Since 2008, the Friends of the Mariana Trench have been working tirelessly to achieve a National Marine Sanctuary designation for the Mariana Trench; this would unlock new and exciting opportunities to preserve and protect our home.
(2016 – present)
When the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) designates a National Marine Sanctuary, that area becomes a place where people can continue to enjoy and use the ocean, but they must also obey certain laws that protect the marine ecosystem. Concerned about overfishing, Friends of the Mariana Trench volunteers approached representatives at NOAA Sanctuaries to discuss the possibility of designating the Mariana Trench as a marine sanctuary in 2008. When FOMT originally sent our Marine National Monument proposal to President Bush, this designation was part of the FOMT’s larger vision for our waters. Ultimately, FOMT’s efforts to push for the creation of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument were successful, but the National Marine Sanctuary designation was not included in the law
FOMT has continued working toward establishing the Mariana Trench as a National Marine Sanctuary since our establishment. In September of 2016, we worked with Governor Torres and Congressman Sablan to craft an application to the NOAA Sanctuaries process. The application was accepted and placed on NOAA Sanctuaries’ inventory list in December 2016. After almost a decade of discourse, NOAA Director John Armor informed us that the Mariana Trench would be added to NOAA’s working list of official National Marine Sanctuary nominations in 2017.
You can read about the NOAA Sanctuaries Nomination Process and see the inventory list here. The CNMI wrote to [get from Ike and Angelo]. The current nomination expires at the end of 2021. Volunteers who would like to work on this project should contact Ike Cabrera.
Partners: Office of the Governor, Office of Congressman Sablan, NOAA Sanctuaries
March 2022 – NOAA Sanctuaries extends the public comment period 45-days. Click here for full details on how to participate
February 2022 – NOAA Sanctuaries begins the five-year review of the sanctuary nomination. The Federal Register notice was published on January 21, 2022, and provides a link to the renewal nomination process. This is a public commenting process and everyone is encouraged to participate. If you need help, please attend our watch party scheduled for February 12, 2022 at 10am at the Marianas Alliance of Nongovernmental Organizations *(MANGO) resource room. Webinar registration details and additional information about how to participate in the public scoping meeting is available at https://nominate.noaa.gov/5-
September 2016 – Governor Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres and Delegate Kilili write to President Obama
requesting designation of a marine sanctuary.
October 2013 – Delegate Kilili writes to Acting NOAA Administrator Kathy Sullivan to request an
assessment to manage the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument as part of the National Marine
Sanctuaries Network. Sullivan responds in December stating that she has “asked ONMS and NMFS to
develop a plan for greater ONMS involvement in the MTMNM.” She also encouraged Delegate Kilili and
his staff to “continue working with NOAA on providing effective management for the MTMNM.”
August 2013 – Friends of the Mariana Trench write to Matt Brookhart to support the re-establishment of
the nomination process for new national marine sanctuaries.
November 2011 – The CNMI Government releases a Request for Proposals for bids to conduct a visitors
center design plan.
March 2010 – The Friends of the Mariana Trench write to Delegate Kilili to request that a $220,000
appropriation from US Congress be used “for educational programs on marine sanctuaries” to develop
and design a Marianas Trench Visitors Center “resulting in a workable, concrete architectural plan and
plans for hands-on exhibits, an aquarium, areas for scientific presentations, and other community
interactions.”
February 2010 – The Friends of the Mariana Trench write to NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco
again to ask her to begin a sanctuary designation process in the CNMI. The letter points out that the
deadline to appoint an advisory council has passed, and that no progress has been made to develop a
management plan for the monument.
June 2009 – The Friends of the Mariana Trench write to NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco to ask
her to begin a sanctuary designation process in the CNMI (she responds with a negative in August).
April 2009 – Friends of the Mariana Trench write to Delegate Gregorio Camacho “Kilili” Sablan asking him
to introduce legislation that would: “(1) transfer the monument to the Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries, (2) extend the existing boundaries to include the northern waters, and (3) close the entire
monument to sustenance, commercial and recreational fishing (continuing to allow traditional
indigenous fishing) as outlined in our Vision Statement.” The letter also addresses submerged lands
issues and offers a solution that was eventually accepted as a compromise between the federal and
CNMI governments.
