The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which stretches between Cape Ann and Cape Cod at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, is a home to 80 species of fish and 22 species of marine mammals such as the endangered humpback, fin, and right whales. These species are in danger of being studied to death because of overfishing. After research and analysis, sanctuary officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a draft plan to protect one of the world’s richest ocean feeding grounds.
The research report has well-established that Stellwagen Bank is being degraded by bottom trawlers, whale entanglements, water quality problems, heavy cargo traffic, poor enforcement, and whale watch cruises and charter fishing. The clout of the commercial fishing industry discourages sanctuary officials from recommending the kind of ocean zoning regulations that create “no-take” zones in marine sanctuaries, such as the one in Key West, Fla.
It is observed that the local fishing industry could survive the creation of a fully protected reserve within the Stellwagen Bank sanctuary, as well. Now Stellwagen officials should stand up for no-fishing zones to ensure the long-term survival of a marine sanctuary.
