Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research, Inc.
Dedicated to Preserving Hawaii's Marine Resource

Marine Sanctuaries Act

During the reauthorization of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) in 1992, Title III of the MPRSA was designated the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1431 et. seq.). Title III authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to designate and manage areas of the marine environment with nationally significant aesthetic, ecological, historical, or recreational value as national marine sanctuaries. The primary objective of this law is to protect marine resources, such as coral reefs, sunken historical vessels, or unique habitats while facilitating all compatible public and private uses of these resources. National marine sanctuaries, similar to underwater parks, are managed according to management plans, prepared by the NOAA on a site-by-site basis. The NOAA is the agency responsible for administering the National Marine Sanctuary Program.