Don other federal/tribal/state/local agencies already protect marine resources?
Local, state, tribal and federal agencies may have overlapping regulations or other management authorities aimed at protecting specific marine resources. However, these other agencies tend to focus on specific resources or specific aspects of marine resource management. No other agency is directly mandated to protect comprehensively all elements of marine ecosystems like the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Thus, coordination and cooperation among the responsible government agencies are essential for successful sanctuary management.
