National Marine Protected Areas Center: The National MPA Center

National MPA Center

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MPA Center External Review Final Report

We're pleased to share with you the findings of the External Review of the National Marine Protected Areas Center. This unprecedented review was conducted by four expert marine protected area (MPA) scientists and managers from academic, non-profit and state government institutions. They were asked to review the MPA Center's activities in order to maximize its effectiveness and transparency and to provide an external assessment of both past accomplishments and future directions. This review will serve as a guide as the Center works with its partners, the MPA Federal Advisory Committee and stakeholders in coastal communities to craft a vision for our future in the context of current opportunities and threats to our shared ocean resources.

Download the MPA Center External Review Final Report

The National Marine Protected Areas Center

The National MPA Center was established in 2000, soon after Executive Order 13158 went into effect. The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of the Interior implement the Executive Order through the National MPA Center. The MPA Center is located within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the Department of Commerce, and is a division of NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

Mission

The National Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Center's mission is to facilitate the effective use of science, technology, training, and information in the planning, management, and evaluation of the nation's system of marine protected areas.

The National MPA Center works in partnership with federal, state, tribal, and local governments, tribes, and stakeholders to develop and implement a science-based, comprehensive national system of MPAs. These collaborative efforts are intended to ensure more efficient, effective use of MPAs now and in the future to conserve and sustain the nation's vital marine resources.

Goals

The National MPA Center has three goals. These are derived from the Executive Order and the NOAA Strategic Plan.

Build and maintain the National System of MPAs
Improve MPA stewardship and effectiveness
Facilitate international, national, and regional coordination of MPA activities.

To carry out these goals, the MPA Center is working to:

Implement the framework for the national system of MPAs,
support the MPA Federal Advisory Committee ,
manage national, regional, and international MPA coordination,
conduct outreach and education,
consult with federal agencies, state agencies, tribes, Fishery Management Councils, and others,
maintain the U.S. MPA website (mpa.gov), and
collect data for the marine protected areas inventory, defacto MPAs, ocean uses, and other information necessary to inform the National System of MPAs and other coastal and marine spatial planning needs.

MPA Center Fact Sheet
MPA Center Strategic Plan
MPA Center Charter
MPA Center Staff Directory

Links:

Framework for the National System of MPAs
List of National System Sites
MPA Classification System
MPA Federal Advisory Committee

For More Information
Write to mpainfo@noaa.gov.

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MPA Center Strategic Plan Charter Staff Directory Staff Bios	National MPA Center > About MPAs > National MPA Center MPA Center External Review Final Report We're pleased to share with you the findings of the External Review of the National Marine Protected Areas Center. This unprecedented review was conducted by four expert marine protected area (MPA) scientists and managers from academic, non-profit and state government institutions. They were asked to review the MPA Center's activities in order to maximize its effectiveness and transparency and to provide an external assessment of both past accomplishments and future directions. This review will serve as a guide as the Center works with its partners, the MPA Federal Advisory Committee and stakeholders in coastal communities to craft a vision for our future in the context of current opportunities and threats to our shared ocean resources. Download the MPA Center External Review Final Report The National Marine Protected Areas Center The National MPA Center was established in 2000, soon after Executive Order 13158 went into effect. The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of the Interior implement the Executive Order through the National MPA Center. The MPA Center is located within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the Department of Commerce, and is a division of NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Mission The National Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Center's mission is to facilitate the effective use of science, technology, training, and information in the planning, management, and evaluation of the nation's system of marine protected areas. The National MPA Center works in partnership with federal, state, tribal, and local governments, tribes, and stakeholders to develop and implement a science-based, comprehensive national system of MPAs. These collaborative efforts are intended to ensure more efficient, effective use of MPAs now and in the future to conserve and sustain the nation's vital marine resources. Goals The National MPA Center has three goals. These are derived from the Executive Order and the NOAA Strategic Plan. Build and maintain the National System of MPAs Improve MPA stewardship and effectiveness Facilitate international, national, and regional coordination of MPA activities. To carry out these goals, the MPA Center is working to: Implement the framework for the national system of MPAs, support the MPA Federal Advisory Committee , manage national, regional, and international MPA coordination, conduct outreach and education, consult with federal agencies, state agencies, tribes, Fishery Management Councils, and others, maintain the U.S. MPA website (mpa.gov), and collect data for the marine protected areas inventory, defacto MPAs, ocean uses, and other information necessary to inform the National System of MPAs and other coastal and marine spatial planning needs. MPA Center Fact Sheet MPA Center Strategic Plan MPA Center Charter MPA Center Staff Directory Links: Framework for the National System of MPAs List of National System Sites MPA Classification System MPA Federal Advisory Committee For More Information Write to mpainfo@noaa.gov. (top)

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