Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary Public Input Sought

Deepwater Coral

NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries recently announced that the agency will seek public input, the first step in the process to potentially designate a new national marine sanctuary off the coast of New York and New Jersey.

Stakeholders include recreational and commercial fishermen, researchers, and others.

The public can comment on the proposed Hudson Canyon sanctuary designation until August 8, 2022, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, www.regulations.gov. The docket number is NOAA-NOS-2022-0053.

In addition, NOAA will host public meetings during which members of the public can offer oral comments.

A detailed description of the proposed sanctuary, additional information about opportunities to provide comment, and information about the public meetings can be found at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/hudson-canyon/.

Hudson Canyon is the largest submarine canyon along the U.S. Atlantic coast and is one of the largest in the world.

Beginning approximately 100 miles southeast of New York City, Hudson Canyon extends about 350 miles seaward, reaches depths of 2 to 2.5 miles, and is up to 7.5 miles wide.

Hudson Canyon's diverse structure includes steep slopes, firm outcrops, diverse sediments, flux of nutrients, and areas of upwelling.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Hudson Canyon is an ecological hotspot for a variety of marine wildlife. The deepwater canyon is home to numerous fish species including sharks, tuna, billfish, swordfish, blackbelly rosefish, tilefish, flounder, hakes, pollock, monkfish, and black sea bass. Invertebrates include red crabs, lobsters, and squids.

Some species live only in shallower depths on the shelf while others live deep in the canyon, which starts about 100 miles southeast of New York City on the continental shelf and runs some 300 miles into very deep water.

Several NGOs have endorsed the designation. The Wildlife Conservation Society submitted a nomination for a Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary in November 2016, noting that the area provides a wide range of benefits to New York and New Jersey residents such as clean air, fresh water, recreation, and food.

In June, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation released a statement commending the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for initiating the designation process of Hudson Canyon, off the coast of New York City, to become a new national marine sanctuary.

Related Information

Hudson Canyon Marine Life

Canada Marine Protected Areas Update

In 2019, Canada announced that the nation had surpassed its marine conservation target of 10 percent protection of marine and coastal areas.

The progress is the result of collaborative efforts with indigenous peoples, all levels of government, marine industries, and stakeholders.

To date, Canada has established 14 MPAs under the Oceans Act, three National Marine Conservation Areas, one marine National Wildlife Area, and 59 marine refuges. These areas protect 13.81% of Canada’s marine and coastal areas.

Projects include:


2019

• Establishment of the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area (MPA). This MPA contributes 5.55 percent towards Canada’s marine conservation targets and encompasses an area of 319 411 km2.
• Amendments to the Oceans Act enabling the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to designate interim MPAs to provide protection to vulnerable areas while further scientific research and consultation take place.
• Adoption of new protection standards for federal MPAs and other effective area-based conservation measures to better conserve sensitive and important parts of oceans.
• Establishment of 2 Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas.
• Banc-des-Américains MPA.
• Laurentian Channel MPA.
• Announcement of 8 new marine refuges in Howe Sound, between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

2018

• Establishment of Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area off Vancouver Island.
• Announcement of the Canada-Quebec Collaborative Agreement to Establish a Network of Marine Protected Areas in Quebec.

2017

• Announcement of 51 marine refuges; representing approximately 275,000 km2 and 4.78% of conserved marine territory.
• Establishment of 2 Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas
• Hecate Strait/Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reef MPA
• St. Anns Bank MPA
• Announcement of the final boundary for the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area in the High Arctic.

2016

• Establishment of Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam Marine Protected Area in the Beaufort Sea, Northwest Territories.

Future Projects

The Government of Canada remains committed to carrying out the work set out under the five-point plan, including the protection of large offshore areas such as the Offshore Pacific Area of Interest, identified in May 2017, west of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

source: Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans


Related Information

New Canada Marine Refuges (Nunavut - Newfoundland and Labrador)

Canada Inuit Nunangat Arctic Region

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans

New Canada Marine Refuges (Nunavut - Newfoundland and Labrador)

Newfoundland and Labrador

In January, 2019, The government of Canada announced the establishment of seven new marine refuges off the coasts of Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The new marine refuges will contribute an additional 145,598 square km of protected ocean area to Canada’s coasts. This represents an additional 2.53% of protected ocean, bringing Canada’s current total to 7.75%.

New Canadian Marine Refuges:

The Davis Strait marine refuge off the coast of Nunavut will conserve significant concentrations of corals, sea pens, and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities (where fishing gears are designed to come into contact with the seafloor).

The Disko Fan marine refuge off the coast of Nunavut will conserve significant concentrations of coral and minimize impacts on food sources in a habitat used by Narwhal during the winter. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities.

The Hatton Basin marine refuge is located off the coasts of Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador. It will conserve significant concentrations of corals and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities.

The Hopedale Saddle marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will contribute to long-term conservation of biodiversity by protecting corals and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities.

The Hawke Channel marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will conserve seafloor habitat important to Atlantic cod. It will prohibit bottom trawl, gillnet and longline fishing activities.

The Funk Island Deep marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will conserve seafloor habitat important to Atlantic cod. It will prohibit bottom trawl, gillnet and longline fishing activities.

The Northeast Newfoundland Slope (formerly known as Tobin’s Point) marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will contribute to long-term conservation of biodiversity by protecting corals and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom contact fishing activities.

Earlier this year, Canada announced plans to establish a national advisory panel that will provide the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard with advice on minimum standards of protection within future Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Canada’s waters.

source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Related Information

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Canada Commercial Fishing

South Atlantic Marine Protected Areas Expansion (Coral Amendment 8)

NOAA Fisheries is seeking public comment on Amendment 8 to the Fishery Management Plan for Coral, Coral Reefs, and Live/Hardbottom Habitats of the South Atlantic Region (Coral Amendment 8).

The Notice of Availability for Coral Amendment 8 published in the Federal Register on May 20, 2014 (79 FR 28880).

If approved, the amendment would extend protections for deepwater coral ecosystems by expanding the boundaries of the Oculina Bank Habitat Area of Particular Concern, and the Stetson-Miami Terrace and Cape Lookout Coral Habitat Areas of Particular Concern.

The Coral Amendment 8 comment period ends July 21, 2014.

source: NOAA Fisheries

Northern California Marine Protected Areas Guide

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) recently released the Guide to the Northern California Marine Protected Areas.

The full-color guide includes maps with identifiable landmarks, shoreline boundary images and existing regulations for marine protected areas (MPAs) along the northern California coast (California-Oregon state line to Point Arena).

The guide also contains information about northern California MPAs, answers to frequently asked questions, general rules that apply to all MPAs and links to DFG web pages.

Northern California MPAs go into effect Wednesday, Dec. 19. The California Fish and Game Commission adopted regulations in June.

California's regional network includes 19 MPAs, one State Marine Recreational Management Area and seven special closures, covering approximately 137 square miles of state waters and 13 percent of the region.

The guide is available for online viewing and printing at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/guidebooks.asp

source: California Department of Fish and Game

MPAs Cover Eight Percent of U.S. Marine Waters

According to NOAA, recent analysis of data has shown that eight percent of U.S. waters are currently designated as marine protected areas (MPAs), with the vast majority of these areas open to fishing and other activities.

The eight percent figure does not include MPAs specifically established to sustain fisheries production, which often have specific restrictions on fishing gear over large ocean areas.  Other inventory analyses including these fishery MPAs, however, show that 92 percent of the area within U.S. MPAs allows some type of activity, and 85 percent is open to fishing.

The analysis also showed that more than two-thirds of all U.S. MPAs were created, at least in part, to conserve natural heritage values, such as biodiversity, ecosystems, or protected species.

About a quarter of sites focus on sustainable production, such as those established to recover overfished stocks, protect species readily taken as bycatch, or preserve essential fish habitats, while the remaining approximately ten percent were established to conserve the nation’s cultural heritage.

NOAA defines Marine Protected Areas as "areas where natural and/or cultural resources are given greater protection than the surrounding waters".

MPAs are conservation areas that include the marine environment, such as some national parks and national wildlife refuges, national marine sanctuaries and similar areas managed by state, local and tribal governments. They protect natural and cultural marine resources, and many allow a variety of activities such as fishing, recreation, and research.

The agency has also updated its online MPA Inventory. Developed with extensive input from state and federal MPA programs and drawn from other publically available data, the MPA inventory contains information on more than 1,700 sites and is the only such comprehensive dataset in the nation. Information in the inventory is current as of March 2012.

source: NOAA

Four MPAs Join the National System of Marine Protected Areas

Four existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - Lydonia, Norfolk, Oceanographer, and Veatch canyons, which are gear restricted areas established under the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan are now part of the National System of MPAs.

The four MPAs were nominated by NOAA Fisheries in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Under the revised Tilefish Fishery Management Plan, these areas are closed to bottom trawling gear to protect clay outcroppings, which can provide shelter to tilefish. The four areas are the first Federal fishery management sites to be listed in the National System of MPAs.

California Marine Protected Area Brochures

New marine protected areas (MPAs) will go into effect along California's coastline during 2010.

A new brochure entitled "Marine Protected Area Information for Recreational Fishermen" is now available online from California Department of Fish and Game.

See:

www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/nccmpas_brochure_highres.pdf .

A web-friendly version (smaller file size):

www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/nccmpas_brochure_lowres.pdf .

For more information, visit the Marine Life Protection Act Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa.