PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
To identify areas of the marine environment of special national significance due to their resource or human-use values; to provide authority for comprehensive and coordinated conservation and management of these marine areas that will complement existing regulatory authorities; to support, promote, and coordinate scientific research on, and monitoring of, the resources of these marine areas; to enhance public awareness, understanding, appreciation, and wise use of the marine environment; and to facilitate, to the extent compatible with the primary objective of resource protection, all public and private uses of the resources of these marine areas not prohibited pursuant to other authorities.

 ELIGIBLE FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES:
1. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY;
- Water Pollution Control;
2. NATURAL RESOURCES;
- Water Conservation and Research;
3. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY;
- Research - Specialized;

 WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM:
- Anyone/general public;

 WHO CAN APPLY:
- State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Public non-profit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- U.S. Territories and possessions (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Private non-profit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals);