National Marine Sanctuaries Statement on Approving Three Commerce Department Proposals.

Today I have approved three proposals by the Department of Commerce to designate unique ocean areas as National Marine Sanctuaries. The three sites represent a diversity of marine ecosystems. They are: Gray's Reef, off the coast of Georgia; Looe Key, a submerged coral reef off the lower Florida Keys; and Point Reyes-Farallon Islands off the California coast.

The Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary encompasses an area of more than 16 square nautical miles of productive limerock reef. It is representative of a type of unusual marine habitat—a live bottom reef—found intermittently across the continental shelf in temperate and subtropical regions of our coastal waters. Ancient sedimentary rock outcrops on an otherwise flat, sandy ocean bottom form the reefs that provide habitat for an abundance and variety of marine organisms, including fish of recreational and commercial importance and threatened and endangered species. Gray's Reef is perhaps one of the most popular live bottom areas in the western Atlantic Ocean. Its nearshore location—17 miles east of Sapelo Island, Georgia—invites public use year round and offers an accessible living laboratory for marine research and education.

The Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary is an area of more than 5 square nautical miles southwest of Big Pine Key in the lower Florida Keys. This designation will protect one of the few remaining well-developed living coral reefs off the continental United States. The sanctuary area includes a spectacular "spur and groove" coral formation supporting a tremendous diversity of marine species. Because of its wide range in depth, its close proximity to land, and its broad variety of marine life, Looe Key is a popular recreational area.

Lastly, I have approved the Point Reyes-Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary, which encompasses a 948-square nautical mile area off the California coast. This area is extraordinary. It is characterized by irregular coastlines and submerged rocky intertidal areas and contains many biologically rich nearshore and marine habitats. It contains some of the largest seabird rookeries in the United States, providing nesting sites for at least 12 of the 16 species known to breed on the west coast. The sanctuary area also supports a large and varied marine mammal population, providing feeding, pupping, and haul-out habitat for 23 species. Whales, including several endangered species, and porpoises migrate through the sanctuary area. The sanctuary also contains highly productive communities of finfish and shellfish, kelp beds, and other marine organisms. The sanctuary will complement the Point Reyes National Seashore, the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and State parks and refuges within the area.

In 1972 when Congress passed the law authorizing marine sanctuary designation, it recognized that while the ocean frontier is developed to meet our Nation's needs, we must balance developmental activities with prudent environmental safeguards. Sanctuary designation therefore provides for comprehensive management, but does not inhibit traditional, nonthreatening activities such as public recreational use.

In the case of the Point Reyes-Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary, it was particularly important to strike a balance between oil and gas development in nearby coastal waters and the protection of the sanctuary's marine resources. For this reason, oil and gas development activities within the boundary of the sanctuary will be excluded. Because of the very low oil and gas potential of the area, this provision will not affect our efforts to meet energy needs. It is supported by the Governor of California, Senator Cranston, and members of the California congressional delegation.

I should note that each sanctuary proposal is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and decisions regarding appropriate uses, such as oil and gas development, are reviewed individually. Our decision to exclude oil and gas drilling at Point Reyes-Farallon Islands does not mean that in the future marine sanctuaries will never allow such activity. In other areas and under other conditions, it may very well be appropriate and necessary to provide energy development activities within marine sanctuaries.

My administration has worked closely with local and State governments and concerned citizens on the selection of marine sanctuaries. The designations I have approved today reflect the views of these groups. These established marine sanctuaries represent a solid foundation for our Nation's efforts to protect and manage unique marine resources. I am pleased that my administration has provided the stimulus and momentum necessary to build this program.