Legislative Documents

Legal authority for designation and management of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary originates from the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA) of 1972. This federal law establishes the purpose, goals, and management authority of national marine sanctuaries, the process for designation of sanctuary sites, and requirements for periodic review of individual site management plans to ensure stewardship efforts are revised to meet emergent conservation needs. Furthermore, the NMSA authorizes NOAA to establish federal regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of the act.

While the NMSA is the foundational legislative authority for the National Marine Sanctuary System, sanctuary management authority operates in tandem with other complimentary natural resource protection laws to provide for integrated conservation of the nation's marine resources. Related federal laws include, but are not limited to:

State and local resource laws provide added protection and conservation of nearshore marine resources critical to the health of national marine sanctuaries.