The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wants public comment on the possible designation of a new national marine sanctuary off the coast of New York in Hudson Canyon.
The designation would lead to the conservation of rich marine wildlife and habitats and the promotion of sustainable economic activities, according to a June 8 NOAA release. It also would create new scientific research opportunities.
“A sanctuary near one of the most densely populated areas of the Northeast U.S. would connect diverse communities across the region to the ocean and the canyon in new and different ways," NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said, according to the release. “It would also help advance the administration’s commitment to conserve and restore special marine places, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. As someone who grew up in New York City and went on to a career in ocean science, I am excited about how this amazing underwater environment can inspire shared interest in conserving our ocean.”
Shifts in the distribution of marine species already have been seen in the mid-Atlantic region, including some that are important to humans for food, Nicole LeBoeuf, director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service said in the release.
“Hudson Canyon could serve as a sentinel site for NOAA to monitor the impacts of climate change on submarine canyons and other deep-sea benthic habitats, which are vulnerable to the effects of ocean acidification and oxygen depletion,” LeBoeuf added, according to the release.
