Management
Functions
A
major focus of the Sanctuary is to demonstrate and develop connections
- between components of the ecosystem, between human activity
and the marine environment, and between a healthy economy and
a sound resource base. In developing these connections, the
Sanctuary develops programs with numerous partners in four general
functional areas:
Resource
Protection to influence positive human behavior and activities
that promote a healthy ecosystem. This program element focuses
on altering or preventing human activities that may adversely
affect Sanctuary resources by promulgating regulations, providing
enforcement or incentives, and drawing upon education and outreach
to inform the public. Research and Monitoring to understand
how the components of the ecosystem connect to each other, how
the biological communities function naturally, how human activities
affect the natural system, and how ecosystem changes over time
relate to natural perturbations and human-induced factors. This
knowledge, taken in context with pertinent socioeconomic information,
is crucial to properly inform the management process.
Education
and Outreach to connect people who live on land to the offshore
Sanctuary by teaching about the value of a protected ocean ecosystem
and how human activities can affect it. This function explains
the nexus between a viable economy and healthy Sanctuary resources.
It communicates what individuals, groups and businesses need
to understand in order to contribute to effective stewardship.
Program
Support to effectively administer project activities and
initiatives that facilitate operations and meet the Sanctuary's
mission. This function translates administrative capacity into
productive outputs and, in addition to program budget, is reliant
on organized volunteerism and "Friends" contributory
support.
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