Draft Framework

Framework for Developing the 

National System of Marine Protected Areas

SUMMARY

July 2006

Draft
July 2006

For more information please contact:

Jonathan Kelsey

National System Development Coordinator

National Marine Protected Areas Center

NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management

1305 East West Hwy, N/ORM

Silver Spring, MD 20910

(301) 713-3100, ext. 130

mpa.comments@noaa.gov

www.MPA.gov
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I. Summary

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Protected Areas 

Center (MPA Center), in cooperation with the Department of the Interior (DOI), has developed 

this Draft Framework for Developing the National System of MPAs (Draft Framework) to meet 

requirements under Executive Order 13158 on Marine Protected Areas (Order). This Draft Framework provides overarching guidance for collaborative efforts among federal, state,* tribal, and 

local governments and MPA stakeholders to develop an effective National System of Marine Protected 

Areas (National System) from existing sites, enhance marine protected area (MPA) coordination and 

stewardship, and identify ecosystem-based gaps in the protection of important marine natural and 

cultural resources for possible future action by governmental MPA programs. The document further 

provides the guiding principles, key definitions, goals, and objectives for the National System. The 

contents and overall approach of the Draft Framework are based on the breadth of input received 

from government partners and stakeholders around the nation over the past several years. 

The purpose of this Draft Framework is to solicit additional input and comments from governments 

and stakeholders in order to ensure that the final document represents the diversity of the nation’s 

interests in the marine environment and MPAs. NOAA and DOI further recognize the principal 

role that state and tribal governments, along with federal agencies, must have in developing and 

implementing the National System. Moreover, roughly 85% of the nation’s existing place-based

conservation areas are under the jurisdiction of non-federal governments. The significance of these 

government-to-government relationships and the marine resources managed by states and tribes

necessitates this national, rather than federal, approach to building the National System. In developing this Draft Framework, NOAA and the DOI have made and will continue to expand efforts to 

understand and incorporate, as appropriate, the recommendations of government partners concerning a structure and function for the National System that builds partnerships with and supports the 

efforts and voluntary participation of state, tribal, and local governments. MPA stakeholders and 

federal and non-federal government partners alike are encouraged to review and provide comments 

on the Draft Framework so that it supports the variety of MPA efforts and interests around the 

country.

Increasing impacts on the world’s oceans, caused by development, overfishing, and natural events, 

are straining the health of our coastal and marine ecosystems. Some of these impacts to the marine 

and Great Lakes environment have resulted in declining fish populations; degradation of coral reefs, 

seagrass beds, and other vital habitats; threats to rare or endangered species; and loss of artifacts 

and areas that are part of our nation’s historic and cultural heritage. The effects of these mounting 

losses are being directly felt in the social and economic fabric of our nation’s communities. 

MPAs offer a promising ocean and coastal management tool to mitigate or buffer these impacts. It 

is important to clarify that the term “MPA,” as used here, is not synonymous with or limited to “noSummary

* Important terms are bolded the first time they are used and defined in the Glossary found in Section XII of this document.
iv

take areas” or “marine reserves.” Instead, the term “MPA” denotes an array of levels of protection, 

from areas that allow multiple use activities to those that restrict take and/or access. When used 

effectively and in conjunction with other management tools, MPAs can help to ensure healthy Great 

Lakes and oceans by contributing to the overall protection of critical marine habitats and resources. 

In this way, effective MPAs can offer social and economic opportunities for current and future generations, such as tourism, biotechnology, fishing, education, and scientific research. 

Since 2001, the MPA Center and its federal, state, and tribal partners have been collecting information on the vast array of the nation’s place-based marine conservation areas, including those generally considered MPAs, to serve as the foundation for building the National System. This inventory 

has resulted in the identification of at least 1,500 place-based sites established by hundreds of federal and state authorities. A number of these existing sites are further managed as systems by their 

respective agencies or programs. The types of sites found range from multiple-use areas to no-take 

reserves. The vast majority of these areas allow multiple uses, and less than one percent of the total 

area under management in the United States (U.S.) is no-take. 

This inventory has also revealed a dramatic increase in the use of MPAs over the past several 

decades. Most MPAs in the U.S. the have been established since 1970, and most allow recreational 

and commercial uses. With this expanded use of MPAs have come many new and enhanced protections to natural and cultural resources. A preliminary analysis of U.S. place-based conservation efforts reveals important trends in how these areas, including MPAs, are being used to conserve some 

of the nation’s most significant marine resources. The emerging results illustrate that while there 

are many such areas currently in U.S. waters, these diverse sites vary widely in mandate, jurisdiction, purpose, size, and level of protection. 

Moreover, this initial analysis illustrates how the growing recognition of MPAs as essential conservation tools has resulted in a multitude of new MPA programs and authorities at all levels of 

government, often times for a sole purpose or objective. There also are a number of good examples 

where MPA efforts are coordinated locally across programs and levels of government; however, 

there is no larger framework for collaborating MPA efforts across ecosystems and nationally to 

meet common goals. This complex environment leads to public confusion, and, in many cases, 

conservation efforts that are not as effective as they could be with better coordination. The results 

of this initial analysis have further reinforced the need for a National System and provided much of 

the baseline information to begin building it. 

In recognition of the key role MPAs can play and their growing use, the U.S. is developing an 

effective National System to support the effective stewardship, lasting protection, restoration, and 

sustainable use of the nation’s significant natural and cultural marine resources. The MPA Center 

is charged by the Order to carry out these requirements in cooperation with DOI. Neither the Order 

nor the National System establishes any new legal authorities to designate or manage MPAs, nor do 

they alter any existing state, federal, or tribal laws or programs.

In addition, the U.S. Ocean Action Plan (USOAP) outlines a variety of actions for promoting the 

responsible use and stewardship of ocean and coastal resources for the benefit of all Americans. 

A Cabinet-level “Committee on Ocean Policy” (COP) was established by Executive Order 13366 

(December 17, 2004) to coordinate the activities of executive branch departments and agencies 

regarding ocean-related matters in an integrated and effective manner to advance the environmental and economic interests of present and future generations of Americans. The President further 

directs the Executive branch agencies to facilitate, as appropriate, coordination and consultation 

regarding ocean-related matters among federal, state, tribal, local governments, the private sector, 
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foreign governments, and international organizations. Subcommittees of the COP also have been 

formed as part of the ocean governance structure described in the USOAP, including the Subcommittee on Integrated Management of Ocean Resources (SIMOR) and the Joint Subcommittee on 

Ocean Science and Technology. Many of the activities outlined in the USOAP and the subsequent 

work plans of the COP’s subcommittees complement efforts to develop the National System. Similarly, many of the collaborative actions under the National System may offer opportunities to help 

advance the USOAP. As these efforts proceed, the MPA Center will work closely with SIMOR to 

evaluate progress and plans for developing the National System in order to ensure coordination and 

consistency with the USOAP’s governance structure and overall approach.

The MPA Center has developed this Draft Framework based on information from the initial 

analysis of information about existing place-based conservation efforts, along with comments from 

hundreds of individuals at nearly sixty meetings, initial tribal consultations, and recommendations 

from federal, non-governmental and state advisory groups. As a result, the proposed collaborative 

development of an effective National System outlined in this document provides a structure for an 

assemblage of MPA sites, systems, and networks established and managed by federal, state, tribal, 

and local governments to collectively work together at the regional and national levels to achieve 

common objectives for conserving the nation’s vital natural and cultural resources.

By establishing an effective structure for working together, the National System will help to 

increase the efficient protection of important marine resources; contribute to the nation’s overall 

social and economic health; support government agency cooperation and integration; and improve 

the public’s access to scientific information and decision-making about the nation’s marine resources. The efforts of the National System are also intended to benefit participating state, tribal, 

federal, and local government partners through collaborative efforts to identify shared priorities 

for improving MPA effectiveness and develop partnerships to provide assistance in meeting those 

needs. Further, it provides a foundation for cooperation with other countries to conserve resources 

of common concern.

The Draft Framework is available for public comment for 145 days from the date of announcement in the Federal Register. This extended period is intended to accommodate quarterly meeting 

schedules of some organizations, including regional fishery management councils. At the end of 

this period, the MPA Center will review all comments received and develop and publish a response 

to comments and final Framework document. Electronic copies of the Draft Framework can be 

downloaded at http://www.mpa.gov/, or paper copies sent via regular mail can be requested through 

the contact information below. 
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II. For More Information 

and to Submit Comments

Comments on this Draft Framework for the National System of Marine Protected Areas and the 

corresponding draft Environmental Assessment found in Appendix D of this document will be accepted if received by 11:59 p.m. EDT, 145 days from announcement in the Federal Register.

An electronic copy of the Draft Framework is available for download at http://www.mpa.gov/. 

Please direct all questions concerning the Draft Framework, as well as any requests for paper copies of the document to: Jonathan Kelsey, NOAA, at 301-713-3100, ext. 130 or via e-mail at mpa.

comments@noaa.gov. E-mail requests should state either “Question” or “Paper Copy Request” in 

the subject line. 

All comments regarding the Draft Framework should be submitted to Joseph Uravitch, National 

MPA Center, N/ORM, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. Comments submitted by e-mail are preferred; however, those submitted by mail and fax will also be 

accepted. Comments sent via e-mail should be sent to mpa.comments@noaa.gov, and all comments sent by fax should be sent to 301-713-3110. E-mail and fax comments should state “Draft 

Framework Comments” in the subject line.

Information & Comments
Notes
www.mpa.gov