COMDTINST 16004.4A governs Coast Guard involvement in federal marine protected areas, including sanctuaries and marine monuments.
View COMDTINST 16004.4A on armypubs.army.mil
It covers national marine sanctuaries, marine national monuments, site management plans, sanctuary regulations, and environmental consultations. It requires Coast Guard commands to coordinate with NOAA, conduct surveillance and enforcement activities, and document MPA efforts.
Applies to: All Coast Guard Area, District, and unit commanders, commanding officers, officers-in-charge, assistant commandants, and chiefs of headquarters staff elements must comply with the provisions of this Instruction.
In waters beyond state jurisdiction, the Coast Guard is the primary maritime enforcement agency for sanctuary regulations. (paragraph 4)
Procedures must be updated or revalidated when any of the following occurs: approval of new or revised site management plans; organizational changes; or when substantial changes to MPA regulations are made that affect Coast Guard responsibilities, priorities, or the level of effort assigned for implementation. (paragraph 9)
Provide routine surveillance of MPAs within the AOR concurrently with other Coast Guard operations, supplemented with targeted or dedicated law enforcement patrols as appropriate. (paragraph 9)
Agencies considering actions that are likely to destroy, cause the loss of, or injure (or may affect in the case of Stellwagen Bank NMS) any sanctuary resources within national marine sanctuaries are required to engage NOAA through a consultation process per section 304(d) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. (paragraph 9)
Ensure units under Area command properly document MPA enforcement and conservation efforts in accordance with Reference (h). (paragraph 9)