NOAA 2000-416 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Connie Barclay 8/4/00

CRAIG MCDONALD NAMED AS SUPERINTENDENT OF NOAA'S GERRY E. STUDDS STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY Craig McDonald has been selected as superintendent of the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary is one of 12 marine sanctuaries administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration‘s National Ocean Service. "I look forward to working with all sanctuary community members when I begin in September," said McDonald. A native of Pawtucket, R.I., MacDonald received his undergraduate degree in fishery management from the University of Maine, and his doctorate in marine biology from the University of Hawaii. He has been the chief of the Ocean Resources Branch with the state of Hawaii working with the entire cross section of ocean users on issues including marine mammal protection, whale watching, fishery management and maritime shipping for the past 15 years. "McDonald brings to the sanctuary program strong marine management experience coupled with broad knowledge and understanding of the program's intricate operations," said Ted I. Lillestolen, deputy assistant administrator of NOAA's National Ocean Service. "He is committed to involving the community and the stakeholder groups in the protection of marine resources." Located about 25 miles east of Boston, Mass., the sanctuary is positioned at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, an area bathed in nutrient-rich water from the Gulf of Maine. Stellwagen Bank is a highly productive area for marine mammals and is a premier location for whale watching which is a major reason why the 842-square miles in Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary was established in 1992.