MARCH 2009
REVISED SANCTUARY REGULATIONS EFFECTIVE
Revised regulations
for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary became effective
on March 19, 2009. The regulatory changes are an important component
of the management plan revision process (see below for details
on the final management plan released in January of 2009). With
the revised regulations now in effect, the management plan revision
process has been completed.
Changes to sanctuary regulations clarify and strengthen protections
for marine habitats, sensitive species, water quality and submerged
cultural and historical resources.
Highlights of the regulatory changes include:
• protecting natural ecosystems from the introduction of
non-native species
• protecting the area’s water quality by prohibiting
harmful vessel discharges
• prohibiting discharges beyond the boundary of the sanctuary
that enter and damage the sanctuary’s resources
• improving habitat protection by limiting or prohibiting
activities that impact the sea floor
To review the sanctuary regulations:
• The revised regulations are reprinted on the Regulations
and Restrictions page
• Full text of the revised regulations is also contained
in the January 16, 2009 Final Rule, available from the Reports
and Documents page (see last three pages of the Final Rule
for the regulations)
• A summary of regulation changes is contained on Page 7
of the brochure “Final Management Plan: A Summary Guide”,
available from the Reports and Documents
page
JANUARY 2009
FINAL MANAGEMENT PLAN, FINAL RULE (REGULATIONS), & FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT (FEIS) NOW AVAILABLE
The Sanctuary’s
new Final Management Plan (FMP) identifies priority management
issues and actions proposed to address them. The plan includes
proposed actions to expand research, education, outreach, and
enforcement programs, create and enhance partnerships, improve
wildlife protections, develop a water quality program, and reduce
pollution impacts from vessels. The Final Management Plan also
contains information about the Sanctuary's environment, staffing
and administration, regulations and boundary, operational and
programmatic costs, and performance measures. The new plan represents
a major revision of the sanctuary's original 1983 management plan.
The FMP is accompanied by a FEIS (released November 25, 2008),
which analyzes a range of alternatives for modified and new Sanctuary
regulations, provides environmental and socioeconomic impact analyses
of those regulatory alternatives, and provides responses to public
comments previously submitted on the Draft Management Plan and
Draft Environmental Impact Statement. These two documents are
bundled together in two volumes: the FMP is Volume I, and the
FEIS is Volume II. Of the alternatives analyzed in the FEIS, NOAA
has decided to implement the proposed action alternative.
The Final Rule presents the resulting new Sanctuary regulations
(which took effect on March 19, 2009 after 45 days of continuous
session of Congress), and also includes the responses to public
comments.
The public comment period for the Sanctuary’s 2006 Draft
Management Plan / Draft Environmental Impact Statement closed
on July 21, 2006. The public comment period for the 2008 Supplemental
Draft Environmental Impact Statement closed on May 30, 2008.
To read more about
and to download these documents, please refer to our “Reports
& Documents" page.
Final
Management Plan: A Summary Guide
Download our brochure
pdf (400KB) for more information, including summaries of the FMP
Action Plans, and a summary of the new regulations.
For more information,
refer to the menu links on this page (at left), email the Management
Plan Coordinator regarding questions
or call 805-884-1464.