Stellwagen Bank FEIS/MP Appendices 



Page G14 



fishing, nor listing fishing as an activity subject to 

 Sanctuary regulation. NOAA/NOS intends to work 

 closely with the NfEFMC and NMFS to establish, 

 via the Sanctuary, a broad forum representing 

 multiple sources of possible assistance to the 

 NEFMC and l^fMFS in the attainment of mutual 

 objectives; NOAA/NOS will also work with these 

 entities on the impacts of fishing upon other 

 Sanctuary resources and other Sanctuary users. 



NOAA does not agree that the regulatory language 

 in the proposed Sanctuary Designation Document 

 (Article VI, § 2) contradicts the intent of the 

 MFCMA or that the MFCMA precludes the 

 regulation of fishing within sanctuaries under Title 

 III of the MPRSA. The intent of the Designation 

 Document language is that the Sanctuary shall be 

 governed by valid regulations which are the most 

 protective of Sanctuary resources and qualities. 

 This is wholly consistent with Title III and does not 

 conflict with the MFCMA. 



0. SANCTUARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE 



1. The Sanctuary Advisory Committee Should Be 

 Heavily Representative Of The Commercial 

 Fishing Industry; All Individual Fisheries 

 Should Be Represented On The Committee. 



Comments from some individual fishermen and the 

 Stellwagen Bank Commercial Fisheries Cooperative 

 stated that the proposed Sanctuary Advisory 

 Committee should be "heavily-seated" with 

 representatives of historic user groups. 



NOAA Response : A Sanctuary Advisory 



Committee will be established in accordance with 

 §315 of Title III, which provides authority to the 

 Secretary of Commerce to appoint up to fifteen 

 individuals as Committee members. 

 Recommendations for Committee membership will 

 be developed by the Office of Ocean and Coastal 

 Resource Management and forwarded to the 

 Secretary of Commerce. NOAA intends that 

 appropriate user groups be fully represented on a 

 Sanctuary Advisory Committee. NOAA will solicit 

 recommendations from the public for membership 

 on the Advisory Committee. See additional 

 discussion on advisory committees at part Two, 

 Section IV (Administration). 



2. The Sanctuary Advisory Committee Should 

 Have Direct Control Of Sanctuary Management. 



A few commenters stated that the Sanctuary 

 Advisory Committee should be directly involved in 

 management of the Sanctuary. 



NOAA Response : The primary function of a 

 Sanctuary Advisory Committee is to provide the on- 

 site Sanctuary Manager with advice on a \ariety of 

 distinct issues or programs, in order to ensure 

 better management overall of the Sanctuary. To 

 accomplish this objective, it is appropriate to bring 

 together interested individuals with particular 

 interests and expertise, to assist the Sanctuary 

 Manager and the rest of NOAA in making 

 necessary determinations for sound managemenl. 

 NOAA anticipates that the Sanctuary Advisory 

 Committee would form subcommittees, to focus on 

 particular issues. While the work of the Advisory 

 Committee is vitally important to the attainment 

 and maintenance of Sanctuary objectives, it is only 

 advisory in nature, as final Sanctuary policies are 

 determined by NOAA. As trustee for the 

 Sanctuary's resources and qualities, NOAA must 

 retain full management authority over the Sanctuary 

 and its operation. 



