Table 4—7.—Statute miles of detailed shoreline, recreation shoreline, public 
recreation shoreline, and restricted shoreline, by major coastlines 
Detailed Recreation Public recreation Restricted 
Shoreline location shoreline? shoreline shoreline shoreline 2 
/NIEVNIS OLE oosacdedscuobouno0eo 28,377 9,961 336 263 
GuliioiiMexicomnerite ccd 17,437 4,319 121 134 
Pacific Oceanis wanes ce aceite 7,863 3,175 296 127 
Greatrakess (accept sereceustsialtis Aeshels 5,480 4,269 456 57 
WES Sritotale stairs apoio tons ports 59,157 21,724 1,209 581 
1Compiled from data developed by the National Ocean Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Excludes 
Alaska and Hawaii. The shoreline includes beaches, bluffs, and marshes. 
2 Military installations. 
Table 4—8.—National seashores, lakeshores, and gateways 1 
Federal Total 
Name and location Date acres acres 
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, WI. 9-26-70 27,093 42,216 
Assateaque Island National Seashore, MD.-VA. . 9-21-65 16,095 39,630 
Canaveral National Seashore, FL. 1-3-75 41,024 57,627 
Cape Cod National Seashore, MA. 8-7-61 25,744 44.600 
Cape Hatteras National Seashore, NC. 8-17-37 30,325 30,326 
Cape Lookout National Seashore, NC. | 3-10-66 24,223 28,400 
Cumberland Island National Seashore, GA. 10-23-72 15,631 36,876 
Fire Island National Seashore, NJ. 10-9-65 5,945 19,356 
Gateway National Recreation Area, NY.-NJ. 10-27-72 20,391 26,172 
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, CA. 10-27-72 20,014 34,938 
Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL.-MI. 1-8-71 75,806 142,062 
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, IN. 11-5—66 4,476 12,534 
Padre Island National Seashore, TX. 4-6-68 132,202 133,918 
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI. 10-15-66 35,339 70,822 
Point Reyes National Seashore, CA. 10-20-72 61,043 65,299 
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI. 10-21-70 26,608 71,105 
1 Status as of June 30, 1977. 
the State coastal zone management offices which re- 
ceived Federal matching funds to prepare shore ac- 
cess plans from NOAA’s Office of Coastal Zone 
Management (Appendix C). 
The responses to the questionnaire provide specific 
examples of the various types of problems associated 
with public use of beaches and shore. 
The problem presented by the public having legal 
rights to the lower or wet portion of the beach while 
the upper or dry sand area remains in private hands 
is well illustrated in California. 
Another major problem is demonstrated in both 
California and Florida where the land adjoining 
public coastal territory is in private hands. In Flor- 
ida’s case, nearly three-quarters of this land is pri- 
vately held. 
In Maine the questionnaire response points up one 
of the problems posed by customary State law. In 
that State, as well as in others, private ownership 
of the coast is permitted to the low-tide water mark. 
This effectively blocks public use of the shore if 
private owners are permitted to enforce their rights. 
New Jersey is a case where control of the shore 
by municipalities is the dominant factor. Over one- 
half of that State’s shore is owned by coastal cities 
and towns, which may. or may not lead to prefer- 
ential policies for local residents. 
South Carolina is an illustration of a State where 
private holding of the coast is the rule. Over 100 
miles of the State’s coast is in private ownership as 
opposed to 65 miles in one form or another of pub- 
lic ownership. 
The questionnaire response, while varying in de- | 
gree of detail and partial in coverage, illustrates in 
specifics the range of problems discussed in this sec- 
tion. 
Expanding the Public Beach Resource 
There are three forms of legal interest in land that 
provide the right of access: (1) ownership—posses- 
sion of title to the real estate, (2) easement—the 
tight to enter, use, or pass across land owned by 
another without affecting the title of the owner; and 
(3) tenancy—leaser retains all of the rights of the 
IV-51 
