[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
.Coa stal Zone fnformation C e .n.ter C.z A, 0 Wwo, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration VC Estuan'ne Sanctuary Program %J Z'z GC 97 1888 1978 as a Z -ne 0 fo If rn i Lna t n r Center A -love. US Department of Commerce NOAA Coastal Services Center Libravy 2234 South Hobson Avenue k- THE NATIONAL ESTUARINE SANCTUARY PROGRAM The establishment of the Estuarine Sanctuary Program was a direct result of two major studies initiated in the late 19 60's: the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resource's (the Stratton Commission's) final report, Our Nation and the Sea, and the Department of the Interior's National Estuarine Study. Both reports discuss the competing uses to which the estuarine areas of the United States are being subjected. The tone of the National Estuarine Study, in particular, was most indicative of the estuarine situation, presenting an awesome picture of the ongoing destruction of the United States estuary system. This study characterized the estuaries as being in jeopardy through deterioration and size reduction which are both occurring at an accelerating rate due to physical alteration and pollution. Estuaries are among the most biologically productive regions of the Nation. It has been estimated that two-thirds of the commercial and sport fish landed in the United States are estuarine dependent during portions of their life cycles. Dr. Eugene Odum, of the University of Georgia, computed in 1971 that the economic value of the services an estuary performs free (e.g. wastewater treatment, food supply for finfish/shellfish, and storm protection) can be approximated at $82,000 per acre. The estuarine complex is extremely fertile, producing microscopic plant and animal life that provides abundant nourishment for successively higher levels on the food chain. In fact, many of these fragile estuarine ecosystems present man with more food per acre than the best midwestern farmland. 1Est@@ry is defined as "that part.of.a river or stream or other body of water having unimpaired@conne,ction with the open sea, where the sea water is measurably diluted with fresh 'water from,land. drainage. The term includes estuary-type areas of the Great. Lak6s.'-,V (CZMA1�304,(6)') -2- .The national concern for estuaries resulted in the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, which was amended in 1976. The estuarine sanctuary2 program was designed.to make fifty percent matching grants to coastal States for the purposes of acquiring, developing, or operating estuarine areas to be set aside "to serve as natural field laboratories in which to study and gather data on the natural and human processes occurring within the estuaries of the coastal zone." The purposes of each sanctuary are: 1. To gain a thorough understanding of the ecological relationships within the estuarine environment; 2. To make baseline ecological measurements; 3. To monitor significant or vital changes in the estuarine environment; 4. To assess the effects of man's stresses on the ecosystem and to forecast and mitigate possible deterioration from human activities; and 5. To provide a vehicle for increasing public knowledge and awareness of the complex nature of estuarine systems, their values and benefits to man and nature, and the problems which confront them. The basic goal is to preserve as much of each protected estuary's watershed as possible--thereby protecting the entire ecosystem within this sanctuary--so that both information can be gained which will aid in future management decisions concerning the coastal zone, and natural learning centers will be provided for 2 Estuarine Sanctuary is defined as "a research area which may include any part or all of an estuary and any island, transitional area, and upland in, adjoining ' or adjacent to such estuary, and which constitutes to the extent feasible a natural unit, set aside to provide scientists and students the opportunity to examine over a period of time the ecological relationships within the area." (CZMA �304(7)) educational institutions and members of the public. Secondary benefits include: the preservation of habitats for estuarine dependent flora and fauna, including endangered species; and low intensity recreation, as long as that activity does not detract from the major purposes outlined above. The sanctuaries are owned and operated by the individual States under the direction of the Estuarine Sanctuary Guidelines. 3 These guidelines also include detailed descriptions of the eleven biogeographic regions into which the Nation's estuaries have been divided. To protect a representative sample, the goal of the national system will be to set up approximateiy twenty estuarine sanctuaries from these biogeographic regions and major subregions therein (see attached map). The estuarine sanctuary process is administratively broken down into three phases: preacquisition, acquisition, and operations. The preacquisition grant may be used for land appraisals, refinement of boundaries, and for the development of management plans and/or programs for research and education. The acquisition grant is to cover the actual and related costs of land acquisition. Finally, operations grants are for those costs necessary for monitoring the sanctuary and protecting the health of its ecosystem, and for the establishment and maintenance of an educational program. At the present time, there are five sanctuaries in operation, with two more scheduled for funding after October 1, 1978 (see attached map). Attachment A presents'factual information about each sanctuary. However, because each sanctuary is unique, the following narrative is also presented. 315 CFR Part 921 (39 Fed. Reg. 108, 6/4/74, and 42 Fed. Reg 175, 9/9/77). -4- Part of the Coos Bay Estuary, South Slough, Oregon, was the first estuarine sanctuary funded under the program. It is managed by the South Slough Estuarine Sanctuary Management Commission, which was established through State of Oregon legislation. This commission is composed of several State agencies, local agencies, private sector representation, and a member of the State University. system. This multi-disciplinary management commission for the 4200-acre sanctuary may become a prototype f@r the planners and operators of other ecosystems to be protected in the future. Oregon has hired a sanctuary manager and has received two operational grants for initiation ofthe research and education programs@. The 6150-acre Duplin River, Georgia, Sanctuary is only one part of the much larger protected ecosystem of Sapelo Island, Georgia, the whole of which is preserved by one State and two Federal agencies: these latter being the Office of Coastal Zone Management, and the Heritage, Conservation, and Recreation Service. The island also contains a University of Georgia marine institute and a community of approximately three hundred black people whose ancestors have lived on the island for over two hundred years. Adjacent to Sapelo Island is Blackbeard Island, which is a Fish and Wildlife Refuge._ Waimanu, Hawaii, is a 5900-acre, mountain-enclosed stream valley which drains into the Pacific Ocean. This area is extremely isolated and pristine. In fact, land access is gained only by a strenuous six to eight hour hike. Adjacent to Waimanu Valley is an almost identical valley: 19aipio. Waipio has a limited amount afdevelopment, mos -tly small taro (poi) farms. But, in the future, these two estuaries could provide a "natural experiment" to examine the effects of farming and habitation versus the baseline area. -5- Old Woman Creek, Ohio, is relatively small--637 acres--but ecologically extremely valuable. The sanctuary area is one of the few relatively natural estuaries remaining on the heavily populated shores of Lake Erie. As such, it is extremely valuable as a control, or baseline area,, for measuring the t success of coastal land and water management efforts for the Great Lakes biogeographic region. Since it is near urban centers, the educational aspects of estuaries will be heavily emphasized. Rookery Bay, Florida, is not only unique for its contributions to estuarine research, but also for its management structure. Management of the area is by the Florida Department of Fish and Game, the Collier County Conservancy, and the National Audubon Society. This joint management structure was created when the two private organizations granted a dollar-per-year, 99-year lease of the land to the State. OCZM and State funds will.add additional key acreage to the core area. The Rookery Bay Marine Laboratory will continue to develop scientific data which will aid decisionmakers in coastal resource use decisions. Two States have received preacquisition funding for FY 79estuarine sanctuaries: Elkhorn Slough, California, and Apalachicola Bay/River, Florida. For more information concerning these individual sanctuaries or the National Estuarine Sanctuary Program in general, contact the appropriate State coastal zone management agency or the Federal Office of Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Sanctuary Coordinator 3300 Whitehaven Street, N.W. Page Building One Washington, D.C. 20235 Phone: (202) 254-7512 -6- The following is a status report and information regarding the sanctuaries which have been established as of September 31, 1978 (FY 78). Sapelo Island, Leorgia Location: McIntosh County, Geo,rgia Size: 6,1SO acres Biogeographic Region: Carolinian OCZM Grant Award: $1,500,000 Initial Grant Date: FY 75 Management Grant: $50,000 (FY 78) Acquisition Status; Designated Managed by: Dept. of Natural Resources Manager: C. V. Waters, DNR Fish and Game, Sapelo Island Gal. 31327 South Slough. Oregon Location., Coos Bay, Coos County, Oregon Size: 4,ZOO acres Biogeographic Region. Columbian OCZ.111 Grant Award: $1,750:000 Initial Grant Date: FY 74 Acquisition Status.- 82% complete Management Grant: FY 77, FY 718 Managed by: Div. of State Lands Manager: Delane Munson South Slough Estuarine Sanctuary c/o Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Charleston, Oregon 97420 Waimanu, Hawaii Location: Island/County of Hawaii Size: S,900 acres (347 to be purchases) Biogeographic Region: Insular OCZM Grant Award: $270,000 Initial Grant Date: FY 76, Supplement FY 78 Acquisition Status: Land negotions begun in late 1978- Management Grant: Not scheduled at this time Managed by: Division of Land and Natural Resources Contact. Mike T-lunekiyo Dept of Planning and Economic Dev. P.O. Box 2359 Honolulu, Hawaii 96804 ATTACHIMENT A 7 - Old Woman Creek, Ohio Location: Erie County, Ohio Size: 637 acres Biogeogral')hic Region: Great Lakes OCZM Grant Award: $898,925 Initial Grant Date: September 1977, Supplement for Opns FY 78 Acquisition Status: Land underway. Approximately 25% Purchased or under option. Management Grant: Incl. with land acquisition grant Managed by Dept. of Natural Resources Contact: Dick Mosely Ohio Dept of Natural Resources Fountain Square Columbus, Ohio 43224 Rookery Bay, Florida Location: Collier County, Florida Size: 8,500 acres Biogeographic Region: West Indian OCZM Grant Award: $1,SOO,000 Initial Grant Date: September 1977 Acquisition Status: Sanctuary is 76% complete. Land negotiations on remainder started October 1978. Management Grant: FY 78 Managed by: Florida Fish and Game, Audubon Society, and Collier County Conservancy Contact: Bernie Yokel Rookery Bay Marine Station Box 684 Naples, Florida 33940 The following States have received T)reacquisitiQn grants in FY 78. Apalachicola Bay/River, Florida Location: Franklin County, Florida Size: 180,000 acres Biogeographic Region: Louisianian Preacquisition Grant Award: May 1978 Elkhorn Slough, California Location: Monteray County, California Size: 2,000 acres Biogeographic Region: Californian .Preacquisition.Grant: August 1978 Subarctic Estuarine Sanctuaries & Fiords Estuarine Sanctuary Regions Columbian Great Lakes Old Woman Coos Bay, OR Creek, OH Arcadian Virginian Californian Carolinian Sapello Island, GA Walmanu, HA Insular'01; it Louisianian '-- AFiords West Indian. Rookery Bay, FL US D ent of Comnuwm NOAA Co=rvices Center LOMW @11@11@111 @111 1! @11 (I @Llll kIll II rIll 2234 South Hobson Avenue Charleston, SC 2940&2413