Implementation
Status for the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary 1993
Management Plan
Since
designation in 1992, the Sanctuary has made substantial progress
in developing programs for resource protection, research and
monitoring, education and outreach. However, funding and staffing
limitations and the need to respond to immediate and emerging
issues have prevented the Sanctuary from fully achieving the
ambitious plan set forth by the public and NOAA in the 1993
management plan. The following matrix summarizes the relative
degree of success the Sanctuary has had in implementing the
plan to date.
Resource
Protection
|
|
Ongoing
|
Not
Imple-
mented
|
|
Coordinate
policies and procedures with other agencies currently
possessing resource protection responsibilities in the
Sanctuary
|
|
|
|
Work
with other agencies to develop new procedures to address
specific management concerns
|
|
|
|
Enforce
Sanctuary regulations and enhance enforcement of regulations
|
|
|
|
Prepare
a Sanctuary contingency and emergency response plan
|
|
|
|
Develop
a Geographic Information System database of resources
at risk
|
|
|
|
Develop
procedures for emergency research
|
|
|
|
Provide
guidelines for damage assessment
|
|
|
|
Develop
cooperative agreements to improve oil/chemical spill detection
programs and to enhance containment capabilities
|
|
|
|
Monitor
commercial and recreational activities within the Sanctuary
|
|
|
|
Encourage
other agencies to monitor activities in the Sanctuary
|
|
|
|
Improve
overall detection of areas for particular management concern
|
|
|
|
Exchange
information on commercial and recreational activities
occurring within the Sanctuary
|
|
|
|
Consult
with other agencies on proposals and policies for management
of activities which may affect Sanctuary resources
|
|
|
|
Develop
materials designed to enhance public awareness and appreciation
of Sanctuary resources and show the need for their protection
|
|
|
|
Analyze
human use patterns to determine any increased need for
enforcement surveillance in the Sanctuary
|
|
|
|
Evaluate
Sanctuary enforcement effectiveness, after two years and
then annually Hold periodic meetings with enforcement
personnel to determine adequacy of surveillance
|
|
|
Research and Monitoring
| |
Ongoing |
Not
Imple-
mented |
| Develop
a baseline study to determine features and processes of
the environment |
|
|
| Develop
baseline studies to determine the abundance, distribution
and interactions among the living resources |
|
|
| Monitor
changes in the Sanctuary's ecology: |
|
|
| Species
population dynamics |
|
|
| Cetacean
abundance |
|
|
| Seabird
abundance |
|
|
| Effects
of sport and commercial fishing |
|
|
| Effects
of whale watching |
|
|
| Monitor
changes in environmental quality (including pollution) |
|
|
| Monitor
changes in human activities in the Sanctuary |
|
|
| Develop
predictive studies to assess causes and effects of ecological
and environmental changes, and to anticipate management
issues |
|
|
| Prepare
annual Sanctuary Research Plans |
|
|
|
Monitor progress on research conducted in the Sanctuary |
|
|
| Conduct
research workshops |
|
|
| Assist
research exchange effort by making Sanctuary research databases
available to other agencies and private institutions |
|
|
Education and Outreach
| |
Ongoing |
Not
Imple-
mented |
| Develop
literature about resources and programs to reach Sanctuary
on-site users, including whalewatch passengers, recreational
boaters, charter boat operators, researchers and educators |
|
|
| Establish
a Plymouth Headquarters Office with visitor center and interpretive
materials in both print and audio-visual form |
|
|
| Provide
information about other private and governmental activities
occurring within or near the Sanctuary |
|
|
| Provide
information about how the Sanctuary program coordinates
with other public and private institutions or agencies to
ensure ecosystem protection |
|
|
| Provide
information about the National Marine Sanctuary Program |
|
|
| Conduct
outreach programs for schools and universities |
|
|
| Develop
curriculum materials and other teacher aids |
|
|
| Conduct
off-site outreach programs for the general public, when
possible in conjunction with regional environmental study
organizations |
|
|
| Develop
on-site visitor programs for fishing and whalewatching vessels,
and other recreational boating visitors to the Sanctuary |
|
|
| Develop
visitor center programs for the general public |
|
|
| Provide
information for use by whalewatch naturalists |
|
|
| Co-sponsor
special excursions to the Sanctuary with regional Non-Governmental
Organizations |
|
|
| Make
Sanctuary materials available at other visitor centers and
offices, including NMFS Regional Office and Cape Cod National
Seashore |
|
|
Program Support
| |
Ongoing |
Not
Imple-mented |
| Prepare
annual operating plan |
|
|
| Assist
in coordination of surveillance and enforcement activities |
|
|
| Coordinate
regularly with commercial and recreational fishing representatives
primarily through the Sanctuary Advisory Council |
|
|
| Report
regularly to headquarters on enforcement and emergencies |
|
|
| Provide
information for training of enforcement officials |
|
|
| Monitor
and evaluate the adequacy of emergency response plans |
|
|
| Maintain
a record of emergency events in and around the Sanctuary |
|
|
| Evaluate
overall progress toward resource protection objectives and
prepare semi-annual and bi-monthly progress reports for
headquarters |
|
|
| Forward
recommendations to headquarters for Sanctuary use permits |
|
|
| Make
available appropriate training for staff |
|
|
| Review
management plan periodically and recommend changes to headquarters |
|
|
| Represent
the Sanctuary at public forums |
|
|
| Ensure
that staff includes a Manager, administrative assistant,
research coordinator, education coordinator, and one or
more enforcement/interpreter positions |
|
|
| Determine
need for additional staffing |
|
|
| Establish
a headquarters office and visitor center facility in Plymouth |
|
|
| Consider
establishment of a satellite office in Provincetown, Gloucester
or Hull |
|
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