Research Technical Report

A Review of Marine Zones in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Brown, J.A. (May 2001)

Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series MSD-01-2.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (partial)

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is the largest marine protected area in the United States, spanning nearly 400 miles of the California coastline and encompassing over 5,300 square miles (Fig. 1). The MBNMS is famous for its scenic coastline, beautiful beaches, and diverse array of intertidal and subtidal plant and animal life. These characteristics make the Sanctuary a popular location for both local inhabitants and tourists to engage in a variety of commercial and recreational activities, such as boating, fishing, tidepooling, kayaking, snorkeling and SCUBA diving. The MBNMS is also a nationally recognized center for marine biological and oceanographic research, with over twenty research institutions located within a few miles of the coastline. Such a high intensity of human activity within the Sanctuary can have negative impacts on its sensitive physical and biological resources. Over the past century local, State, and Federal agencies have attempted to protect these resources by designating areas (e.g., Marine Life Refuges, Dredge Material Disposal sites) in which human activities are controlled. The purpose of this report is to identify and review these legislated areas and preliminarily evaluate their effectiveness in protecting resources within the MBNMS.

Suggested Citation:

Brown, J.A. 2001. Review of Marine Zones in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series MSD-01-2. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Marine Sanctuaries Division, Silver Spring, MD. 137pp.