Notice of Availability of Draft Management Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment for Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

The Seattle Aquarium expresses strong support for the Draft Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan, specifically praising its focus on collaborative management, Indigenous Knowledge, scientific research, and public education. They emphasize the importance of the sanctuary in protecting marine resources and promoting sustainable ocean use.

The Surfrider Foundation Washington submits comments in support of the Draft Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan, praising its focus on collaborative governance, Tribal co-management, and climate resilience. They offer specific recommendations to strengthen the plan's implementation, particularly regarding organizational capacity, scientific monitoring, and ocean literacy.

Washington Audubon supports the management plan for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary but urges the agency to strengthen commitments regarding seabird and forage fish monitoring. They specifically request more concrete methodologies, the inclusion of resource-condition performance indicators, and the restoration of cost estimates to ensure transparency regarding funding and capacity.

Washington Audubon, a nonprofit conservation organization, supports the draft Management Plan for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary but requests specific improvements. They advocate for more robust seabird and forage fish monitoring, the inclusion of resource-condition performance indicators, and the restoration of cost estimates to ensure transparency regarding funding and capacity.

Jan A. Newton, Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), supports the draft management plan and requests specific edits to explicitly acknowledge NANOOS's long-standing partnership and data-sharing contributions to the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

The Feiro Marine Life Center expresses its full support for the draft Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan. They specifically praise the plan's focus on conservation and research, and express enthusiasm for collaborating on the new Olympic Coast Exploration Center.

The Makah Tribal Council supports the Draft Management Plan but requests specific revisions to acknowledge their unique treaty-reserved rights, establish formal tribal consultation protocols, and ensure data sharing supports tribal sovereignty. They also advocate for a consent-based standard regarding large-scale ocean development and emerging technologies within their Usual and Accustomed areas.

The commenter supports the proposed Draft Management Plan and Draft Environmental Assessment for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. They emphasize the importance of a thorough environmental review to ensure the sanctuary's protections are maintained in accordance with the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.

An individual expresses support for the proposed Draft Management Plan for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The commenter appreciates the focus on a thorough environmental review and the protection of marine life in the area.