Management Overview

Thunder Bay’s Final Management Plan is Now Available
(click here for a copy of the Final Management Plan)

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary was designated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on October 7, 2000. It is jointly managed by NOAA and the State of Michigan to protect and interpret a nationally significant collection of shipwrecks and other maritime heritage resources. The sanctuary solicits advice from the Thunder Bay Sanctuary Advisory Council whose members represent the community’s different interests, including government, education, maritime history and interpretation, fishing, diving, tourism, economic development, and the community-at-large. The sanctuary’s Final Management Plan (2009) was prepared by NOAA and the State of Michigan in cooperation with the Thunder Bay Sanctuary Advisory Council and with input from the public, local governments, state and federal agencies, and other stakeholders.