Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Federal Legal Authority. CRS Report for Congress

摘要

Recent events, including the release of the President's U.S. Ocean Action Plan and reports issued by the United States Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission, have prompted a reexamination of U.S. ocean policy and debate over an ecosystem approach to ocean resource management. One proposed mechanism for conserving ocean resources is the Marine Protected Area (MPA), conceptualized as a zoning system for the portions of the ocean under U.S. jurisdiction. This has been highlighted by the recent issuance of the Draft Framework for Developing the National System of Marine Protected Areas (Draft Framework), issued on September 22, 2006, by National Marine Protected Areas Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The introduction of H.R. 21 in the 110th Congress has also focused attention on the health of ocean resources. This report outlines U.S. jurisdiction over ocean resources and analyzes the existing laws to assess their application to marine environments.