Data Form for National Marine Protected Areas Inventory

Instructions for Completing Marine Protected Areas Inventory
Site Input Form
Below are instructions for completing the Site Input Form for the Marine Protected Areas Inventory. In
order to provide a complete picture of all MPAs in U.S. waters, we ask that managing agencies complete
this form for all of their MPAs. In addition, the instructions below provide information on the criteria for
MPAs to join the national system of MPAs. MPAs do not need to meet all the criteria for the national
system of MPAs to be included in the MPA Inventory; the national system is a subset of sites in the
Inventory. For more information on the MPA Inventory and the national system of MPAs, see
www.mpa.gov.
The Inventory input form is provided as a fillable PDF. Please complete the form in PDF format, save
your changes and email the form to:
Jordan Gass
GIS Specialist
National Marine Protected Areas Center
Jordan.Gass@noaa.gov
(831) 645-2711
1. Site Name
The official name of the MPA or zone.
2. Contact Name
Please fill in your name or the name of the appropriate contact person regarding the site.
3. Contact Email
Please fill in the email address for the contact person.
4. Contact Telephone
Please fill in the telephone number for the contact person.
5. Website
If the MPA or zone has a public website, please provide the url.
6. Management Agency
MPAs are designated and managed at all levels of government by a variety of agencies including parks,
fisheries, wildlife, natural resource and historic resource departments, among others. U.S. MPAs have
been established by well over 100 legal authorities, with some federal and state agencies managing more
than one MPA program, each with its own legal purpose.
In certain instances, authority is formally shared among two or more entities. In such cases, the lead
managing agency should be listed. For example, those sites dually managed by NOAA Fisheries Service
and by Regional Fishery Management Councils should list NOAA Fisheries as the managing agency.
Those National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) sites dually managed by states and NOAA
should list the state as the managing agency. If no distinction can be made, list all managing agencies.
7. Location(s)
Please provide the state/territory where the site is located. If the site is federal, it may be located offshore
of multiple states. In this case, please list all relevant states and/or territories.
8. Legal Authority
Please provide the name of the primary legislation under which the site was designated. If a site was
established as part of a larger system (e.g. National Marine Sanctuaries), the primary legislation should
refer to the umbrella authority (e.g. National Marine Sanctuaries Act) for that system.

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9. Secondary Legal Authority
If there is an additional statute or act that designated the site, provide the specific statute as the secondary
authority. Secondary authority may also include regulations that authorized establishment of a site.
10. Year Established
Please provide the year the site was established.
11. Level of Government
Please select the level of government that designated and manages the MPA. If the MPA is managed by
multiple agencies, please select ‘Partnership.’
12. Management Plan Status
Please indicate the current status of the management plan for the site. Management plans that are final,
designation, or draft are considered to meet the national system management plan requirement.
•
•
•
•
•

Final – The site has a management plan that has been approved.
Designation – Management goals, monitoring and evaluation and other activities are listed in a
designation document (e.g., state or federal law or regulation, Executive Order, etc.), rather than
a separate management plan.
Draft – A management plan for the site is in draft, but has not yet been approved.
Planned – Management plan is planned, but not yet in draft.
None – No management plan exists for the site, and there are not currently plans to draft one.

12a. Management Plan Type
To be eligible for nomination to the national system, an MPA must have a management plan that has
been developed at one of the following scales:
• A site-specific MPA management plan
• Part of a larger MPA programmatic management plan
• A component of a broader, non-MPA programmatic management plan
- Fishery management plan
- Species management plan
- Habitat management plan
• A verbal or written community agreement
12b. Conservation Goals
Does the management plan have one or more clearly stated goals, purposes or objectives? This could
include a statement in a management plan, or another document, such as the authorizing statute.
12c. Monitoring and Evaluation
Does the management plan address resource monitoring (specifically monitoring the conservation
goals of the site)? Not all elements of a site’s conservation goals may have been monitored. In fact,
often only one element within the site is being monitored. For example, if the site conservation goal
is ecosystem protection and water quality is being monitored, then a YES should be indicated.
Monitoring could be done by the site or by any program associated with the goals or objectives of the
site. For example, stock assessments conducted to evaluate the health of a fishery are considered to
be monitoring for MPAs established to conserve or manage that fishery because they add to the
scientific understanding of the contribution of the MPA to the health of that fishery. The MPA
Center does not determine whether such monitoring and evaluation activities are actually occurring,
only that they are called for in an official management plan or other site authority. The MPA Center
deliberately chose to develop an inclusive definition of monitoring and evaluation for the purposes of
national system eligibility based on best available data.
A site is considered to have monitoring (YES) when resources that are tied to the goals of the site are
evaluated/monitored. Examples:

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a) Fisheries sites that monitor the total biomass in the system (including the site). The sites were
implemented to improve stock status; evaluating total biomass is an indicator of stock.
b) Sites that monitor bird counts, crocodile counts, fish counts or seagrass extent. The sites were
implemented to protect marine ecosystem function and structure, and these populations are
components of the ecosystem.
Examples for sites that have monitoring and are evaluated NO are:
a) Sites that monitor strictly terrestrial resources (e.g. game refuges that have prescribed burns)
b) Sites that have monitoring for resources not part of the goals of the site. For example, a site that
monitors mussel beds by a graduate student for a thesis when the site’s goals are for protecting ducks
(unless the ducks rely on the mussels as a source of food).
12d. Management Activities List
A management activities list includes those activities required under the legal authority that apply
directly to the conservation goals, objectives or purposes of the site.
12e. Staff and Budget
Indicate whether staff and budget needs are included in the management plan.
13. Fishing Restriction
MPAs may restrict fishing to achieve their conservation objectives.
•

No Restrictions to Fishing: MPAs or zones place no restrictions on any type of fishing
throughout the site, including both commercial and recreational.

•

All Fishing Prohibited: MPAs or zones prohibit any type of fishing throughout the site,
including both commercial and recreational.
Example: No-take MPAs, which are relatively rare in the U.S., occurring mainly in state MPAs,
in some federal areas closed for either fisheries management or the protection of endangered
species, or as small special use (research) zones within larger multiple-use MPAs. Other
commonly used terms to connote no-take MPAs include marine reserves or ecological reserves.

•

Commercial Fishing Prohibited: MPAs or zones prohibit any type of commercial fishing.
Recreational fishing may be allowed.
Example: Year-round MPAs, including all marine sanctuaries, national parks, refuges,
monuments, and some fisheries sites.

•

Recreational Fishing Prohibited: MPAs or zones prohibit any type of recreational fishing.
Commercial fishing may be allowed.
Example: Permanent MPAs, including most national marine sanctuaries and all national parks.

•

All Fishing Restricted: MPAs or zones place some type of restriction on all types of fishing,
including both commercial and recreational. The level of restriction may vary throughout the
MPA according to different zones or areas.
Example: Zoned multiple-use MPAs, which are increasingly common in U.S. waters, including
some marine sanctuaries, national parks, national wildlife refuges, and state MPAs.

•

Commercial Fishing Restricted: MPAs or zones place some type of restriction on commercial
fishing, which might vary throughout the MPA according to different zones or areas.
Recreational fishing may be unrestricted.
Example: Rotating MPAs, which are still rare in the U.S. They include some dynamic fisheries
closures created for the purpose of serially recovering a suite of localized population to
harvestable levels.

3

•

Recreational Fishing Restricted: MPAs or zones place some type of restriction on recreational
fishing, which might vary throughout the MPA according to different zones or areas.
Commercial fishing may be unrestricted.
Example: Seasonal MPAs, including some fisheries and endangered species closures around
sensitive habitats.

•

Recreational Fishing Prohibited and Commercial Fishing Restricted: MPAs or zones prohibit
any type of recreational fishing and place some type of restriction on commercial fishing.
Example: A Sanctuary that includes multiple zones or specified areas within which some areas
recreational fishing is prohibited and commercial fishing is restricted.

•

Commercial Fishing Prohibited and Recreational Fishing Restricted: MPAs or zones prohibit
any type of commercial fishing and place some type of restriction on recreational fishing.
Example: A Sanctuary that includes multiple zones or specified areas within which some areas
commercial fishing is prohibited and recreational fishing is restricted.

14. Level of Protection
MPAs in the U.S. vary widely in the level and type of legal protection afforded to the site’s natural and
cultural resources and ecological processes. Any MPA, or management zone within a larger MPA, can
be characterized by one of the following six levels of protection. Please note that site level information
provided reflects the lowest level of protection that exists for all management zones of the MPA.
•

Uniform Multiple-Use: MPAs or zones with a consistent level of protection and allowable
activities, including certain extractive uses, across the entire protected area.
Examples: Uniform multiple-use MPAs are among the most common types in the U.S., and
include many sanctuaries, national and state parks, and cultural resource MPAs.

•

Zoned Multiple-Use: MPAs that allow some extractive activities throughout the entire site, but
that use marine zoning to allocate specific uses to compatible places or times in order to reduce
user conflicts and adverse impacts.
Examples: Zoned multiple-use MPAs are increasingly common in U.S. waters, including some
marine sanctuaries, national parks, national wildlife refuges, and state MPAs.

•

Zoned Multiple-Use With No-Take Area(s ): Multiple-use MPAs that contain at least one
legally established management zone in which all resource extraction is prohibited.
Examples: Zoned no-take MPAs are emerging gradually in U.S. waters, primarily in some
national marine sanctuaries and national parks.

•

No-Take: MPAs or zones that allow human access and even some potentially harmful uses, but
that totally prohibit the extraction or significant destruction of natural or cultural resources.
Examples: No-take MPAs are relatively rare in the U.S., occurring mainly in state
MPAs, in some federal areas closed for either fisheries management or the protection of
endangered species, or as small special use (research) zones within larger multiple-use MPAs.
Other commonly used terms to connote no-take MPAs include marine reserves or ecological
reserves.

•

No Impact: MPAs or zones that allow human access, but that prohibit all activities that could
harm the site’s resources or disrupt the ecological or cultural services they provide. Examples of
activities typically prohibited in no-impact MPAs include resource extraction of any kind
(fishing, collecting, or mining); discharge of pollutants; disposal or installation of materials; and
alteration or disturbance of submerged cultural resources, biological assemblages, ecological
interactions, physiochemical environmental features, protected habitats, or the natural processes
that support them.

4

Examples: No- impact MPAs are rare in U.S. waters, occurring mainly as small isolated MPAs
or in small research-only zones within larger multiple-use MPAs. Other commonly used terms
include fully protected marine (or ecological) reserves.
•

No Access: MPAs or zones that restrict all human access to the area in order to prevent potential
ecological disturbance, unless specifically permitted for designated special uses such as research,
monitoring or restoration.
Examples: No-access MPAs are extremely rare in the U.S., occurring mainly as small researchonly zones within larger multiple-use MPAs. Other commonly used terms for no access MPAs
include wilderness areas or marine preserves.

15. Primary Conservation Focus
Most MPAs have legally established goals, conservation objectives, and intended purpose(s). Common
examples include MPAs created to conserve biodiversity in support of research and education; to protect
benthic habitat in order to recover over-fished stocks; and to protect and interpret shipwrecks for
maritime education. These descriptors of an MPA are reflected in the site’s conservation focus, which
represents the characteristics of the area that the MPA was established to conserve. U.S. MPAs may
have more than one conservation focus, but generally address one as a Primary Conservation Focus.
•

Natural Heritage: MPAs or zones established and managed wholly or in part to sustain,
conserve, restore, and understand the protected area’s natural biodiversity, populations,
communities, habitats, and ecosystems; the ecological and physical processes upon which they
depend; and, the ecological services, human uses and values they provide to this and future
generations.
Examples: Natural Heritage MPAs include most national marine sanctuaries, national parks,
national wildlife refuges, and many state MPAs.

•

Cultural Heritage: MPAs or zones established and managed wholly or in part to protect and
understand submerged cultural resources that reflect the nation’s maritime history and traditional
cultural connections to the sea.
Examples: Cultural Heritage MPAs include some national marine sanctuaries, national and
state parks, and national historic monuments.

•

Sustainable Production: MPAs or zones established and managed wholly or in part with the
explicit purpose of supporting the continued extraction of renewable living resources (such as
fish, shellfish, plants, birds, or mammals) that live within the MPA, or that are exploited
elsewhere but depend upon the protected area’s habitat for essential aspects of their ecology or
life history (feeding, spawning, mating, or nursery grounds).
Examples: Sustainable Production MPAs include some national wildlife refuges and many
federal and state fisheries areas, including those established to recover over-fished stocks,
protect by-catch species, or protect essential fish habitats

16. Conservation Focus
MPAs that have more than one conservation focus should indicate all foci here. If the MPA includes a
cultural heritage conservation focus, please complete questions a-d. Otherwise, skip to question 17.
a. Cultural Heritage MPAs
Is the cultural resource a shipwreck, an aircraft, a submerged archaeological site, a site of
cultural significance, or other? Sites of cultural significance include, for example, key cultural
sites that have been identified as significant by Native Americans, Pacific Islanders or Native
Alaskans. If the MPA contains more than one type of cultural resource, check all that apply.

5

b. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)
For inclusion in the national system, cultural heritage MPAs must meet criteria for inclusion on
the National Register of Historic Places. (Yes=either listed on NRHP, or determined eligible
for NRHP or listed on a State Register; No=not listed or determined eligible for NRHP).
National Register of Historic Places Criteria
• The cultural resource within the MPA must be at least 50 years of age.
If it is not:
 The cultural marine resource within the MPA must be important or unique to
the nation’s maritime history or cultural connections to the sea.
• The cultural marine resource within the MPA must demonstrate “the quality of
significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering and culture in
districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that possess integrity of location, design,
setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.”
It must meet at least one of the following:
 Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of our history;
 Associated with the lives of significant persons in our past;
 Embodying the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of
construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic
values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose
components may lack individual distinction;
 Yielded or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory.
c. Diving
Note whether the MPA allows diving (Unrestricted=allows diving; Restricted=diving is
restricted; Prohibited=diving is prohibited).
d. Exploitive/Extractive Activities
Note whether the MPA or site allows exploitive or extractive activities. These activities include
salvage, recovery, dredging, drilling, detonation, and similar activities that would exploit,
extract, or destroy the cultural resource. Scientific excavation and/or permitted activities are
not included within this definition (Unrestricted=allows activities; Restricted=activities are
restricted; Prohibited=activities are prohibited).
17. Site Permanence
Not all MPAs are permanently protected. Many sites differ in how long their protections remain in
effect.
•

Permanent: MPAs or zones whose legal authorities provide some level of protection to the site
in perpetuity for future generations, unless reversed by unanticipated future legislation or
regulatory actions.
Examples: Permanent MPAs include most national marine sanctuaries and all national parks.

•

Conditional: MPAs or zones that have the potential, and often the expectation, to persist
administratively over time, but whose legal authority has a finite duration and must be actively
renewed or ratified based on periodic governmental reviews of performance.
Examples: Conditional MPAs include some national marine sanctuaries with ‘sunset clauses’
applying to portions of the MPA in state waters

•

Temporary: MPAs that are designed to address relatively short-term conservation and/or
management needs by protecting a specific habitat or species for a finite duration, with no
expectation or specific mechanism for renewal.
Examples: Temporary MPAs include some fisheries closures focusing on rapidly recovering
species (e.g. scallops).

6

18. Site Constancy
Not all MPAs provide year-round protection to the protected habitat and resources. Three degrees of
constancy throughout the year are seen among U.S. MPAs.
•

Year-Round: MPAs or zones that provide constant protection to the site throughout the year.
Examples: Year-round MPAs include all marine sanctuaries, national parks, refuges,
monuments, and some fisheries sites.

•

Seasonal: MPAs or zones that protect specific habitats and resources, but only during fixed
seasons or periods when human uses may disrupt ecologically sensitive seasonal processes such
as spawning, breeding, or feeding aggregations.
Examples: Seasonal MPAs include some fisheries and endangered species closures around
sensitive habitats.

•

Rotating: MPAs that cycle serially and predictably among a set of fixed geographic areas in
order to meet short-term conservation or management goals (such as local stock replenishment
followed by renewed exploitation of recovered populations).
Examples: Rotating MPAs are still rare in the U.S. They include some dynamic fisheries closures
created for the purpose of serially recovering a suite of localized population to harvestable
levels.

19. Protection Focus
MPAs in the U.S. vary widely in the ecological scale of the protection they provide. MPA conservation
targets range from entire ecosystems and their associated biophysical processes, to focal habitats, species,
or other resources deemed to be of economic or ecological importance. The ecological scale of a site’s
conservation target generally reflects its underlying legal authorities.
•

Ecosystem: MPAs or zones whose legal authorities and management measures are intended to
protect all of the components and processes of the ecosystem within its boundaries.
Examples: Ecosystem-scale MPAs include most marine sanctuaries, national parks and national
monuments.

•

Focal Resource: MPAs or zones whose legal authorities and management measures specifically
target a particular habitat, species complex, or single resource (either natural or cultural). Please
specify the targeted resource(s) in the space provided.
Examples: Focal-resource MPAs include many fisheries and cultural resource sites, including
some national wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries. MPAs established specifically to protect
seabird or sea turtle nesting areas are other examples of focal resource MPAs.

20. International Designation
Note whether the MPA or site has one or more of the following international designations.
•

World Heritage List: Adopted by UNESCO in 1972, the World Heritage Convention established
the World Heritage List to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural
and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

•

Ramsar Site: The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar
Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and
international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The
Convention uses a broad definition of the types of wetlands covered in its mission, including
lakes and rivers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and
tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as
fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.

7

•

Area To Be Avoided (ATBA): An area within defined limits in which either navigation is
particularly hazardous or it is exceptionally important to avoid casualties and which should be
avoided by all ships, or by certain classes of ships.

•

Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA): A PSSA is an area that needs special protection
through action by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) because of its significance for
recognized ecological or socio-economic or scientific reasons and which may be vulnerable to
damage by international maritime activities. The criteria for the identification of particularly
sensitive sea areas and the criteria for the designation of special areas are not mutually exclusive.
In many cases a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area may be identified within a Special Area and vice
versa.

•

Man and the Biosphere Reserve: Man and the Biosphere reserves are sites recognized under
UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program, which innovate and demonstrate approaches to
conservation and sustainable development. They are of course under national sovereign
jurisdiction, yet share their experience and ideas nationally, regionally and internationally within
the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

21. Is Vessel Access Allowed?
Note whether the MPA or site allows vessel access (Unrestricted = allows vessel access; Restricted =
vessel access is restricted; Prohibited = vessel access is prohibited).
22. Anchoring?
Note whether the MPA or site allows anchoring (Unrestricted = allows anchoring; Restricted = anchoring
is restricted; Prohibited = anchoring is prohibited).
23. GIS Data?
Note whether the MPA or site has available GIS data (Yes = have GIS data; No = no GIS data).

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DATA FORM FOR NATIONAL MARINE PROTECTED AREAS INVENTORY
Welcome to the U.S. Marine Protected Areas (MPA) inventory data entry form. This is the official data
entry form for submitting information on marine protected areas in U.S. ocean waters, coastal bays and
estuaries, coastal intertidal waters, and the Great Lakes. The purpose of this form is to collect
information needed to develop a comprehensive inventory of existing Marine Protected Areas (see
About the MPA Inventory) in the United States and territorial waters. The information collected will be
used to better understand the status and nature of existing MPAs, provide information and tools for
environmental assessments, and better coordinate and manage the existing system of MPAs.
Paperwork Reduction Act Information
OMB Control Number: 0648-0449
Expires: 3/31/2015
This effort is in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 in order to solicit information
from persons not employed by the U.S. Federal Government. The Office of Management and Budget has
given clearance and approval to NOAA and DOI to use this survey tool to request state, local and tribal
marine management agencies/organizations to fill out the form to provide information to the U.S.
marine managed areas database and inventory. Responding to this data entry form is voluntary and no
personal information is requested. However, confidentiality is not promised in the submission of this
survey. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send
comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to Lauren Wenzel (see contact information, below).
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any
person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently
valid OMB Control Number.
Contact Information
Lauren Wenzel
NOAA, National Ocean Service
Office of Ocean and Coastal
National MPA Center
SSMC4 Room 11356, N/ORM
1305 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Lauren.wenzel@noaa.gov
(301) 563-1136
Page 1
Revised 12/12/11

National Marine Protected Areas Center
Marine Protected Area Inventory
Site Input Form
Please send completed Inventory form to Jordan Gass at Jordan.Gass@noaa.gov.
If you have any questions about completing this form, use the contact information
above or call (831) 645-2711.
1. Site Name:
2. Contact Name:
3. Contact Email:
4. Contact Telephone:
5. Website:
6. Management Agency:
7. Location(s) (State):
8. Legal Authority:
9. Secondary Legal Authority:
10. Year Established:
11. Level of Government:
Federal
State
Partnership

Territorial
Local
Tribal

12. Management Plan Status:
Final

Designation

Draft

Planned

None

a. Management Plan Type (check one):
Site-Specific Management Plan
MPA Programmatic Management Plan
Non-MPA Programmatic Species Management Plan
Non-MPA Programmatic Habitat Management Plan
Non-MPA Programmatic Fisheries Management Plan
Community Agreement
No Management Plan
b. Conservation Goals:
Yes
No
c. Monitoring and Evaluation of MPA Goals and Objectives:
Yes
No
d. Management Activities List:
Yes
No
e. Staff and Budget:
Yes
No

March, 2010

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National Marine Protected Areas Center
Marine Protected Area Inventory
Site Input Form
13. Fishing Restrictions (Check one for commercial and one for recreational):
Commercial:
Recreational:
Prohibited
Prohibited
Restricted
Restricted
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
14. Level of Protection (check one):
Uniform Multiple-Use
Zoned Multiple-Use
Zoned Multiple-Use With No Take Area(s)

No-Take
No Impact
No Access

15. Primary Conservation Focus (check one):
Natural Heritage
Sustainable Production

Cultural Heritage

16. Conservation Focus (check all that apply):
Natural Heritage
Sustainable Production

Cultural Heritage

If Conservation Focus includes Cultural Heritage, please answer questions a-d.
a. Type of cultural heritage resource (check all that apply):
Vessel/shipwreck
Site of cultural significance
Aircraft
Submerged archaeological site

Other

b. Does MPA meet criteria for National Register of Historic Places?
Yes
No
c. Is Diving Allowed?
Unrestricted

Restricted

d. Are Exploitive or Extractive Activities Allowed?
Unrestricted
Restricted

Prohibited
Prohibited

17. Site Permanence (check one):
Permanent

Conditional

Temporary

18. Site Constancy (check one):
Year-Round

Seasonal

Rotating

19. Protection Focus (check one):
Ecosystem
Focal Resource (please specify)
20. International Designations
World Heritage List
Ramsar Site
Area To Be Avoided

Man And The Biosphere Reserve
Particularly Sensitive Sea Area

21. Is Vessel Access Allowed?
Unrestricted

Restricted

Prohibited

22. Is Anchoring Allowed?
Unrestricted

Restricted

Prohibited

23. Is GIS Data Available?
Yes (Please submit with form)
March, 2010

No
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