Sanctuary Advisory Councils: Involving the public in the National Marine Sanctuary Program

Scientists work with marine protected area (MPA) managers to design MPAs th at will protect marine resources, maintain biodiversity, promote tourism, a nd enhance biological production. It has become increasingly clear that sci entific input is not the only requisite for ensuring establishment of these areas. Understanding the political institutions and management systems tha t govern these areas is as important for establishing MPAs as understanding the natural resources in the area. Recent studies have found that the succ ess of establishing and managing MPAs can be attributed to increased public participation in the management process. This article looks at the public' s involvement in the management of the U.S. equivalent of MPAs, the Nationa l Marine Sanctuaries. In particular, Sanctuary Advisory Councils are examin ed as one mechanism through which the public can participate in the managem ent of marine sanctuaries. The article concludes with comments on the evolv ing role of these councils in marine resource management.