Advisory Council

Advisory Council

Under provisions of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to establish Sanctuary Advisory Councils. The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary established a new Council on October 3, 2001. Click here to see a list of the SAC membership.

The Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) advises the Sanctuary Superintendent on issues relevant to the effective implementation of the Sanctuary Management Plan. The Council is the formal organizational link to the Sanctuary's user community and others interested in the management of this nationally significant area of the marine environment.

Duties of the Council include:
providing advice and recommendations to the Superintendent regarding management of the Sanctuary drawing upon the expertise of its members and other sources;

serving as liaisons between their communities and the Sanctuary, by keeping the Sanctuary staff informed of issues and concerns, as well as performing outreach to their respective communities on the Sanctuary's behalf;

serving as a forum for consultation and deliberation among its members and as a source of consensus advice to the Superintendent.

The Council membership is to be made up of 15 non-governmental voting members and six governmental ex-officio members (non-voting).

The non-governmental members are selected to represent local user groups, conservation and other public interest organizations, scientific and educational organizations, or members of the public interested in the protection and multiple use management of Sanctuary resources. Representatives from the following groups have been chosen:

research (2)

conservation (2)

education (2)

recreation (1)

whale watching (1)

fixed fishing gear (1)

mobile fishing gear (1)

marine transportation (1)

business/industry (1)

citizens-at-large (3)

The governmental members represent agencies with regulatory authorities or other direct interests in the Sanctuary and its resources. The member organizations are:

National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Region (federal fisheries and protected species management)

New England Regional Fishery Management Council (federal fisheries management planning)

U.S. Coast Guard (federal marine resources and maritime enforcement)

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (state-federal ocean management consistency)

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (state ocean fisheries management)

Massachusetts Division of Law Enforcement (cooperative state-federal environmental law enforcement)

For more information about the Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary Advisory Council, please refer to the Charter.