They articulated the important contribution that sanctuaries were expected to make to the coastal management effort, and added further definition to the federal role in supporting the development of the reserve system. Appropriations were most recently reauthorized through FY1999 in 1996. Each sanctuary operates education and research programs. These differ from site to site, depending on the characteristics of the sanctuary, the interests of the state program and the sanctuary manager, and other similar factors. Many sanctuaries have built facilities on site to foster education programs and provide logistical support to researchers.
All sanctuaries have either permanent staff or designated contacts within state government.
Some of the reserve staff members at the older sites have been with their programs for a decade or more, providing continuity to their local effort, and also to the national program. The sanctuary program has proven popular with coastal states. Federal funds have been used to acquire lands and construct sanctuary facilities. However, several potential and real problems remain. One is funding.