Place-based ocean management: Emerging U.S. law and practice

Marine protected areas and marine reserves are being established in United States ocean waters under several federal and state laws. Relevant laws include the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Magnuson–Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management, the National Monument Act, the federal Submerged Lands Act, and the California Marine Life Protection Act. This article evaluates U.S. place-based ocean management from the perspectives of relevant international law principles and programs and foreign nation experiences relevant to the U.S. It then focuses on the challenges presented in managing multiple uses of U.S. ocean waters in the face of federal and state jurisdictional complexity. Integrating place-based management with fisheries management is given special attention.