Source: https://channelislands.noaa.gov/management/resource/regulations.html
Timestamp: 2019-05-20 19:04:44
Document Index: 506048378

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', 'art 660', '§ 922', 'art 660', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922', '§ 922']

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary - Management - Resource Protection - Regulations
Sanctuary Regulations | Who Regulates What?
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary regulations are listed in the Code of Federal Regulations at Title 15, Sections 922.71 through 922.74. A reprint of these regulations appears below.
§ 922.70 Boundary.
The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary) consists of an area of approximately 1,110 square nautical miles (nmi) of coastal and ocean waters, and the submerged lands thereunder, off the southern coast of California. The Sanctuary boundary begins at the Mean High Water Line of and extends seaward to a distance of approximately six (nmi) from the following islands and offshore rocks: San Miguel Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, Anacapa Island, Santa Barbara Island, Richardson Rock, and Castle Rock (the Islands). The seaward boundary coordinates are listed
(F) Discharge allowed under section 312(n) of the FWPCA.
(6) Except to transport persons or supplies to or from any Island, operating within one nmi of any Island any vessel engaged in the trade of carrying cargo, including, but not limited to, tankers and other bulk carriers and barges, any vessel engaged in the trade of servicing offshore installations, or any vessel of three hundred gross registered tons or more, except fishing or kelp harvesting vessels.
(7) Disturbing a seabird or marine mammal by flying a motorized aircraft at less than 1,000 feet over the waters within one nmi of any Island, except To engage in kelp bed surveys; or to transport persons or supplies to or from an Island. Failure to maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level over such waters is presumed to disturb marine mammals or seabirds.
(9) Taking any marine mammal, sea turtle, or seabird within or above the Sanctuary, except as authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended, (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., Endangered Species Act, as amended, (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended, (MBTA), 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq., or any regulation, as amended, promulgated under the MMPA, ESA, or MBTA.
(10) Possessing within the Sanctuary (regardless of where taken from, moved, or removed from) any marine mammal, sea turtle, or seabird, except as authorized by the MMPA, ESA, MBTA, or any regulation, as amended, promulgated under the MMPA, ESA, or MBTA.
(13) Operating a motorized personal watercraft within waters of the Sanctuary that are coextensive with the Channel Islands National Park, established by 16 U.S.C. 410(ff).
(b) (1) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a)(3) through (13) of this section and in § 922.73 do not apply to military activities carried out by DOD as of the effective date of these regulations and specifically identified in section 3.5.9 (Department of Defense Activities) of the Final Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (FMP/FEIS), Volume II: Environmental Impact Statement, 2008, authored and published by NOAA (‘‘pre-existing activities’’). Copies of the document are available from the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109. Other military activities carried out by DOD may be exempted by the Director after consultation between the Director and DOD.
(2) A military activity carried out by DOD as of the effective date of these regulations and specifically identified in the section entitled ‘‘Department of Defense Activities’’ of the FMP/FEIS is not considered a pre-existing activity if:
(iii) It is modified, including but not limited to changes in location or frequency, in such a way that its possible adverse effects on Sanctuary resources or qualities are significantly different in manner than previously considered for the unmodified
(c) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a)(3) through (10), (a)(12), and (a)(13) of this section and in § 922.73 do not apply to any activity conducted under and in accordance with the scope, purpose, terms, and conditions of a National Marine Sanctuary permit issued pursuant to 15 CFR 922.48 and 922.74.
(d) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a)(3) through (11) and (a)(13) of this section and in § 922.73 do not apply to any activity necessary to respond to an emergency threatening life, property, or the environment.
(e) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a)(3) through (11) and (a)(13) of this section and in § 922.73 do not apply to any activity necessary for valid law enforcement purposes in the Sanctuary.§ 922.73
Additional prohibited or otherwise regulated activities—marine
reserves and marine conservation area.
(a) Marine reserves. Unless prohibited by 50 CFR part 660 (Fisheries off West Coast States), the following activities are prohibited and thus unlawful for any person to conduct or cause to be conducted within a marine reserve described in Appendix B to this subpart, except as specified in paragraphs (b) through (e) of § 922.72:
(1) Harvesting, removing, taking, injuring, destroying, collecting, moving, or causing the loss of any Sanctuary resource, or attempting any of these activities.
(3) Possessing any Sanctuary resource, except legally harvested fish on board a vessel at anchor or in transit.
(b) Marine conservation area. Unless prohibited by 50 CFR part 660 (Fisheries off West Coast States), the following activities are prohibited and thus unlawful for any person to conduct or cause to be conducted within the marine conservation area described in Appendix C to this subpart, except as specified in paragraphs (b) through (e) of § 922.72:
(1) Harvesting, removing, taking, injuring, destroying, collecting, moving, or causing the loss of any Sanctuary resource, or attempting any of these activities, except:
(i) Recreational fishing for pelagic finfish; or
(ii) Commercial and recreational fishing for lobster.
(3) Possessing any Sanctuary resource, except legally harvested fish.
§ 922.74 Permit procedures and issuance criteria.
(a) A person may conduct an activity prohibited by § 922.72(a)(3) through (10), (a)(12), and (a)(13), and § 922.73, if such activity is specifically authorized by, and conducted in accordance with the scope, purpose, terms, and conditions of, a permit issued under § 922.48 and this section.
(b) The Director, at his or her sole discretion, may issue a permit, subject to terms and conditions as he or she deems appropriate, to conduct an activity prohibited by § 922.72(a)(3) through (10), (a)(12), and (a)(13), and § 922.73, if the Director finds that the activity:
(c) The Director may not issue a permit under § 922.48 and this section unless the Director also finds that:
(7) The proposed activity will be conducted in a manner compatible with the value of the Sanctuary as a source of recreation and as a source of educational and scientific information, considering the extent to which the conduct of the activity may result in conflicts between different users of the Sanctuary and the duration of such effects;
(1) Applications for permits should be addressed to the Director, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries; ATTN: Manager, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109.
(2) In addition to the information listed in § 922.48(b), all applications must include information the Director needs to make the findings in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.
Within the Sanctuary...Who Regulates What?
The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) was designated on September 22, 1980 to protect the area’s nationally significant cultural and natural resources. Administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the sanctuary encompasses the waters surrounding the northern Channel Islands and Santa Barbara Island from high tide to six nautical miles offshore. The sanctuary includes approximately 1,470 square miles (or 1,110 square nautical miles). The sanctuary includes the entire three miles (0 to 3 nautical miles from island shores) of California state waters plus an approximate equal distance of Federal waters (3 to 6 nautical miles from island shores). The CINMS completely surrounds the Channel Islands National Park. Click here to see a map of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is an area of multiple uses. The harvesting of kelp, fish and invertebrates is permitted in most areas within the sanctuary outside of marine reserves and conservation areas. NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries emphasizes the protection of special marine areas for the long-term benefit and enjoyment of the public. Sanctuary management focuses on coordination and implementation of research, monitoring, education, outreach, volunteer, and enforcement programs that enhance cultural and natural resource protection. To further promote comprehensive protection of sanctuary resources, NOAA has also developed cooperative agreements, interagency agreements and memorandums of understanding with several regulatory agencies.
Sanctuary regulations are listed above, and are authorized pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. A summary of rules and regulations affecting the Channel Islands can be found in the brochure Protecting your Channel Islands pdf (3MB).
Other agencies that have management responsibility and regulations:
The National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for managing the Channel Islands National Park which includes the northern Channel Islands (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa) and Santa Barbara Island. The NPS has administrative jurisdiction that includes a one nautical mile marine boundary area around the islands. Through a cooperative agreement with the sanctuary the NPS has assumed additional responsibilities in the CINMS relating to research, resource protection, and enforcement.
Contact: Channel Islands National Park, 1901 Spinnaker Drive,
Ventura CA 93001 (805) 658-5700.
The Nature Conservancy, which owns 76% of Santa Cruz Island, is a national, private, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the preservation of the island. Landing on the island is by permit only.
The California Department of Fish & Wildlife is responsible for the management of living marine resources in the sanctuary from mean high tide to three nautical miles offshore. State management is aimed at the conservation, maintenance, and utilization of living marine resources, and includes management responsibility (implemented jointly with CINMS) for the network of state marine protected areas within the sanctuary. A primary management vehicle is the dissemination and enforcement of California commercial and sport fishing regulations which are updated periodically by the Fish & Wildlife Commission. Fishing in the sanctuary requires a state license.
Contact: California Department of Fish & Wildlife, Marine Resources Division, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 653-6281.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s diverse missions include homeland security, search and rescue, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection, spill response, migrant interdiction, fisheries enforcement, drug interdiction, national defense, aids to navigation, and more. As the nation’s primary maritime law enforcement agency, the Coast Guard has broad responsibility for enforcing all federal laws and regulations throughout the Sanctuary, and assists NOAA in the enforcement of CINMS regulations.
Contact: United States Coast Guard, 111 Harbor Way,
Santa Barbara, CA 93109 (805) 962-7430.
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in conjunction with state resource agencies (such as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife) approves and enforces Fishery Management Plans prepared by regional fishery management councils under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). NMFS also shares responsibility with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, both of which prevent the taking of any endangered, threatened, or otherwise depleted species.
Contact: NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Region,
501 W. Ocean Blvd, Suite 4200, Long Beach, California 90802.
(562) 980-4000.
US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) works to conserve, protect, and enhance fish (freshwater species), wildlife, and plants and their habitats. USFWS shares responsibility with NOAA Fisheries for implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act (USFWS is responsible for managing sea otters, walruses and brown pelicans; NOAA Fisheries is responsible for all other marine mammals).