Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan Page 2 



b. Developing offshore industrial materials; 



c. Construction, placement, or abandoimient of any substance or material on, or any alteration of, the 

 seabed; 



d. Removing or damaging historical resources; 



e. Taking marine mammals, marine reptiles, and seabirds (except as permitted by the Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act); 



f. Transferring any petroleum-based product from vessel-to-vessel ("lightering"); 



g. Possessing any historical resource, or any marine mammal, marine reptile, or seabird taken in violation 

 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; 

 and 



h. Interfering, obstructing, delaying or preventing any investigation, search, seizure or disposition of seized 

 property in connection with enforcement of the Act. 



Several activities also are identified as "subject to regulation", but will not be regulated now. These are: 



a. offshore hydrocarbon activities; 



b. mariculture activities; and 



c. vessel operation. 



Sanctuary regulations are contained in the Designation Document (Appendix A). 



The administrative framework for managing the sanctuary (Part Two, Section IV) recognizes the need for 

 coordination and cooperation among all participants. The roles and responsibiUties of the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration's Sanctuaries and Reserves Division, and National Marine Fisheries Service; the U.S. 

 Coast Guard; the Sanctuary Manager and staff; and a Sanctuary Advisory Committee are dehneated, as they 

 relate to the areas of resource protection, research, interpretation/education, and general administration. 

 Opportunities for cooperation with state and regional agencies, as well as private institutions and organizations, 

 are also discussed. 



NOAA considered a range of alternatives in developing the proposal for a national marine sanctuary at 

 Stellwagen Bank. These alternatives, described in Part Three, were evaluated in terms of achieving optimum 

 protection for the ecosystem, improving scientific knowledge of the area, and promoting pubhc understanding 

 of the values of the Stellwagen Bank system's resources. Sanctuary designation was selected as preferable to no 

 action; and preferred boundary, management, and regulatory alternatives were selected. The environmental 

 consequences of other alternatives are discussed in Part Four. Congressional designation of the Sanctuary 

 (P. L. 102-587, §2202) establishes a boundary (depicted in this document as boundary alternative 5), and 

 specifically prohits exploration for and mining of sand and gravel and other minerals within the Sanctuary. 



Emerging issues or changing circumstances may affect specific aspects of sanctuary management as described 

 in this plan. The plan will be reviewed at least every five years following designation, or sooner if necessary, and 

 management measures revised as necessary to incorporate experience gained in actual management. However, 

 the overall goals, management objectives, and general guidelines governing the plan's development will continue 

 to be relevant. 



