§ 922.82 - Prohibited or otherwise regulated activities.

§ 922.82 Prohibited or otherwise regulated activities.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 88 FR 965, Jan. 6, 2023.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 88 FR 7357, Feb. 3, 2023, delaying the above amendment until Apr. 7, 2023.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 88 FR 19826, Apr. 4, 2023.

(a) The following activities are prohibited and thus are unlawful for any person to conduct or to cause to be conducted within the Sanctuary:

(1) Exploring for, developing, or producing oil, gas or minerals.

(2) Discharging or depositing from within or into the Sanctuary, other than from a cruise ship, any material or other matter except:

(i) Fish, fish parts, chumming materials or bait used in or resulting from lawful fishing activities within the Sanctuary, provided that such discharge or deposit is during the conduct of lawful fishing activity within the Sanctuary;

(ii) For a vessel less than 300 gross registered tons (GRT), or a vessel 300 GRT or greater without sufficient holding tank capacity to hold sewage while within the Sanctuary, clean effluent generated incidental to vessel use by an operable Type I or II marine sanitation device (U.S. Coast Guard classification) that is approved in accordance with section 312 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (FWPCA), 33 U.S.C. 1322. Vessel operators must lock all marine sanitation devices in a manner that prevents discharge or deposit of untreated sewage;

(iii) Clean vessel deck wash down, clean vessel engine cooling water, clean vessel generator cooling water, clean bilge water, or anchor wash;

(iv) For a vessel less than 300 GRT or a vessel 300 GRT or greater without sufficient holding capacity to hold graywater while within the Sanctuary, clean graywater as defined by section 312 of the FWPCA;

(v) Vessel engine or generator exhaust; or

(vi) For a United States Coast Guard vessel without sufficient holding tank capacity and without a Type I or II marine sanitation device, and operating within the designated area [2015 expansion area] defined in appendix G of this subpart, sewage and non-clean graywater as defined by section 312 of the FWPCA generated incidental to vessel use, and ammunition, pyrotechnics or other materials directly related to search and rescue and live ammunition training activities conducted by United States Coast Guard vessels and aircraft in the designated areas defined in appendix G of this subpart.

(3) Discharging or depositing from within or into the Sanctuary any material or other matter from a cruise ship except clean vessel engine cooling water, clean vessel generator cooling water, vessel engine or generator exhaust, clean bilge water, or anchor wash.

(4) Discharging or depositing, from beyond the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter that subsequently enters the Sanctuary and injures a Sanctuary resource or quality, except for the material or other matter excepted in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) through (vi) and (a)(3) of this section.

(5) Constructing any structure other than a navigation aid on or in the submerged lands of the Sanctuary; placing or abandoning any structure on or in the submerged lands of the Sanctuary; or drilling into, dredging, or otherwise altering the submerged lands of the Sanctuary in any way, except:

(i) By anchoring vessels (in a manner not otherwise prohibited by this part (see paragraph (a)(16) of this section);

(ii) While conducting lawful fishing activities;

(iii) Routine maintenance and construction of docks and piers on Tomales Bay; or

(iv) Aquaculture activities conducted pursuant to a valid lease, permit, license or other authorization issued by the State of California.

(6) Operating motorized personal watercraft (MPWC) anywhere in Bodega Bay and anywhere in the Sanctuary south of 38.29800 degrees North Latitude (the southernmost tip of Bodega Head), except for emergency search and rescue missions or law enforcement operations (other than routine training activities) carried out by the National Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Fire or Police Departments or other Federal, State or local jurisdictions.

(7) Taking any marine mammal, sea turtle, or bird within or above the Sanctuary, except as authorized by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended, (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., Endangered Species Act (ESA), as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended, (MBTA), 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq., or any regulation, as amended, promulgated under the MMPA, ESA, or MBTA.

(8) Possessing within the Sanctuary (regardless of where taken, moved or removed from), any marine mammal, sea turtle, or bird taken, except as authorized by the MMPA, ESA, MBTA, by any regulation, as amended, promulgated under the MMPA, ESA, or MBTA, or as necessary for valid law enforcement purposes.

(9) Possessing, moving, removing, or injuring, or attempting to possess, move, remove or injure, a Sanctuary historical resource.

(10) Introducing or otherwise releasing from within or into the Sanctuary an introduced species, except:

(i) Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) released during catch and release fishing activity; or

(ii) Species cultivated by commercial shellfish aquaculture activities in Tomales Bay pursuant to a valid lease, permit, license or other authorization issued by the State of California. Tomales Bay is defined in § 922.80. The coordinates for the northern terminus of Tomales Bay are listed in appendix C to this subpart.

(11) Disturbing marine mammals or seabirds by flying motorized aircraft at less than 1,000 feet over the waters within any of the seven designated Special Wildlife Protection Zones described in appendix D to this subpart, except transiting Zone 6 to transport persons or supplies to or from Southeast Farallon Island authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, or for enforcement purposes. Failure to maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level over such waters is presumed to disturb marine mammals or seabirds.

(12) Operating any vessel engaged in the trade of carrying cargo within any area designated Special Wildlife Protection Zone or within one nautical mile from these zones. The coordinates are listed in appendix E to this subpart. This includes but is not limited to tankers and other bulk carriers and barges, or any vessel engaged in the trade of servicing offshore installations, except to transport persons or supplies to or from the Farallon Islands. In no event shall this section be construed to limit access for fishing, recreational or research vessels.

(13) Attracting a white shark anywhere in the Sanctuary; or approaching within 50 meters of any white shark within Special Wildlife Protection Zone 6 and 7 or within one nautical mile from these zones The coordinates are listed in appendix F to this subpart.

(14) Deserting a vessel aground, at anchor, or adrift in the Sanctuary.

(15) Leaving harmful matter aboard a grounded or deserted vessel in the Sanctuary.

(16) Anchoring a vessel in a designated seagrass protection zone in Tomales Bay, except as necessary for aquaculture operations conducted pursuant to a valid lease, permit or license. The coordinates for the no-anchoring seagrass protection zones are listed in Appendix B to this subpart.

(17) Interfering with, obstructing, delaying, or preventing an investigation, search, seizure, or disposition of seized property in connection with enforcement of the Act or any regulation or permit issued under the Act.

(b) All activities currently carried out by the Department of Defense within the Sanctuary are essential for the national defense and, therefore, not subject to the prohibitions in this section. The exemption of additional activities shall be determined in consultation between the Director and the Department of Defense.

(c) The prohibitions in paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to activities necessary to respond to an emergency threatening life, property or the environment, or the environmentexcept as may be permitted by the Director in accordance with subpart D of this part.

(d) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a)(2) through (9) and (a)(11) through (16) of this section do not apply to any activity executed in accordance with the scope, purpose, terms, and conditions of a National Marine Sanctuary permit issued pursuant to §§ 922.48 and in accordance with subpart D of this part and § 922.83, or a Special Use special use permit issued pursuant to section 310 of the Act subpart D of this part.

[80 FR 13108, Mar. 12, 2015, as amended at 83 FR 55966, Nov. 9, 2018; 88 FR 965, Jan. 6, 2023; 88 FR 19826, Apr. 4, 2023]