Marine Managed Area

Any area of the marine environment that has been reserved by federal, state, territorial, tribal, or local laws or regulations to provide lasting protection for part or all of the natural or cultural resources therein. Important note: While the terms "marine managed area" (MMA) and "marine protected area" (MPA) each have the same base definition, the specific definitions of the component terms of "area," "marine environment," "reserved," "lasting" and "protection" differentiate the scope of MMA and MPA. In both the MMA and MPA contexts, the terms "area," "marine environment," "reserved," and "protection" each have essentially the same meaning. The term "lasting" in the MMA context, however, is defined as "must provide the same protection, for any duration within a year, at the same location on the same dates each year, for at least two consecutive years. Must be established with an expectation of, or history of, or at least the potential for, permanence." See Lasting for the MPA-related definition of this term.