What is a designation document and how does it guide what activities can be regulated?
At the time of designation of a sanctuary, NOAA lists the activities that may be subject to regulation in the designation document and issues regulations addressing what activities will be regulated. Both the list of activities subject to regulation, as well as the regulations themselves can be amended as long as NOAA follows the legal and administrative processes (e.g., the NMSA, National Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedure Act) required. To change a designation document, NOAA must follow the applicable procedures and requirements for designating a sanctuary. This includes consulting with relevant federal and state agencies, and Congress, and providing opportunity for the public to give input. Thus, to regulate fishing activities it must follow the rigorous legal and administrative processes to change a term of designation. Further, NOAA must also provide the relevant fishery management council the opportunity to draft such sanctuary fishing regulations, as described
