Saturday, July 01, 2017

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument: 27 Monuments "Stop" #11

A red brittle star occupies a beautiful white octocoral.
Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition.
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1304/logs/july22/media/brittle.html


National Monuments in Danger


I haven't been sure what to do with these monuments, so I put them on the back burner, wondering if I'd even have enough material to warrent each having their own page.  Brent Rose did cover Northeast Canyons and Seamounts as a "virtual" stop on his 27 Monuments tour, so I'll start there...




Overall, I am not sure.  I feel the marine monuments could be at the biggest risk of losing their status, or the slightest.  It seems like it could break either way.  The February 2017 issue of National Geographic contained a great article on these monuments, and it was the first time I learned anything about them.  It is a shame that only a few weeks after reading that article, the monuments were facing elimination. 

The monument is jointly managed through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  It is the first marine monument off the east coast of the United States.


National Geographic video featuring Cortes Bank:




According to National Geographic, the monument faces opposition from the fishing industry as well as the usual anti-Antiquities Act folks.  In March, a court motion was filed to intervene with the monument status of Northeast Canyons and Seamounts.

"The opposition helped derail a proposal to create a marine monument at Cashes Ledge, a ridge that lies closer to the New England coast, reaches almost to the surface, and is teeming with life."

National Geographic video featuring Cashes Ledge:




Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Map (as of June 2017) - PDF



Rubble - National Monuments in Danger:

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts
https://sites.google.com/view/nationalmonumentsindanger/the-27-monuments/northeast-canyons-and-seamounts



NOAA:

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...Incredible Critters of the Deep (July 22, 2013)
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1304/logs/july22/july22.html

2013 Expedition Photos and Videos
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1304/logs/photolog/welcome.html



National Geographic:

Why It’s Important to Save Our Seas’ Pristine Places (February 2017)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/02/saving-our-seas-president-obama-oceans-conservation/
First U.S. Atlantic Ocean Marine National Monument Is Safe Haven for Sharks, Whales, Corals, and Other Marine Life (September 15, 2016)
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/15/first-u-s-atlantic-ocean-marine-national-monument-is-safe-haven-for-sharks-whales-corals-and-other-marine-life/

Obama Creates Connecticut-Size Ocean Park, First in Atlantic (September 15, 2016)
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/obama-creates-a-monument-bigger-than-connecticut-in-the-atlantic/
Presidential Proclamation -- Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/09/15/presidential-proclamation-northeast-canyons-and-seamounts-marine

The U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia:

Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant - Intervenor Applicants’ Motion to Intervene (March 29, 2017)
http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/Memorandum%20on%20motion%20to%20intervene.pdf


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