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overview of MBNMS Policies

           There are countless reason's to live along or visit California's central coast.  People who enjoy the water also have a stake in keeping it clean.  Surfers can fall ill from contact with unhealthy water; fishermen see steelhead populations diminish when sediment fills spawning grounds; and beach visitors are finding beaches closed due to unsafe levels of contaminants in the water.  Polluted urban runoff, sewage overflows and treatment plant malfunctions are among the most common causes of beach pollution.  In attempt to deal with the variety of problems posing threats to the ecological balance of the Sanctuary and to the health of recreational users, a strong incentive exists for effective policies to be implemented.

On the whole, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary has the opportunity to explore many policy avenues to increase the total benefit of the area, due to the large amount of support behind it- from visitors, residents, scientists, the government, and local and national organizations (private and nonprivate).  Benefits which can potentially be realized from resource preservation include enhanced recreational use of Sanctuary waters such as fishing, swimming and surfing; reduced human health concerns during contact with water and consumption of seafood; fishery preservation; reduction of long-term dredging costs for harbors resulting in lower slip fees; lower vessel maintenance costs due to longer lasting paints and less frequent haul-outs; a reduction in debris-related vessel damage; and a reduction in the need for potentially expensive and restrictive enforcement action and cleanup efforts.

While the most visible benefits are expected in sectors of the economy where clean water is critical, protection of the marine and aquatic resources in the Sanctuary is fundamental to the entire region's economy and quality of life.                  Conservation and preservation efforts are looking extremely positive as a result of overwhelming interest...

EACH OF THE IDENTIFIED MARKET FAILURES PRESENTLY OCCURING IN THE MBNMS CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH VARIOUS POLICY INITIATIVES.  ALTHOUGH, THEY MAY IN TURN CREATE CERTAIN POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES.   SOME MAY BE DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT OR UNREALISTIC, BUT THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED THUS FAR HAVE PROVEN TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.

WQPP:

The largest and most important policy currently in place is the Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP), based on the concepts of Integrated Coastal Management, a process that begins with the direct participation of a region's managers, scientists, businesses, landowners, and the concerned public.  Water quality management within the Sanctuary and its watersheds involves many parties and numerous separate programs.  For example, the area encompasses parts of 8 counties, 20 incorporated municipalities, the overlapping jurisdictions of approximately 20 state and federal regulatory agencies, myriad community based groups and other organizations.  A key focus of the WQPP is to improve coordination among over 100 existing projects and plans related to water quality in the region, address gaps and redundancies, and develop more effective cooperative means to protect sanctuary resources and to establish a baseline for improved integration between programs.  Working with a wide variety of community members and agencies, priority strategies have been identified to address water quality problems in four general areas: urban runoff, marinas and boating, regional monitoring and data sharing, and agriculture and rural lands.

Public outreach and education is a key factor in the success of the WQPP.  Various water quality education materials and programs have been developed, including posters, brochures, citizen's guides, watershed models and displays, teacher training workshops, slide presentations, and videos.  The development of effective strategies to address pollution problems requires continued public involvement.  This includes participation by local residents, commercial and agricultural businesses, environmental groups, and the scientific community.

Resource Protection:      (see http://bonita.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov/Resourcepro/ for more information)

The primary goal of the Resource Protection Program is to implement strategies to reduce detrimental human impact to the Sanctuary.  For the past several years, the Sanctuary and the Coast Guard have led efforts with government agencies, environmental groups, and the shipping industry to identify ways to reduce the threat of catastrophic spills of oil or other hazardous materials from commercial vessel traffic.  This work took a significant step forward in 1999 when the vessel routing recommendations made by this group received national and international approval.  Each year, approximately 4000 large vessels cross the Sanctuary, including container ships, bulk product carriers, barges, and oil tankers.  Shifts in the traffic separation schemes, or lanes, that guide large vessels into San Francisco and through the Santa Barbara Channel were finalized and approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.  Container ships and bulk product carriers must travel further offshore in north-south tracks, between 13-20 nautical miles offshore of Big Sur and the San Mateo coastline.  Additionally, the IMO expanded the Sanctuary's recommendation by requiring that ships carrying hazardous materials in bulk travel between 25-30 nautical miles from shore.   This step was crucial in furthering the protection of the habitat.  Another possible solution would be to impose a fee on vessels that operate within the boundaries of the Sanctuary.

Another major goal was realized in 1999 when the public and private groups that are members of the Sanctuary's WQPP finalized the Agriculture and Rural Lands plan.  A collaborative effort with the region's farm bureaus, the plan focuses on reducing polluted runoff into coastal watersheds and into the ocean.  A critical link exists between the coastal zone and the marine environment; thus water quality management needs to extend beyond the ocean.  The WQPP has helped launch a storm drain monitoring system where volunteers sample four drain outfalls for detergents, chloride, ammonia-nitrogen, and other pollutants.  Because testing kits are relatively inexpensive ($300 each), it is hoped that the program can expand quickly.  Work to prevent urban runoff must be far-reaching, covering many different aspects. To accomplish this goal, the Water Quality Protection Program has worked with cities and counties involved to address urban runoff on many fronts.   This also involves the concerted efforts of individuals to ensure they know what they can do to minimize their own impacts.  These efforts were the subject of an action plan for controlling nonpoint source runoff pollution.  The WQPP document "Action Plan I: Implementing Solutions to Urban Runoff: includes seven strategies, each having a number of activities that, when fully completed, will result in a coordinated program.

The local Farm Bureaus organize and educate their members on water quality issues and voluntary conservation practices.   At the heart of the plan are 24 strategies, intended to protect and enhance the quality of water that drains into the Sanctuary while sustaining the economic viability of agriculture.  The categories of strategies included in the Action Plan are: Agricultural Industry Networks, Technical Information and Outreach, Education and Public Relations, Regulatory Coordination and Streamlining, Funding Mechanisms and Incentives, and Public Lands and Rural Roads.  The WQPP continues to implement strategies in its urban runoff, marinas and boating, and regional monitoring plans, and expanded public outreach efforts aimed at reducing polluted runoff.  Water quality is further affected by pollution generated directly through harbor and boating activities.   Most of boater generated impacts fall under 4 general categories: toxic metals primarily from anti-fouling paints; oil and gasoline from motor operation and maintenance; solid waste and debris; and, bacteria and nutrients from boat sewage.  Most of this type of pollution can be reduced through education and training programs, the development of convenient waste disposal facilities, and the application of new technologies.  To this end, the WQPP has worked with harbormasters, resource agencies, and the boating community to develop ways to address this source of pollution.  To reduce discharge of oil to local harbors, bilge water pumpout facilities were installed for boaters and collaborations with Save Our Shores developed educational materials on harbor water quality issues.  Also, the WQPP worked on developing a Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network to provide standardized training and monitoring protocols.  Approximately 20 volunteer groups assess water quality in the Sanctuary's watersheds and along the coastline as a part of this network.  Additionally, a new State Parks ranger was assigned to Lime Kiln State Park on the Big Sur coast to serve as a Sanctuary enforcement officer, facilitating immediate enforcement responses in that remote coastal area.

MBMNS Enforcement Program:

Enforcement of Sanctuary regulations and marine protection laws is accomplished by cooperative agreements and coordination efforts among several Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Customs Service, the FBI, the California Department of Fish and Game, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the California Highway Patrol, and local harbormasters and police.  The U.S. Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Game conduct regular controls within the Sanctuary from the land, sea, and air.  State Parks Rangers conduct beach patrols.  The Sanctuary conducts sea and air surveillance patrols to monitor permitted activities and to investigate incidents within the Sanctuary.  Sanctuary enforcement targets activities that violate Sanctuary prohibitions and environmental protection laws.

Violation of Sanctuary regulations is punishable by civil penalties of up to $109,000 per day of violation.  Interestingly, in addition to fines, violators may also be required to pay for environmental damage and remediation costs.  Any property involved in a violation may be seized, and in many cases, violation of Sanctuary regulations also includes violation of other Federal and State laws and carries the potential for additional fines, property seizures, detainment, and criminal prosecution.  By implementing command and control policy such as this, the fines force people to take externalities, such as pollution and wildlife endangerment, into consideration.

The Sanctuary also develops and promotes many educational programs to inform the public about activities that can harm the marine environment and Sanctuary resources.  The Sanctuary strongly encourages public participation in protecting from threats such as oil spills, toxic discharges, wildlife harassment, habitat alteration, unauthorized resource extraction, and damage or removal of historical artifacts.  Public involvement is the only way to truly protect these resources, and Central California coastal communities have already proven their commitment to protecting the Sanctuary in many ways.

Research:

The Research Program focuses on science for resource management purposes.  Its main focus in 1999 was to begin developing an ecosystem monitoring plan to understand how the Sanctuary's natural resources are changing with time.  When negative population trends are detected, the education staff will interpret information to the public, and the resource protection team will devise best management practices to try to reverse the trend.   The Sanctuary's patrol vessel, Sharkcat (seen below) and its amphibious aircraft have helped greatly in monitoring activities in the area and collecting research.

Diver Perspective:

The MBNMS and the diving community share the common goal of protecting our marine resources.  For decades, members of the diving community have organized and participated in the underwater cleanup of Monterey Harbor, as well as other coastal areas.  On September 18, 1999, divers recovered more than 5,800 pounds of debris from the ocean floor in and around Monterey Harbor, and are planning several more cleanup dives this year.  Looking forward to working closely with the Sanctuary to protect marine environments, a Diver Partnership Program (DPP) was created to facilitate this goal.  Current DDP projects include the development of an educational brochure for divers, a DPP website, and help to coordinate future cleanup dives.

In general, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary has many, many options that would increase the total benefit of the area.   A conjoint analysis could technically establish the levels of the various attributes needed to determine the most efficient, beneficial policies, but since there are just so many subdivisions that are currently working on their own policies, it would be almost impossible to ascertain the perfect combination.  The overwhelming involvement in the preservation of the Sanctuary has established many committees and teams that are responsible for different aspects of the area, and together, they all help to control, if not, improve its quality.