Maritime Heritage: Action Plan

The passenger-cargo steamer Tennessee runs aground near Point Bonita, 1853 (Credit: NOAA)

In 2008, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) completed a management plan revision process for the Monterey Bay, Gulf of the Farallones, and Cordell Bank Sanctuaries. This included a review of the resource protection, education and research programs, the program's resource and staffing needs, as well as the regulatory goals and sanctuaries boundaries. The Cross-Cutting Maritime Heritage Action Plan developed by working group members and ONMS staff, provides a framework for a Maritime Heritage Resources Program. The MBNMS is working with the ONMS, west coast sanctuaries, and local agencies to more fully develop a Maritime Heritage program.

The goal of ONMS, and thus a goal of the MBNMS, is to develop a program aimed to identify, protect, and raise awareness of the cultural and historical resources in California's three west coast sanctuaries. Program efforts include conducting paleoecological and archaeological studies; inventorying, locating, and monitoring both historic shipwrecks and those that pose an environmental threat to sanctuary marine resources; and characterizing and protecting maritime heritage resources.

Links

MBNMS Final Management Plan: October 2008 (see Section VIII: Cross-Cutting)