16 U.S.C. § 1441 — Special use permits

(a) The Secretary may issue a special-use permit for a specific sanctuary activity if needed (1) to set conditions for access to or use of a sanctuary resource, or (2) to promote public use and understanding of a resource. (b) Before identifying any activity category requiring such a permit, the Secretary must give appropriate public notice. (c) A permit may authorize an activity only if compatible with the sanctuary's purposes and resource protection; may last no more than five years unless renewed; must require conduct that does not destroy, lose, or injure sanctuary resources; and must require comprehensive general-liability insurance or an equivalent bond and an agreement to hold the United States harmless from related claims. (d)(1) The Secretary may charge fees for permitted activities. (2) A fee equals the Secretary's actual or expected permit-issuance costs, actual or expected direct costs from the activity including monitoring, and the fair-market value of using the resource. (3) Fees may be used to issue and administer permits and manage sanctuaries. (4) The Secretary may accept in-kind contributions instead of the fair-market-value part and may waive or reduce a fee for an activity that earns no profit from access to or use of sanctuary resources. (e) For a permit violation, the Secretary may suspend or revoke the permit without compensation or United States liability, impose a civil penalty under section 1437, or do both. (f) Each permit holder must submit an annual report by December 31 describing permitted activities and revenues from them during the year. (g) This section does not require a fishing-activity permit in a national marine sanctuary.