, open ocean

Sanctuary Manager: G.P. Schmahl

Headquarters address: 216 West 26th Street, Suite 104, Bryan, Texas 77803

Telephone: 979-779-2705

Fax: 979-779-2334

E-mail: flowergarden@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.flowergarden.nos.noaa.gov

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Investigating Fish Habitat—The sanctuary worked with government and university researchers

to learn more about fish habitat within the sanctuary. The sanctuary received information from

acoustic studies carried out by Louisiana State University that indicated that deep water areas

of the sanctuary are being utilized by grouper and snapper as aggregation and possible

spawning areas. Further studies are planned to investigate and document this data.

Radar Buoys—Anchor points were made for the installation of radar reflecting buoys at the East

Texas/Louisiana Flower Garden Banks

An example of the reefscape at the Flower Gardens - brain

coral (Diploria strigosa), exposed reef rock, branching tube

sponge (Pseudoceratina crassa), algae, parrotfish, bluehead

wrasse juveniles, and brown chromis. As seen in the

background, there is great competition for space. Monitoring

efforts over the past 20 years have shown over 50% coral

coverage - an indication of a very healthy reef.

The spotted drum (Equetus punctatus) is an elusive fish but it

can be found at all three banks of the sanctuary. Juveniles are

seen swimming in circular motions.
24

and West Flower Garden and Stetson Banks. These buoys will assist in warning large ships of

the sensitive coral reef communities located here, preventing potential damage caused by

anchors and slack towing cables.

GIS/Atlas & mapping—The sanctuary, in 2000, began the development of a sanctuary

Geographic Information System. The computer-based mapping and data management system

will compile information and enhance analysis and presentation. Sanctuary staff initiated this

effort by compiling sanctuary-related data into one system.

“Naturalist on Board” — The Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary initiated a new education and

outreach program that will place sanctuary-trained volunteers on commercial dive charter

vessels to provide information about the sanctuary and its resources. This is part of the overall

National Marine Sanctuary Program “Team OCEAN” program.

Speakers Bureau—To increase education and outreach capacity, the sanctuary successfully

piloted a Speakers Bureau in San Antonio, Texas. Volunteers are trained and provided with

audiovisual tools to use in Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary presentations given to students,

civic organizations, dive clubs and other groups.

“Down Under, Out Yonder”—This project is a continuation of the very successful teacher

workshops that bring diving educators to the Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary to learn about

the sanctuary system and to incorporate that knowledge in their individual educational

curricula.

Sanctuary Partnerships—In 2000, the Flower Garden Banks continued ongoing partnerships

and initiated new ones to fulfill its mission to conserve the vulnerable coral reefs in the Gulf of

Mexico. Working with the Minerals Management Service (MMS), an ongoing partnership, the

sanctuary continued a long-term monitoring project of coral reef areas. The sanctuary also

worked with MMS to expand the scope of the monitoring program to include additional

parameters and areas within the sanctuary. Other important sanctuary partnerships included

the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Coast Guard, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Gulf of

Mexico Foundation.

Flower Garden Banks Receives IMO No-Anchor Area Designation— A NOAA proposal to the

International Maritime Organization (IMO) to create a no-anchor zone at the Flower Garden

Banks National Marine Sanctuary culminated in December 2000 with the establishment of the

first internationally-designated no-anchor zone for the purpose of coral reef protection. The

The Coast Guard Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas, has

been working closely with the Flower Gardens Banks office

to conduct flyovers of the sanctuary on a regular basis.

Sanctuary personnel have been fortunate enough to participate

in these fly-overs in order to learn the capabilities of the jets

and pilots and to educate the Coast Guard personnel about

the sanctuary regulations.

Orange cup coral (Tubastraea coccinea) is not found on any of

the sanctuary banks, but it’s made a home on oil platforms in

the area.

Texas/Louisiana Flower Garden Banks
25

An annual, predictable event of coral spawning occurs at the

Flower Gardens Banks eight to ten nights after the full moon

in August or September. Here, a male star coral, (Montastraea

cavernosa) releases sperm into the water column.

designation took effect in June 2001. The IMO designation named the Flower Garden Banks

Sanctuary as the world’s first No-Anchor Zone for the purpose of protection of sensitive coral

reef resources.

Underwater Research—In 2001, the sanctuary continued a number of research studies that

used underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to explore sites within the sanctuary that

may be important aggregation and possible spawning areas for several species of grouper

and snapper. Sanctuary scientists also documented a rare double coral spawning event,

which occurred this year after both the full moons of August and September.

Sanctuary Vessel Acquisition—Acquiring a new sanctuary vessel, a decommissioned U.S.

Coast Guard 82' patrol boat named the Point Glass, was an important achievement for the

sanctuary in 2001. The new vessel will be used to support research and monitoring programs,

conduct environmental education projects, provide surveillance for enforcement of sanctuary

regulations, and maintain a physical presence in sanctuary waters.

Water Quality Monitoring—The ability to monitor water quality conditions within the

sanctuary was enhanced by the installation of a “real-time” oceanographic data buoy, which

provided, via satellite, information on currents, temperature, and salinity that can be accessed

over the Internet. Also multiparameter water quality data instruments were installed on each

of the three banks within the sanctuary which will continuously monitor temperature, salinity,

pH, dissolved oxygen, light intensity, and turbidity at the sea floor.

Partnership with the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas—The sanctuary initiated a

partnership with the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, Louisiana, to develop

a Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary exhibit within the aquarium. The exhibit’s

opening is anticipated in 2002. In addition, a program to utilize aquarium volunteer divers to

conduct reef fish population surveys in the sanctuary is under development.

Ocean Discovery Day—A day of fun and marine exploration was held in Galveston, Texas, on

June 1, 2001, to celebrate the visit of the Sustainable Seas Expedition, a NOAA/National

Geographic Society undersea project, to the Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary. An open house

aboard the NOAA Ship McArthur, booths, exhibits, and a variety of activities for all ages were

held throughout the day.
26

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

A fertile combination of warm and cool currents swirling around five islands makes up the Channel

Islands National Marine Sanctuary attracting a great variety of plants and animals—large nearshore

forests of giant kelp, flourishing populations of fish, invertebrates, and cetaceans, and diverse

colonies of pinnipeds and marine birds. Historic shipwrecks and Chumash Indian artifacts are

lodged in this marine protected area.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: September 22, 1980

Protected area: 1,658-square miles

Key species: California sea lion, elephant seal, harbor seal, blue and gray whale, dolphin, blue

shark, brown pelican, western gull, abalone, garibaldi, and rockfish

Key habitats: Kelp forests, rocky shores, sandy beaches, seagrass meadows, deep rocky reefs, and

pelagic, open ocean

Sanctuary Superintendent: LCDR Matt Pickett

Headquarters address: 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, California 93109

Telephone: 805-966-7107

Fax: 805-568-1582

E-mail: channelislands@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Submerged Cultural Resources—The Channel Islands Sanctuary’s submerged cultural resources

educational programs targeted both local community and national audiences. Sanctuary staff

carried the sanctuary message to the public through schools, adult education programs, online

chats hosted by RAIN Network (Regional Alliance for Information Networking), a local community

Internet and education provider, and a lecture program at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

Staff also presented papers on the sanctuary’s submerged cultural resources programs to the

academic community at the Society for Historical Archaeology in Quebec City, Canada. In addition,

Channel Islands

California

The Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus) is lucky enough to be

protected not only within the boundaries of the marine

sanctuaries, but by California state law as well. They are

intensely curious about divers and are known for being very

aggressive when defending either territory or eggs. During

the spring these feisty fish will vigorously defend their nests

from unwelcome guests- no matter how large they may be.

As well as providing a wonderful setting for research and

recreation, the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

is a wonderful classroom. Los Marineros is a marine education

program for children founded by the CINMS in 1987 and

administered by the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

Activities provided by the Los Marineros program include

lectures, presentations, and student field trips to the local

marine sites.
27

the sanctuary partnered with BRIDGE, an Ocean Science Teacher Resources Center, to create an

online curriculum featuring shipwrecks of the five West Coast sanctuaries.

 Annual monitoring and recording of the cultural resources was completed through a component

of the Shipwreck Reconnaissance Program, a collaborative effort with partners including the

Coastal Maritime Archaeology Resources Group and Channel Islands National Park. Shipwreck

exhibits to be featured at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Visitors Center were also planned.

The Collaborative Marine Research Program—The Channel Islands Sanctuary initiated a

program to involve commercial fishers in assessing sanctuary resources. The program joined

together local marine researchers, commercial fishers, and the regional resource management

agencies (National Marine Fisheries Service and California Department of Fish and Game) to

work on sanctuary issues.

 In the future, commercial fishers will aid the sanctuary in project selection and act as paid

research assistants. The program will also collect significant information, build upon current

relations between marine stakeholders, and contribute to resource protection.

Sanctuary Partnerships—The sanctuary opened a southern regional office in Channel Islands

Harbor, Oxnard, California, to develop partnerships and programming opportunities within the

Ventura County and greater Los Angeles County communities.

 Over 53% of the population in the tri-county region of the sanctuary is located within the

Ventura region. Two harbors with over 5,000 boat slips are located within Ventura County. The

sanctuary works in partnership with Ventura County Harbor Department officials to develop the

new Youth and Group Boater Education facility in Channel Islands Harbor.

Sanctuary Naturalist Corp Volunteer Program (SNC)—Whalewatching operators within Santa

Barbara, Ventura, and Channel Islands Harbor signaled support for the new Sanctuary Naturalist

Corps volunteer program, which numbers 100 volunteers, and their efforts to enhance whale

watching interpretation aboard their boats.

Sanctuary Advisory Council—The Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) provided key advice and

assistance in 2000 on the management plan revision. The SAC was instrumental in helping the

sanctuary attract interested members of the local community, helped raise community awareness

about the plan process and the concept of boundary expansion, and hosted two Public

Information Forums on the project. In August, the SAC provided the sanctuary with a

recommendation that two boundary configurations be considered as possible preferred

alternatives in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Channel Islands

California

This urchin, the red urchin (Strogylocentrotus franciscanus)

is the largest species of urchin, growing up to 7 inches in

diameter and can survive for up to 20 years. Red urchins are

grazers whose appetite for kelp play a significant role in the

overall ecology of kelp forest and reef communities.

San Miguel, the westernmost island surrounded by Channel

Islands National Marine Sanctuary, is strongly influenced by

wind and weather. The colder waters here support a distinct

group of fish and invertebrates that are not found on the

southern islands.
28

In addition to being a food source for abalone, fish and

invertebrates, kelp forests (Macrocystis pyrifera) provide

shelter for many marine organisms. Factors such as these make

kelp an extremely important part of the Channel Islands

ecosystem.

Channel Islands Marine Reserves Process—The Marine Reserves Working Group (MRWG), a

subgroup of the Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC), provided the SAC and resource

management agencies with a series of consensus agreements that provide the State and

NOAA guidance on the establishment of sanctuary no-take marine reserves. The 17-member

MRWG group, reflecting fishing interests, conservation community representatives, government

agencies, and the public reached consensus agreements on a problem statement, goals, and

objectives in a suite of reserve implementation recommendations. The MRWG received advice

from the SAC-appointed Marine Reserve Science Panel who recommended that a minimum of

30-50% of the representative habitats should be set aside in the sanctuary in order to meet

MRWG’s goals for protecting biodiversity and sustaining fisheries. Similarly, the SocioEconomic Panel provided the MRWG with economic data on the commercial and recreational

industries operating within the sanctuary. This information, along with ecological data, was

placed in a GIS support tool that MRWG members used in mapping exercises to study the

potential benefits and impacts of various reserve placement scenarios. In 2001, the SAC

directed the sanctuary and Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to develop a reserve network

recommendation that incorporates the MRWG process and consensus agreements. After

nearly three years of unprecedented agency partnership, community involvement, science and

economic analysis, CINMS and DFG delivered a recommendation to protect 25% of CINMS

waters by prohibiting all extractive uses in a network of marine reserves. If adopted, this

network of marine reserves would be the largest in North America. The regulatory process is

expected to take 6 to 12 months

Management Plan Review—As one of the oldest of the 13 National Marine Sanctuaries,

Channel Islands was one of three sanctuaries chosen to begin the five-year management plan

review process. Five other sanctuaries have also begun management plan review. This process

provides the sanctuary with the opportunity to take a closer look at how the marine

environment has changed over the last 20 years, understand the cause and effect

relationship of human activity and natural perturbations on the marine resources, and engage

the public in the management plan decision-making process.

New Research Vessel—The Channel Islands Sanctuary began construction design of a 62'

Teknicraft catamaran. This research vessel will cruise at 20 knots, sleep 10, and carry up to

24 passengers during research. The new vessel is designed to support a wide variety of

projects, includes wet and dry labs, a-frame, winch, crane, dive compressor and a variety of

electronic equipment.
29

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest of the nation’s 13 marine sanctuaries,

encompasses more than 5,300 square miles of water. The sanctuary contains many diverse

biological communities: rocky shores, lush kelp forests, one of the deepest underwater canyons

in North America, and the largest habitat on earth—the open ocean. An abundance of life, from

tiny plankton to huge blue whales, thrives in these waters. This diversity of habitats and marine

life has made the sanctuary a national focus for marine research and educational programs.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: September 18, 1992

Protected area: 5,328-square miles along nearly 300 miles of the central California coast from

the Marin County headlands south to Cambria.

Key species: Sea otter, blue whale, market squid, brown pelican, rockfishes, giant kelp, krill, and

leatherback sea turtle

Key habitats: Sandy beaches, rocky shores, kelp forests, subtidal rocky reefs, soft-bottom

benthic submarine canyons, cold seeps, wetlands and pelagic, open ocean

Cultural resources: Submerged shipwrecks and Indian midden sites

Sanctuary Superintendent: William J. Douros

Headquarters address: 299 Foam Street, Monterey, California 93940

Telephone: 831-647-4201

Fax: 831-647-4250

E-mail: montereybay@nms.noaa.gov

Website: http://www.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Sanctuary Vessel Traffic Strategies—The International Maritime Organization gave final approval

in May 2000 for a Sanctuary vessel traffic scheme that moves recommended tracks for ships of

300 gross tons and above, as well as ships carrying hazardous materials and barges, farther

offshore. The sanctuary began educating mariners about the new vessel tracks, which became

effective

CaliforniaMonterey Bay

Common dolphins are just one of the many species of dolphins

that frequent the waters within California’s Monterey Bay

National Marine Sanctuary.

Animals that live in the intertidal zone have to be specially

adapted to life with heat, wind, rain, and large crashing waves.

Some animals like starfish, hold on tight with suction cup tube

feet. Others, like mussels, attach to the reef with tough fibrous

threads.
30

December 1, 2000, by distributing flyers to shipping agents and captains, placing the new tracks

on nautical charts, and including the strategy in NOAA’s U.S. Coast Pilot, a series of nautical books

that cover a variety of information important to navigators of coastal and intracoastal waters.

Sustainable Seas Student Summit—Ecosystem monitoring was the theme for the sanctuary’s

annual SSE Student Summit event. To inspire high school student teams to undertake field

projects, a workshop on rocky intertidal monitoring techniques was organized with support from

regional scientific experts. At the summit, 40 students from six high schools presented their results

to an audience of peers and local scientists. Other education activities related to the SSE included

two on-the-water excursions for students and a live satellite uplink that allowed the public to

interact with divers in the sanctuary.

Environmental Emergencies—In 2000, Monterey Bay Sanctuary responded to 20 environmental

emergencies. These included sewage spills, a plane crash, boat groundings, and sinkings. In

addition, the sanctuary sent a team to help the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

respond to the Alaska Airlines crash.

Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network—The sanctuary’s Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network

organized more than 100 volunteers for a one-day, sanctuary-wide monitoring event. The event,

“Snapshot Day 2000,” held on Earth Day, was the largest simultaneous water quality monitoring

event in California. Data from the first event indicated relatively good water quality in most coastal

streams, but high nitrogen levels in and near the Salinas River and high coliform in some San

Mateo County creeks.

Furthering Education In Southern Boundaries—The sanctuary sponsored three Cambria teachers

to participate in the sanctuary’s annual teacher workshop, worked with San Luis Obispo County to

install a new “Sanctuary southern monument” exhibit, began planning a new outdoor exhibit at the

Hearst Castle Visitor Center, and partnered with California State Parks and National Geographic

Theatre in San Simeon to host a special event launching the 2000 Sustainable Seas Expeditions.

A new sanctuary education specialist was hired to work in a satellite office provided by California

State Parks, San Simeon District at Hearst Castle.

Interpretive Enforcement to Further Resource Protection—In 2000 Monterey Bay became one

of two national marine sanctuaries selected to pilot an enforcement program. A special agent from

NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement was assigned to concentrate on sanctuary enforcement issues.

As a result, both response and investigative capabilities were improved and a strategic

enforcement (monitoring and surveillance) plan is underway. The sanctuary piloted a new

interpretive enforcement program for the growing community of sea kayakers off Monterey and in

Elkhorn Slough. The new Team OCEAN program sent a team of sanctuary staff on the water to

There are many world renowned surfing areas in the Monterey

Bay National Marine Sanctuary, including “mavericks” at

Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz.

Harbor seals haul-out on the intertidal rock to rest. At dozens

of locations along the shores of the Monterey Bay National

Marine Sanctuary hundreds of harbor seals haul-out during

the day where they can be viewed by the general public.

CaliforniaMonterey Bay
31

Exposed rocky areas are often used as resting sites for many

fish eating birds such as these cormorants seen here at sunset.

educate fellow kayakers about the sanctuary, its wildlife, and how to protect marine mammals

from disturbance.

Model Urban Runoff Program—Educational activities to reduce urban runoff continued in

several California communities. Partnerships with the cities of Watsonville and Monterey and the

California Coastal Commission led to a number of multimedia projects: bilingual brochures

(Spanish-English); a bilingual training video, “Make The Connection,” which provides storm drain

pollution prevention tips for restaurant employees; the award-winning “Dirty Words” radio

campaign; and a bilingual TV Public Service Announcement on urban runoff pollution. In

addition, the sanctuary’s Urban Watch monitoring program expanded to Capitola, California.

Research Cruises—The sanctuary research team participated in research cruises aboard

MBARI’s Western Flyer, Moss Landing Marine Labs’ John Martin, and the NOAA Ship McArthur.

The sanctuary also took advantage of a NOAA Shrike Commander aircraft. These efforts

included exploring the Davidson Seamount, tagging leatherback turtles, and assessing krill,

bird, and mammal populations. Using the Deep Worker submersible, divers took photographs of

the seafloor associated with no-fishing reserves and proposed communication cable routes.

Kelp Management Report—The sanctuary research team produced a kelp management report

that summarized existing information on kelp systems and commercial harvesting and made

policy recommendations for improving kelp harvesting throughout the sanctuary. The California

Department of Fish and Game is using it in developing its updated five-year kelp management plan.

SIMoN: Ecosystem Monitoring Program—SIMoN, Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network,

was developed after extensive input from resource managers and scientists to include

coordinated historical data, State of the Sanctuary publications, web access for education and

resource management purposes, and new funds for monitoring. In 2001, the sanctuary staff

completed the design of SIMoN and received funding from NOAA to hire necessary staff. In

September 2001, the sanctuary received funding ($2 million) from the David and Lucile

Packard Foundation to initiate critical monitoring activities.

Joint Management Plan Review —The Monterey Bay joined with Cordell Bank and Gulf of the

Farallones Sanctuaries in a five-year management plan review process. Monterey Bay staff hired

two contractors to help in the process and completed six months of initial evaluation of existing

management plan review in advance of the public process that began in November 2001.

Initiated Collaborations with Fishing Industry - The sanctuary hosted several public forums

which focused on commercial fishing and research related to fishing issues. It also

commenced, at the initiation of leaders in the fishing industry, a collaborative process to

discuss fishing issues related the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
32

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

The Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary is rich in marine resources: spawning grounds and nurseries

for commercially valuable species, at least 36 species of marine mammals, and 13 species of

breeding seabirds. One-fifth of California’s harbor seals breed within the sanctuary while the

Farallon Islands are home to the largest concentration of breeding seabirds in the contiguous

United States. In addition to the Farallon Islands, the sanctuary boundaries include the coastline

up to mean high tide, and protect a number of accessible lagoons, estuaries, bays, and beaches

for the public.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: January 16, 1981

Protected area: 1,255-square miles, along the coast of California north and west of

San Francisco

Key species: Steller sea lion, gray, blue and humpback whales, Dungeness crab, Common Murre

and Ashy Storm-Petrel

Key habitats: Coastal beaches; rocky shores; salt marsh; estuaries; mud and tidal flats; pelagic,

open ocean; deep benthos; continental slope and shelf

Cultural resources: Shipwrecks and fossil beds

Sanctuary Manager: Ed Ueber

Headquarters address: Fort Mason, Building #201, San Francisco, California 94123

Telephone: 415-561-6622

Fax: 415-561-6616

E-mail: farallones@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.gfnms.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Restoring Bolinas Lagoon—Bolinas Lagoon, a haven for wildlife with its rich wetlands and quiet

waters, has also attracted development and recreation seekers to this scenic area of the Gulf of

the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Filled in along its edges, the tidal prism of this

CaliforniaGulf of the Farallones Stellar sea lions are one of several endangered species making

a comeback in the Gulf of the Farallones. The animal’s loud

roar and the male’s thick mane helped the marine mammals

get their name.

Sunrise at Stinson Beach in Marin County is a sight to behold

in the early glow of morning. Twenty minutes from San

Francisco, the beach, adjacent to sanctuary waters, is a

popular weekend destination. In 2001 over 1.6 million visitors

came to enjoy its beauty.
33

dynamic lagoon has also changed due to an accumulation of silt from logging, housing

development, and other land use. Used extensively by wintering waterfowl and shorebirds, Bolinas

Lagoon is also home to breeding harbor seals, herons and egrets and is the only Ramsar site (the

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance) in California, Oregon, and Washington. The

Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which

provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and

wise use of wetlands and their resources.

 To restore Bolinas Lagoon, sanctuary staff is working with the State of California, Marin County, the

Army Corp of Engineers, and other organizations on a long-term management plan. The Gulf of the

Farallones Sanctuary, in collaboration with the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association, continued

its SEALS program to protect the harbor seals in Bolinas Lagoon. SEALS volunteers educate visitors

about harbor seals and monitor human and seal interactions that may cause resting seals to flee

from their haul-out areas.

Tracking Gray Whale Mortalities—Working in cooperation with The Marine Mammal Stranding

Network, which includes The Marine Mammal Center, California Academy of Sciences, University of

California-Berkeley, National Marine Fisheries Service, the sanctuary developed a system to keep

track of gray whale mortalities. To accurately assess the number of dead whales, the members of the

Marine Mammal Stranding Network developed a method to mark and track dead whales to ensure

accurate counts.

Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association—In 2000, the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association,

a local group of sanctuary supporters, developed several new education programs in cooperation

with the sanctuary that reached out to the San Francisco Bay Area public about the marine

environment. School programs for kindergarten through 12th grade students were offered at the

Sanctuary Visitor Center in San Francisco. This program reached 432 students with the assistance

of AmeriCorps’ Watershed Stewards.

 At Duxbury Reef, students are monitoring the reef and developing stewardship projects for this

heavily visited area. The pilot high school intertidal monitoring program teaches students how to

identify marine invertebrates and algae. They later use these skills to monitor key species and

human patterns to study the effects of trampling.

Sanctuary Visitor Center—The Sanctuary Visitor Center in San Francisco saw a dramatic increase in

Colorful sea stars decorate the algae-covered rocks of a

tidepool along the central California Coast.

CaliforniaGulf of the Farallones
34

Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) hover nearshore amidst long

stipes of bull whip kelp. The school moves with the gentle ebb

and flow of the water as the mop-like fronds of kelp wave above.

Caption (right): Branches of algae, or seaweed, that cast ashore

in the tideline often resemble the branches of terrestrial plants

or trees. Because of the insects and other organisms that cling

to it, this beach wrack is an important foraging area for

shorebirds.

visitors since it was established. The number of visitors increased from 4,500 in 1998 to 40,000

in 2001. The National Park Service and Golden Gate National Park Association restoration of

Crissy Field, where the visitor center is located, now features a tidal marsh, restored dunes, and a

historic airfield.

20th Anniversary Celebration—Throughout 2001, the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary celebrated

its 20th anniversary by sponsoring events that included a lecture series, kayaking, whale

watching, birding, and tidepool trips. For the main anniversary event, the sanctuary and

Association sponsored a Sanctuary Festival that attracted 3,000 visitors to the Sanctuary Visitor

Center. Many marine-related environmental organizations participated in the event and helped

educate the public on shared missions.

Ban on Motorized Personal Watercraft—After a 6-year process, initiated by a petition from the

Environmental Action Committee of Marin County, a new regulation was put in place on October

10, 2001 that banned personal watercraft from all sanctuary waters.

Management Plan Review—In coordination with Monterey Bay and Cordell Bank Sanctuaries, the

Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary initiated the joint management plan review. All three sanctuaries

produced State of the Sanctuary reports and sponsored scoping meetings to receive input from

the public to revise the current management plans.

New Sanctuary Advisory Council—Starting in 2002, the newly appointed SAC members will

assist with the Management Plan review by prioritizing comments received from the public during

scoping meetings.

NOAA Recognizes Sanctuary Supporters—A NOAA Environmental Hero award was given to

sanctuary volunteer and San Mateo

County Naturalist Bob Breen.

Executive Director of the Farallones

Marine Sanctuary Association Maria

Brown was chosen as NOAA’s

Coastal Steward of the Year for her

work in recruiting a dedicated and

 involved volunteer base for the

sanctuary.
35

Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

Northwest of California’s Golden Gate Bridge, at the edge of the continental shelf, Cordell Bank rises

from the seafloor. For the most part, the water is about 400 feet deep; however, along a few of its

ridges and pinnacles, this submerged island rises to within 120 feet of the ocean surface. Here,

upwellings of nutrient rich ocean waters and the bank's topography create one of the most

biologically productive areas on the West Coast--a lush feeding ground for many marine mammals

and seabirds. Its depth, currents, and distance from the mainland have kept this special part of the

California seafloor a mystery to the public. Cordell Bank is at the focal point of the only

transboundary current in the North America.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: May 24, 1989

Protected area: 526-square miles, 60 miles northwest of San Francisco, California

Key species: Krill, Pacific salmon, rockfish, humpback whale, blue whale, Dall’s porpoise, albatross,

and shearwater

Key habitats: Rocky subtidal areas, open ocean, soft sediment continental slope and shelf

Sanctuary Manager: Ed Ueber

Headquarters address: Fort Mason, Building 201, San Francisco, CA 94123

Telephone: 415-464-5247

Fax: 415-868-1202

E-mail: cordellbank@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/oms/omscordell/omscordell.html

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

ROV Surveys and Research Efforts—Sanctuary staff initiated remotely-operated vehicle (ROV)

surveys on Cordell Bank that provide data for several different studies. The primary effort of the

surveys was to characterize critical habitat on Cordell Bank and initiate site characterization studies

to provide data for the Sanctuary’s Management Plan Review. Nine locations totaling 15 hours diving

were over the Bank. This was the first time systematic surveys were conducted on the Bank since

Two giant blue whales, each near 100 feet in length, appear at

the surface above Cordell Bank before they resume diving.

The thick tail stalk and the two raised blowholes are

characteristic of blue whales, as is their mottled blue-gray color.

For many years, the productivity around Cordell Bank has

attracted the attention of commercial and recreational

fishermen. It also attracts bird and whale watchers.

Cordell Bank

California
36

Cordell Expeditions completed SCUBA surveys in the mid 1980’s. Using the ROV provided by the

Sustainable Seas Expedition, the collaborative deep ocean explorations conducted by NOAA and

the National Geographic Society, allowed the sanctuary to collect data far below the diver depths of

the earlier study.

 The divers discovered that most of the dive locations supported large aggregations of juvenile

rockfishes (Sebastes spp.). This bodes well for the Bank’s rockfish resources, as recruitment

throughout the 1990’s was generally poor. Data from this cruise may also provide information

which can be used to describe essential fish habitat for juvenile and adult rockfishes. Images

provided data that can be used to assess gear impacts and the distribution and abundance of

benthic invertebrates and algae on Cordell Bank.

Management Plan Review—In coordination with Monterey Bay and the Gulf of the Farallones

Sanctuaries, Cordell Bank initiated the joint management plan review. All three sanctuaries

produced State of the Sanctuary reports and sponsored scoping meetings to receive input from the

public to revise the current management plans.

Boundaries Clarified—Staff from the Cordell Bank Sanctuary, National Marine Sanctuary Program

headquarters and NOAA’s Coastal Services Center reviewed the boundary description for Cordell

Bank and identified inconsistencies in boundary definitions for the mutual boundary between

Cordell Bank and the Gulf of the Farallones. These inconsistences were clarified and the

boundaries digitized. Digitizing the boundary coordinates will be used in an analysis that may be

necessary during the Management Plan Review.

New Personnel & Office Space—In 2000, with increased funding for the program, the Cordell

Bank National Marine Sanctuary hired two permanent employees, an education specialist and

biological technician. With this increase in staff and resources, the sanctuary was better able to

address on-site and national program priorities. The new office space, a result of a cooperative

agreement with the National Park Service and the Cordell Bank Sanctuary, is located adjacent to

the Point Reyes National Seashore headquarters.

Research Vessel Purchased—The Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuaries added a

new research vessel, the C. Magister. The new vessel will greatly enhance the research capabilities

of the two sites.

Research Cruises—Using ROV and Delta submersible, the sanctuary conducted two research

cruises to classify Cordell Bank habitats.

Tiny strawberry anemones stretch their starry crowns of

tentacles to catch prey from the food-rich currents.
37

Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

NOAA’s most remote sanctuary nestles in an eroded volcanic crater on the island of Tutuila, American

Samoa. An ancient Polynesian culture has served as steward of this fringing coral reef ecosystem that

contains crown-of-thorn starfish, giant clams, and blacktip reef sharks. In the late 1970s, nearly 200

species of coral were devastated by a crown-of-thorn starfish attack. Over 90% of the corals were

destroyed. This attack was followed by two hurricanes, tropical storms and coral bleaching. Despite

these damaging natural events, the coral has proved resilient, and today is protected by Fagatele Bay

National Marine Sanctuary.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: April 29, 1986

Protected area: 0.25-square miles, 14 degrees south of the equator, on the southwest shore of Tutuila

Island, American Samoa

Key species: Crown-of-thorn starfish, blacktip reef sharks, surgeon fish, hawksbill turtle, parrotfish,

giant clam

Key habitats: Tropical coral reef

Sanctuary Manager: Nancy Daschbach

Headquarters address: P.O. Box 4318, Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799

Telephone: 684-633-7354

Fax: 684-633-7355

E-mail: fagatelebay@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.fbnms.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Longliner Removal from Pago Pago Harbor--Nine abandoned longliners, grounded on the coral reef in

Pago Pago Harbor in 1991, were removed under a joint NOAA, American Samoa Government,

Department of the Interior, and US Coast Guard effort. Sanctuary Manager Nancy Daschbach

organized the removal and participated in many of the necessary activities during the removal and in

the aftermath. Daschbach and eight other NOAA employees were awarded the NOAA Silver Medal for

their efforts to restore and protect American Samoan corals.

Fa

gatele Bay

American Samoa

The genus Pocillipora is one of the most common types of coral

found in American Samoa, and has some of the most widely

distributed species throughout the Pacific. The species pictured

here, consists of compact clumps composed of uniform, thick,

primarily upright branches with flattened ends.

The coral formations in Fagatele Bay are found very close to

shore. The beach (upper left) is only about 20 feet wide and

200 long at high tide, and is composed mainly of calcareous

sand.
38

EnviroDiscoveries Camp—Entertaining-while-educating future coral reef stewards was an important

facet of Fagatele Bay Sanctuary’s EnviroDiscoveries Camps. Twice in 2000, three-day camps provided

children of the island with environmental activities. EnviroDiscoveries Camps were held on land within

the National Park of American Samoa on Tutuila and Ofu Islands. The sanctuary co-sponsored the

camp. Sixty-five schoolchildren attended the camps.

World Environment Day—On the first World Environment Day celebration in American Samoa on June

5, 2000, the sanctuary coordinated activities, exhibits, and interactive educational computer games to

teach children about hazards that impact the ocean such as oil spills. The sanctuary also presented

Environmental Hero Awards. The celebration was spearheaded by Le Tausagi, the interagency

environmental educators group.

Project Wet— The Sanctuary education coordinator co-facilitated two teachers’ Project Wet

workshops. Twenty-eight teachers and administrators attended workshops on the islands of Manu‘a

and Tutuila. Drawing upon instructions and activities from the Project Wet Curriculum and Activity

guide, the workshops informed the participants about water resources and water conservation. In

addition, three schools were visited by Le Tausagi members. Le Tausagi, using the Project Wet activity

guide, reached 67 students.

Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary Signs—Educational signs are an important way of getting

the sanctuary’s message out. In 2000, turtle information signs and general information about the

sanctuary were produced in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service. The informative

signs are part of a cooperative project with the National Marine Fisheries Service, Department of

Marine and Wildlife Resources, and the AmeriCorps volunteers.

AmeriCorps Volunteers—The Sanctuary education coordinator trained and supervised two AmeriCorps

volunteers. In all respects, the volunteers have been successful in promoting the sanctuary program

and assisting in 2000 projects and activities.

Coral Reef Resource Survey—The Fagatale Bay Sanctuary has sponsored periodic coral reef resource

surveys at the site since 1985. In 2001, the sanctuary conducted its fifth survey. The sanctuary and

the principal investigator, Dr. Charles Birkeland, announced that the coral reef had recovered from the

insults of the past twenty year, these include a crown-of-thorns starfish invasion in the late 1970s that

destroyed 90% of the corals in Fagatele Bay, two hurricanes, and a major coral bleaching in the mid1990s.

Mapping and GIS—A multi-beam mapping mission of Fagatele Bay was completed, and a GIS

Fa

gatele Bay

American Samoa

Fagatele Bay’s extensive coral reef ecosystem includes over 600

species of corals, macroinvertebrates, fish, and microalgae have

been recorded in the bay's waters.
39

database utilizing these data and past information was compiled in 2001. The maps generated from

the mission identified new benthic regions that were not known before, including a “hole” that was

deeper than the 100m limit of the multibeam system. The GIS database is a developing project that

will provide map linked information on resources in Fagatele Bay. This information will allow for more

refined planning and evaluation of resource protection. Most of the database maps can be found at

http://dusk.geo.orst.edcu/djl/samoa/. The site also provides general information about

American Samoa.

This large sea star is known locally as a lima. It is found on

reef flats and is a striking bright blue. Not common in Fagatele

Bay, the sea star is common on other reef flats of American

Samoa. As a member of the phylum Echinodermata, the sea

star’s body plan is radially symmetrical, that is, equal units

arranged in a circle around a central disc.

Caption (left): Climatic change and rise and fall of sea level

are significant influences on coral reefs. Over geologic time,

the southwest Pacific has enjoyed the most continuous

occupation of coral reefs worldwide.
40

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale

National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

One of the world’s most important humpback whale habitats is within the warm and shallow

protected waters of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Scientists

estimate that two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

population migrate to Hawaiian waters to breed, calve, and nurse their newborns. The sanctuary

is also home to a fascinating array of marine animals, corals, and plants, some of which are

found nowhere else on Earth. Its cultural heritage includes native Hawaiian traditions of living in

harmony with the sea.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: November 4, 1992

Protected area: 1,370-square miles

Key species: Humpback whale, pilot whale, Hawaiian monk seal, spinner dolphin, green sea

turtle, coral reefs, limu (seaweed)

Key habitats: Humpback whale breeding, calving, nursing grounds; coral reefs; sandy beaches

Acting Sanctuary Manager: Naomi McIntosh

Headquarters address: Maui Office: 726 South Kihei Road, Kihei, Hawaii 96753. Sanctuary

offices are also based in Oahu and Kauai islands.

Telephone: 808-879-2818

Fax: 808-874-3815

E-mail: hihumpbackwhale@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.hihwnms.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Humpback Whale Research—The sanctuary increased funding support in 2000 for scientific

research, awarding over $60,000 in grants to six projects. The projects yielded important findings

useful to sanctuary management and other agencies that share the responsibility for protecting

endangered humpback whales by increasing baseline information on habitat requirements,

Female humpback whales and their calves are sometimes

accompanied by a single adult male humpback whale,

otherwise known as an “escort” whale. This escort protects

the female and her calf from other whales and may sometimes

attempt to mate with her.

A young calf performing a back flip in Maalaea Bay, Maui.

Spectacular behaviors such as these (known as breaching) can

easily be seen from the shores of all the main Hawaiian Islands.

Whale watching regulations make it unlawful to approach a

whale closer than 100 yards.

Hawai’iHawaiian Islands Humpback Whale
41

population dynamics, social behavior, and vital rates of North Pacific humpbacks. The new

technologies and methods include tracking, aerial survey, and videogrammetry. To ensure study

results would be useful to other agencies and the general public, the sanctuary took several

steps to integrate research with sanctuary outreach and education. The sanctuary website

offers an annotated list of all sanctuary-supported research projects and studies dating back to

1993. Sanctuary research grant recipients also participate as presenters in the Sanctuary

Lecture Series on the islands of Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.

Sanctuary Education Center— A mini marine science museum and library, where some

displays and artifacts are the hand-built creations of volunteers, remains a main attraction at

the site in Kihei, Maui. The sanctuary improved training and education for volunteers, enabling a

corps of interested individuals to assist the center and to provide visitors with information on

the sanctuary program and humpback whales. The center also proved an extremely popular

venue for the Sanctuary Lecture Series. Monthly lectures by cultural and marine science

experts--including researchers with projects supported by sanctuary funding--have attracted

capacity crowds and provided the sanctuary with opportunities for positive publicity.

During the 2001 humpback whale season over 1000 people visited the site during the month

of March. In addition, the Sanctuary Education Center hosted close to 25 school group

visitations that included students from Hawaii, other states and countries. In June, the

Sanctuary hosted a teacher workshop.

Media and Outreach—A sanctuary press kit successfully solicited positive media coverage of

the education center and, as a related development, the sanctuary experienced a significant

increase in the number of visitors stopping-in at the headquarters site on Maui. In response to

the increased visits by school and community groups, the sanctuary developed a program of

on-site interpretation of sanctuary resources, including the archeologically significant Native

Hawaiian aquaculture pond fringing the shorefront.

Solar Electric System Partnership— The sanctuary headquarters site was chosen in 2000 to

be the recipient of an innovative solar electric system, developed jointly by the US Department

of Energy and the Maui Electric Company. Collaborating with these agencies allowed the

sanctuary to publicize the environmental value of the system and promote a public festival that

included educational activities and entertainment.

Interagency coordination—The sanctuary continued to work with NOAA Fisheries Office for

Education and research are the main goals of the Hawaiian

Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. A

majority of the Sanctuary's publications are printed in English

and Hawaiian. Recently, the State of Hawaii's Department of

Education reprinted several of the Sanctuary's bilingual

coloring books for their native Hawaiian language program.

Hawai’iHawaiian Islands Humpback Whale
42

The scientific name for the humpbacks, (Megaptera

novaengliae), means “Great Wings of New England.” The

Hawaiian name for the whale is Kohola.

Enforcement. This agency holds the authority to enforce humpback whale protection laws arising

from the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. The sanctuary

continued to funding support enabling the NOAA Fisheries Office for Enforcement to have a

stronger presence on Maui to investigate and prosecute violations of humpback whale protection

regulations. Over 70 cases of potential whale harassment or approach law violation were

investigated in 2000.

 The sanctuary also sponsored Ocean Users Workshops throughout the islands and assisted

NMFS with a publication on guidelines to ensure safe wildlife-viewing of marine mammals and

sea turtles in Hawaii.

2000 International Marine Debris Conference—The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale

Sanctuary, in cooperation with its multi-agency partners, tackled the important issue of ocean

pollution in the 2000 International Marine Debris Conference in Honolulu. Over a period of one

week, 300 resource managers, scientists, environmentalists and policy-makers convened to

examine the environmental impacts associated with discarded fishing gear. Working groups

focused on special interest areas of education, industry, legal issues, impacts, mitigation,

removal, and source identification. At the end of the session, each group issued

recommendations aimed at reducing harmful impacts of marine debris on the ocean

environment. Throughout the conference, website coverage of the latest development was made

accessible. The sanctuary also committed to monitoring the implementation of the

recommendations and pledged its support for further marine debris conferences.

Management Plan Review— The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine

Sanctuary completed initial efforts to revise its management plan. A draft of the revised

management plan was produced and reviewed during December 2001 and January 2002 and

will be released for public review in March 2002. The draft revised management plan made a

number of improvements including updating the vision, goals, and objectives of the sanctuary,

restructuring the document into a series of action plans, adding a new set of outcomes and

performance indicators; and removing tasks already completed and planning new tasks for the

next five years.

Annual Sanctuary Ocean Count—The annual Sanctuary Ocean Count has been expanded and

is being conducted year on the islands of Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island. The event has

continued to be a popular attraction to both residents and visitors alike. The number of

participants increased from 400 in 2000 to over a 1000 in 2001 and will be available for public

comment in early 2002.
43

The corals of the Hawaiian Islands, such as the Finger coral

(Porites compressa) pictured here, are rich in diversity and

support an abundance of life. Coral habitats are found

extensively throughout the sanctuary.

Caption (left): The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also

known in the Hawaiian language as honu, is the most common

sea turtle in Hawaiian waters. It feeds on marine plants in

shallow coastal waters throughout the islands and can grow

to 200 pounds or more. Sea turtles hold an important role in

Hawaiian culture and were prominently represented in ancient

Hawaiian mythology and petroglyphs.

The sanctuary boundary extends from the high-water mark

on the shoreline to a 600-foot depth offshore. The area shown

here, off the north shore of Kauai, is also frequented by monk

seals and spinner dolphins.

Hawai’iHawaiian Islands Humpback Whale

Kauai Ocean Fair and Teacher Workshops—The 4th annual Kauai Family Ocean Fair was held at

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge in March. The Ocean Fair has been a signature event of the

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Sanctuary and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Kilauea Point

National Wild Reserve since 1998. In 2001, approximately 3,000 people attended. A teacher

workshop and research lectures were also held in conjunction with the Ocean Fair.

Sanctuary Volunteers—A major social benefit of the Sanctuary involves the continuing success of

the Sanctuary Volunteer Program at the Maui office. A sanctuary volunteer coordinator recruits and

trains volunteers, apprising them of NOAA policies and sanctuary goals. A core group of

approximately 75 volunteers maintains regular weekly hours at the sanctuary, assisting with

everything from office chores to the design of educational displays. Last year, approximately 700

volunteers contributed a total of 4,500 hours of pro bono services to the Sanctuary.
44

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef

Ecosystem Reserve

The Reserve...

In December 2000, President Clinton’s Executive Order 13178, established the Northwestern

Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve in response to the serious decline in coral

reefs. Many of the world’s reefs have been destroyed by human impacts such as pollution or

dynamite fishing or devastated by natural events such as global warming or hurricanes. While

the United States has only three percent of the world’s coral reefs, approximately 70 percent of

them are in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. As part of the Reserve’s creation, certain

conservation measures restricting activities throughout the Reserve and special preservation

areas were established. Following a 30-day comment period on these measures, Executive

Order 13196, which amended the initial order, was issued. The Executive Orders also directed

the Secretary of Commerce to initiate the process necessary in designating the area a

National Marine Sanctuary. A Reserve Advisory Council was created to provide NOAA with

advice and recommendations on the Reserve’s Operation Plan for management and its efforts

in the designation process.

Reserve FAQs

Date Established: December 4, 2000

Protected area: 99,500-square nautical miles

Key species: 7,000 marine species including the endangered monk seal, threatened green

sea turtle and the endangered leatherback and hawksbill sea turtle, black coral

Key habitats: Coral reefs, seamounts, banks and shoals

Reserve Coordinator: Robert Smith

Headquarters address: 308 Kamehameha Avenue, Suite 203, Hilo, HI 96720

Telephone: 808-933-8180

Fax: 808-933-8186

E-mail: Robert.Smith@noaa.gov

Website: http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov/

Hawai’iNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands

A spectacular landscape of living coral reef colonies attract

an ever changing kaleidoscope of marine creatures. The remote

islands’ bottomfish and seamount groundfish populations

bring both commercial and recreational fishing to the

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Photo: Donna Turgeon

The remote islands of Northwestern Hawaii contain over 22

species of hard coral and two species of soft coral. They are

home to more than 7,000 marine species, of which

approximately half are unique to the Hawaiian Island chain.

These include nearly the entire world population of

endangered Hawaiian monk seals. The region is also an

important nesting habitat for the threatened green sea turtle.

Photo: Donna Turgeon
45

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

A New Reserve Headquarters—In 2001, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem

Reserve established two new offices on two islands within the Hawaiian islands, created a staff to

support its projects, and established relationships with headquarters and other sites necessary to

guide this new project over time.

Increasing Community Support—One important achievement for the NWHI Reserve in 2001, was the

creation of a Reserve Advisory Council. During the year the Council chose its own leadership and

responded to the various charges and requests given the Advisory Council by NOS leadership. In

particular, the enthusiasm for the NWHI project by the native Hawaiian community, educators,

researchers, and the recreational interests was noteworthy.

Reserve Operations Plan—Having a Reserve in place provides immediate added protection and

coordinated management for the NWHI coral reef ecosystem and marine environment. As directed by

Executive Order, a Reserve Operations Plan was drafted as a guide to govern the management of the

Reserve throughout the sanctuary designation process. The plan addresses priority issues like marine

debris, research and monitoring, education, and enforcement. The intended life span of this plan is

approximately three years, or until such a time as the designation process for the proposed sanctuary

is completed.

Sanctuary Designation Process—Sanctuary designation is an extensive public process that involves

identifying issues facing the NWHI and determining what a marine sanctuary can and should do to

address those issues. The process begins with a public scoping, including statewide public meetings,

in Spring 2002. Scoping is designed to solicit comments from user and interest groups, the public,

and agencies on management priorities for a proposed Sanctuary. Next, the NMSP reviews all

comments and works with the NWHI Reserve Advisory Council and the public to prioritize issues and

ultimately develop the draft management plan. If designated, the management plan serves as the

site-specific planning and management document describing objectives, policies, and activities.

These Masked Boobies feed by plunge diving for fish in

nearshore waters. They can be found among the wide diversity

of seabirds in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Photo: Donna Turgeon

Butterflyfish in Hawaii show a wide variety of feeding patterns.

These schooling Milletseed Butterflyfish focus on plankton

while other monogamous pairs of butterflyfish feed only on

certain Hawaiian species of coral.

Photo: Donna Turgeon
46

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

The Sanctuary...

Spanning 3,310-square miles of marine waters and rugged undeveloped beaches, Olympic Coast

National Marine Sanctuary provides habitat for 29 species of marine mammals and is a critical link

along the Pacific flyway for migratory birds. The sanctuary boasts a rich mix of cultures, preserved in

the contemporary lives of the Quinault, Hoh, Quileute, and Makah Tribes.

 Along this same stretch of coastline, vessel and air traffic, and recreational uses must all be

balanced to protect the region’s natural resources.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: July 16, 1994

Protected area: 3,310-square miles, from Neah Bay to the mouth of the Copalis River, on

Washington’s outer coast

Key species: Tufted puffin, bald eagle, northern sea otter, gray and humpback whales, dolphin,

Pacific salmon, rockfish

Key habitats: Rocky and sandy shores, kelp forests, seastacks and islands, continental shelf, open

ocean, deepwater canyons

Sanctuary Superintendent: Carol Bernthal

Headquarters address: 138 W. First Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Telephone: 360-457-6622

Fax: 360-457-8496

E-mail: olympiccoast@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.ocnms.nos.noaa.gov/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Marine zoning—A Marine Conservation Work Group (MCWG) was appointed by the Olympic Coast

National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee to evaluate existing zoning strategies within the

sanctuary. The group was also asked to develop a specific proposal for the conservation and

protection of intertidal habitats. In 2000, the group developed ground rules, hired a contractor to

coordinate the evaluation process, met to develop goals and objectives, reviewed available intertidal

habitat data, and began evaluating zoning options.

WashingtonOlympic Coast Most killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the sanctuary belong to

groups that migrate into the inner waters of Puget Sound and

Georgia Strait. Occasionally, oceanic pods visit the region.

Echinoderms - “spiny skin” - represent an important group

of invertebrates in sanctuary waters. The purple and red sea

urchins (Stongylocentrotus purpuratus, S. franciscanus,

respectively) and the blood and six-rayed sea stars (Henricia

leviuscula and Leptaserias hexactis) all have tube feet. Urchins

feed on algae. Sea stars are predators of smaller invertebrates.
47

Oil Spill Prevention—A number of important projects addressed marine traffic’s impact on the sanctuary.

One project, a five-year report on the effectiveness of the existing Area to Be Avoided (ATBA) program,

examined vessel traffic patterns within a defined geographic area of the sanctuary to help prevent

catastrophic oil spills. Using the USCG radar tracking information, sanctuary staff monitored compliance

with the voluntary measure and found a 95 percent compliance rate since the program began in 1995.

The report also identified a significant unaddressed risk of oil spills from large commercial vessels. This

report served as a basis for proposing a modification to the current ATBA, which was submitted to and

received preliminary approval from the International Maritime Organization in 2001. Sanctuary staff also

provided considerable information and recommendations to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Port Access Route

Study, which developed recommendations on measures to improve marine safety in the Strait of the Juan

de Fuca and northern Puget Sound region.

Submerged Cultural Resource Survey at Destruction Island—The sanctuary provided vessel support,

funding, and technical assistance to the national sanctuary system’s archeologist, Bruce Terrell, and the

National Programs Branch in carrying out a remote sensing survey for shipwrecks near Destruction

Island. A team contracted through East Carolina University located the remains of the 1875 shipwreck,

Emily Farnum, just off Destruction Island’s southwest corner. The vessel was one of the last Clipper ships

to ply the West Coast.

Seafloor Mapping—NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, with support from the Olympic Coast National Marine

Sanctuary, reached an agreement with the US Navy regarding the collection of high-resolution

bathymetery within the sanctuary. Previously, the sanctuary had been prohibited from collecting this data

because of Navy security concerns. In 2001, the sanctuary was able to field two survey cruises in

previously unmapped areas (Quinault Canyon and northern sections of the sanctuary), beginning an

ambitious, multi-year project to map the entire sanctuary in partnership with other federal, state,

academic, and tribal organizations.

Tribal Educational Initiatives—Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary sponsored several new

educational initiatives directed at tribal communities. Coast Quest is a unique program representing the

coastal region’s diverse rural and Native American communities. A week long immersion in a wilderness

setting, Coast Quest blends marine science with outdoor and team-building skills for teenagers. The

sanctuary is also an active partner with the Quileute Tribe and University of Washington College of Ocean

and Fisheries Science and Tribes Education Partnership (STEP), which brings culturally appropriate field

teachings in research, environmental monitoring, and technology to tribal students who later attend

Four coastal tribes -the Makah, Quileute, Hoh and Quinaultwork with the sanctuary for protection of marine resources.

Under treaties with the United States, the tribes also have a

right to harvest fish, shellfish, and other natural resources

within the sanctuary.
48

intensive residence summer programs at the university.

Overflight Education Campaign—Sanctuary staff initiated a new peer-education program to inform

and seek voluntary compliance from pilots. The sanctuary currently has a 2,000-foot restriction for

flights over its most sensitive areas, but pilots have been generally unaware of this provision. A

brochure was mailed directly to 18,000 pilots, with a message from the federal co-managers (Olympic

National Park, USFWS) identifying the restricted area and asking for their cooperation. Targeted

presentations from an experienced pilot were also made to aviation groups, and a colorful booth at

aviation shows promoted the message of a “be a pro, don’t fly low.”

Seattle Aquarium Partnership—The sanctuary was a catalyst in the designation of the Seattle

Aquarium as a Coastal America Ecosystem Learning Center. As a designated center, the Seattle

Aquarium hosted a student conference for 60 high school students from around the region. The

sanctuary also contributed toward the production of a new sea otter exhibit at the Seattle Aquarium.

Ecosystem Monitoring—Multiple research and monitoring projects were accomplished by sanctuary

staff. These included a first-time rapid assessment of exotic plant and animal species, aerial surveys of

kelp to determine trends in abundance and distribution, population and prey studies for the northern

sea otter, and baseline surveys of intertidal plants and fishes. In 2000 the sanctuary launched a 10-

year program to monitor the impacts of the placement of submarine fiber optic cables within the

sanctuary. Sanctuary scientific staff completed a 14-day cruise using the R/V Velero and Delta

submersible along the cable route to identify benthic habitat impacts and begin monitoring bottom

habit recovery rates.

Sanctuary staff also collaborated with the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Olympic

Regional Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) partners on a study of conditions that lead to harmful algal

blooms. Nearshore circulation studies were completed by installing remote sensors at key locations

along the coast to understand how offshore algal blooms reach shoreline areas. These HAB events

have led to the closures of significant razor clams fisheries along the coast because of human health

concerns. Blooms have also been linked to marine mammal deaths in California and may present a

hazard to recovering sea otter populations along the Washington Coast. Results of the monitoring

program were publicized through a website, annual newsletter, and public presentations.

Teacher Workshops—Teachers from the Olympic Peninsula were trained in intertidal monitoring

protocols like those used by sanctuary researchers in this field-based marine science program.

Teachers were trained in monitoring techniques and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

WashingtonOlympic Coast

Rich intertidal areas along the Olympic Coast host a wide

diversity of specialized plants and animals. Although pristine

by most standards, these habitats are vulnerable to oil spills

and other human impacts. The sanctuary, along with other

resource stewards, is considering ways that this fragile

boundary between terrestrial and ocean ecosystems can be

protected.
49

Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary is comprised of 3,310-square

miles of ocean. Drifters, like this moon jelly, travel on currents

and feed on plankton that is nourished in the mid-waters where

nutrient-rich deeper water mixes with the sunlit surface layer.

Caption (left): Offshore rocks provide nesting and roosting

habitat for birds. These remote rock islets are part of Quileute

Needles National Wildlife Refuge, created in 1908 to protect

seabird habitat. Three national wildlife refuges lie within

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

to display monitoring results. The sanctuary actively cooperated with Kachemak Bay National

Estuarine Research Reserve and three other west coast sanctuaries to begin developing a network of

trained teachers who can incorporate monitoring into classroom activities.

Visitor Services—Nearly three million visitors experience the Olympic Peninsula each year, drawn to

Olympic National Park and the scenic Olympic Mountains. Over the last two years the sanctuary has

worked closely with Olympic National Park, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Makah Tribe to

enhance visitor facilities along the coast. The sanctuary contributed toward planning and building a

new visitor contact stations at Kalaloch and Neah Bay. Interpretive exhibits, including scale relief

models of the Olympic Coast seafloor are under development. The sanctuary continued its

Cooperative Coastal Interpretation program of funding seasonal interpreters at Olympic National

Park. In 2000 and 2001 the interagency team of resource educators was joined by an interpreter

from the Makah Tribe, who leads walks and gives educational presentations on Makah culture and

sanctuary resources.
50

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

and Underwater Preserve

The Sanctuary...

Historic shipwrecks received special protection in the designation of the Thunder Bay National Marine

Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve. In 2000, Thunder Bay became the site of the nation’s 13th

sanctuary in the National Marine Sanctuary System and the first in the Great Lakes.

 The known shipwrecks in Thunder Bay rest as close to the surface as 12 feet and as deep as 180

feet. Maritime archeologists believe the region’s shipwreck collection includes wooden schooners,

barks, brigs, steamers, barges, tugboats, steel-hulled steamers, and freighters—a vast collection of

nineteenth and twentieth century maritime history.

Sanctuary FAQs

Date Designated: October 7, 2000

Protected area: 448-square miles in Lake Huron, off the coast of Alpena, Michigan

Cultural resources: Historic shipwrecks include the sidewheeler New Orleans (1844-1849) and the

steel-hulled propeller Isaac M. Scott (1909-1913)

Acting Sanctuary Manager: Ellen Brody

Address: 145 Water Street, Alpena, Michigan 49707

Telephone: 989-356-8805

Fax: 989-354-0144

E-mail: thunderbbay@noaa.gov

Website: http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/glsr/thunderbay/

Accomplishments 2000 - 2001

Sanctuary Designation—After a decade of discussions and negotiations, on June 19, 2000, NOAA

and the State of Michigan announced agreement had been reached on the designation of a national

marine sanctuary in Thunder Bay. On October 7, 2000 the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

and Underwater Preserve was designated to protect and manage a nationally significant collection of

an estimated 116 shipwrecks. NOAA and Michigan are equal partners in protecting and managing

this important site.

The nation’s newest marine sanctuary, Thunder Bay National

Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, protects the

shipwrecks of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Large

steel-hulled vessels, such as the Isaac M. Scott, and earlier

wooden schooners are preserved in the cold freshwater of Lake

Huron.

MichiganThunder Bay
51

 The new designation was built on the existing state preserve designated in 1981. It becomes

only the second sanctuary created solely to protect underwater cultural resources.

 The designation joined the community and federal, state, and local officials in celebrating the

first Great Lakes Sanctuary. At the formal designation ceremony on October 7, 2000, Michigan

Governor John Engler and senior NOAA management presided over a signing ceremony that

included a National Guard presentation of colors, music, historic readings, and performances by

two community children’s choirs. Throughout the weekend, the NOAA research vessel Shenehon

took the media, local divers and members of the community out to the shipwrecks, accessing

them via a remotely operated vehicle.

Management, Science and Education Efforts in the New Sanctuary—Designation of the

sanctuary/preserve established a partnership between NOAA and the State of Michigan for the

cooperative management and protection of Thunder Bay’s underwater cultural resources. As equal

partners, NOAA and the State of Michigan work with local agencies as well as private and

nonprofit organizations to protect the underwater cultural resources, develop educational activities

centered around the maritime heritage of the Great Lakes, and conduct research to further identify

and interpret the area’s shipwrecks. In 1997, a 15-member Sanctuary Advisory Council was

established to provide local input to NOAA and the State on the sanctuary designation process. In

2001, a new Sanctuary Advisory Council was appointed.

Shipwreck Mapping Survey— In June 2001, Dr. Robert Ballard’s Institute for Exploration

conducted a sidescan sonar shipwreck mapping survey of the deepwater shipwrecks within the

Sanctuary/Preserve. The exploration team ran 24-hour operations from June 8-22 while living

aboard the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s research vessel Lake Guardian. The expedition

team used a new sidescan sonar towfish called ECHO, which uses sound to image objects on the

lake floor. Beginning on the lakeward side of the sanctuary, the ship made north-south tracklines

continually moving toward shore. The survey covered about 342 square miles. Within this area, the

team located approximately 70 underwater “targets,” anomalies in the sonar data that could be

shipwrecks or other features. Of these targets, 11 are known shipwrecks. Several other targets are

shipwrecks whose identities are unknown to the expedition team. The data is being processed to

determine which of the other targets should be further examined.

 The Institute for Exploration returns to Thunder Bay in 2002 with remotely operated vehicles to

explore the wreck discovered in 2001 with video imagery. The explorers will also assess their

condition for future management and preservation.

MichiganThunder Bay

Many exciting opportunities exist, including establishing a

maritime heritage center, using live video hookups in school

classrooms to view researchers studying the shipwrecks,

providing internship opportunities, developing a Thunder Bay

"Shipwreck Trail," and utilizing technology in educational

activities.

An impediment to navigation, a shelter from powerful storms,

and a destination for sailors—the Thunder Bay region has

accumulated an impressive array of shipwrecks over the past

two centuries. Virtually all types of vessels employed on the

open lakes regularly passed along this important trade route,

and most vessel types are represented in the region's shipwreck

collection.
52

Thunder Bay Tall Ships Festival—In concert with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the

Sanctuary/Preserve sponsored and organized the first annual Thunder Bay Tall Ships Festival in

August 2001. National Marine Sanctuary Program staff, Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak,

community leaders, and officials attended the two-day event that attracted 4,000 people.

 The festival showcased two vessels that represented both sides of the War of 1812 the HMS

Tecumseth and Pride of Baltimore II. The Great Lakes-based H.M.S. Tecumseth is a replica of the

war schooner that served with the Royal Naval Establishment and was used for transport from

the Royal Navy base to what is now known as Discovery Harbor. The Pride of Baltimore II is a

reproduction of a Baltimore Clipper “privateer,” a type of vessel that helped secure America’s

freedom during the War of 1812. This was the first in what will be an annual event.

Documentation and Evaluation of Historic Shipwreck New Orleans—The New Orleans was a

wooden-hull side-wheel steamer built at Detroit in 1844 to carry passengers and freight to ports

around the lower Great Lakes. It was constructed during the heyday (1830’s-1840’s) of

“sidewheeler”construction in the Great Lakes region.

 Archaeological documentation and evaluation of the New Orleans is being conducted by the

Center for Maritime & Underwater Resource Management (CMURM), a private nonprofit

corporation located in Michigan.

 Fieldwork conducted this summer included baseline still photography, video documentation,

and site mapping using technical survey equipment often seen along the roadsides of Michigan.

Products of this study will include a site plan (or scaled map of cultural materials remaining

on-site). An archaeological site report, and long-lost knowledge to be shared with the residents

of northeast Michigan and visitors to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and

Underwater Preserve.
53

Cordell Bank NMS

• Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary State of the

Sanctuary Report, November 2001, author Dan

Howard

• Cordell Bank brochure, author Cordell Bank National

Marine Sanctuary staff, April 2002

• The Amazing Seabirds of Cordell Bank National Marine

Sanctuary, author Rich Stallcup, April 2002

Florida Keys NMS

• Strategy for Stewardship - Florida Keys National Marine

Sanctuary Final Management Plan: An Overview - July

1, 1997

• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Final

Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement,

July 1, 1997

• Draft Revised Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Management Plan, March 2002.

• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Site brochure,

1998

• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Lower Florida

Keys Region brochure, December 1998

• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Upper Florida

Keys Region brochure, December 1999

• Keeping Your Bottom Off The Bottom brochure, January

2001

• Florida Keys Safe Boating Tips decal, 1996

• Florida's Coral Reef Ecosystem poster, 1993

• The Fishes of the Florida Keys National Marine

Sanctuary poster, Fall 2001

• Boat Groundings - Much More Than An Inconvenience

video, 1994

• Protecting Paradise - Florida Keys Safe Boating Tips

video, 1996

• Florida Keys Environmental Education Resource

Directory, 1997

• Shipwreck Trail- An Adventure To Dive For... brochure,

July 1999

• Shipwreck Trail- Site Guides, July 1999

Flower Garden Banks NMS

• Gulf of Mexico Science: Flower Garden

Banks National Marine Sanctuary Special

Edition, authors William W. Schroeder,

FGNMS staff and partners, including Dr.

Sylvia Earle, Dec. 1998

• FGBNMS 2001 Research Summary, authors

Emma Hickerson, Kevin L. Buch, and

Jennifer DeBose, Dec 2001

• 2001 Student Ocean Conference Summary

Report, Jan 2002, authors Sarah Bernhardt,

Shelley Du Puy, and George Schmahl

• Quarterly Newsletter (Jan, April, July) Editor,

Sarah Bernhardt

• 2001 “Down Under, Out Yonder” Workshops

Summary Report, authors Sarah Bernhardt

and Shelley Du Puy, March 2002

Gray’s Reef NMS

• Monsters in the Mud - poster of creatures

that live in the sediments of the sanctuary,

August 2002

• Gray’s Reef in Depth brochure (detailing the

organisms that occupy different layers of the

water column at the sanctuary), May 2002

• GRNMS draft management plan, June 2002

• Rivers to Reefs educational module,

educational curricula and multimedia

depiction of the major ecological zones

along the watersheds and to the deep

ocean that influence life in the sanctuary,

July 2002

• Gray’s Reef poster, (signature poster

identifies Gray’s Reef and its ties to the

state of Georgia), March 2002

Selected publications
54

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS

• Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS State of the

Sanctuary Report, Feb. 2002

• Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS, Honolulu

Advertiser insert, Feb. 2002

• Newspaper in Education, 12 page color insert, Feb.

2002

• Draft Revised Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS

Management Plan, March 2002

• International Marine Debris 2000 Conference

Proceedings, March 2002

• Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS site brochure,

May 2002

• Final Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS

Management, July 2002

Monterey Bay NMS

• The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Summary

of Regulations

• Monterey Bay Urban Watch Program brochure

• Clean Bilge Pump-out Stations--A New Service for

Central Coast Boaters brochure

• Water Quality Protection Program Action Plans:

• Action Plan I - Urban Runoff brochure

• Action Plan II - Regional Monitoring, Data Access, and

Interagency Coordination brochure

• Action Plan III - Marinas and Boating brochure

• Action Plan IV - Agriculture and Rural Lands brochure

• MBNMS General brochure

• Dredging brochure

• Overflight brochure

• Threatened and Thriving poster series (6 species pairs)

released quarterly starting May 02

• Ecosystem Observations 2001

• Compendium of Salmonid Activities (to complement

the poster)

• 10th Anniversary Poster, artist Robert Lynn Nelson

• 10th Anniversary celebrations announcement poster,

Monterey Bay Aquarium Sponsored

• Quarterly Newsletter

• Kayaking in the MBNMS brochure

• Diving in the MBNMS brochure (New Version!)

• Boating in the MBNMS brochure

• Motorized Personal Watercraft in the MBNMS

brochure

• Water Quality Protection Program brochure

• Monterey Bay is Closer Than You Think brochure

• Interactive Monterey Bay is Closer Than You Think

brochure

• A Natural History of the MBNMS: a 256 page book

produced cooperatively by the Monterey Bay

Aquarium

• Sanctuary Explorations: An access guide to the

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

• Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (12 min.)

• MBNMS: A National Treasure video (20 min.)

• Watersheds to Seashores (20 min.)

• Dive into Fish Watching (10 min.)

• MBNMS Salmonid Poster

• MBNMS Bathymetric & Topographic Map

• MBNMS Nautical Chart

• Water Quality poster

• Storm Drains poster

• Good Cleaning Practices poster for Auto Repair

Industry

• Good Cleaning Practices poster for Food and

Restaurant Industry

• Storm Drain Pollution Fact sheet

• Monterey Submarine Canyon poster

• Ten Ways You Can Help Make Earth Day Every Day

(4/22/00)

• Birthday Celebration poster

• Together We Can flyer & coloring page (available in

 English & Spanish)

• Sanctuary Newsletter Winter 2002 (due in March)

• Sanctuary Newsletter, Fall and Winter 2001

• Sanctuary Newsletter, Fall and Winter 2000

• Sanctuary Newsletter Summer, 1999

• Sanctuary Newsletter Winter, Spring, Fall, 1998

• Sanctuary Newsletter Winter, Spring, Fall, 1997

• Sanctuary Newsletter Winter, Spring and Fall, 1996

• Sanctuary Newsletter Fall, 1995

Selected publications
55

• Sanctuary Newsletter Summer 1994 • Ecosystem Observations: MBNMS Annual Report 2000 • Ecosystem Observations: MBNMS Annual Report 1999 • Ecosystem Observations: MBNMS Annual Report 1998 • Coastal Links Newsletter, Winter, 1998 • Coastal Links Newsletter, Spring, 1997 • MBNMS Teacher Curriculum: The Land-Sea Connection.

Available in Spanish and English. Publications in

process

• MBNMS general brochure • Dredging brochure

• Overflight brochure

• Threatened and Thriving poster series (6 species pairs)

released quarterly starting May ‘02

• Ecosystem Observations 2001 • Compendium of Salmonid Acclivities (complement to

the poster)

• 10th Annivesary Poster, artist Robert Lynn Nelson • 10th Anniversary celebrations announcement poster,

Monterey Bay Aquarium Sponsored

• Quarterly Newsletter

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

•• OCNMS Overflight Program Review (internal progress

report), March 2002

• OCNMS Seafloor Poster, April 2002 • OCNMS Science Plan, June 2002

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

• Historic Shipwreck Collection, authors Thunder Bay

National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve

staff, October 2000, 8 pgs.

• Beneath the Waves (newsletter published twice a year)

• Thunder Bay glossy brochure (expected publication

June 1, 2002)

• Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and

Underwater Preserve

• Advisory Council 2002 National Marine Sanctuary,

(“bio” brochure, expected publication March 2002)