Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



Page 7 



NOAA's evaluation of the site's potential as a 

 National Marine Sanctuary. 



Significant concerns were identified through this 

 process regarding possible threats to the Stellwagen 

 Bank environment from proposed human activities. 

 Natural resources at risk include the Bank feature 

 itself, as well as commercially-important fisheries 

 and endangered cetaceans. 



The DEIS/MP on the proposed Stellwagen 

 Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and the 

 Prospectus to Congress were published on February 

 8, 1991, initiating a 60-day pubUc comment period, 

 and a 45-day Congressional review period, during 

 this period, a series of pubUc hearings were 

 conducted (March 11-18, 1991) in Portsmouth, NH; 

 Gloucester, MA; Duxbury, MA; Provincetown, MA; 

 and Washington, DC. Approximately 225 persons 

 attended the pubUc hearings, and over 860 written 

 comments were received during this period. 

 Additionally, petitions signed by more than 20,000 

 persons supporting designation of the Stellwagen 

 Bank National Marine Sanctuary were also received 

 by NOAA by the comment deadline of April 9, 

 1991. 



Prior to the issuance of this FEIS/MP, the U.S. 

 Congress passed and the President signed into law 

 the National Marine Sanctuaries Amendments Act 

 of 1992, which reauthorizes and amends Title III of 

 the MPRSA (P. L. 102-587, Nov. 4, 1992). Section 

 2202 of P. L. 102-587 designates the Stellwagen 

 Bank National Marine Sanctuary; establishes a 

 Sanctuary boundary; prohibits the exploration for 

 and mining of sand and gravel and other minerals 

 in the Sanctuary; requires consultation with the 

 Secretary of Commerce by Federal agencies 

 proposing agency actions in the vicinity of the 

 Sanctuary that may affect Sanctuary resources; 

 authorizes funding levels for fiscal years 1993 and 

 1994; and directs the Secretary of Commerce to 

 consider estabUshment of a satellite Sanctuary office 

 in Provincetown, Gloucester or Hull, MA. 



F. Purpose and Need for Designation 



The combination of physical and oceanographic 

 characteristics over and around the Stellwagen Bank 

 feature produces two distinct peak productivity 



periods annually. This occurs when overturn and 

 mixing of coastal waters with nutrient-rich waters 

 from deeper strata result in a complex system of 

 overlapping mid-water and benthic habitats. This 

 cychc biological productivity supports a large variety 

 of fishery resources, including mackerel, bluefin 

 tuna, bluefish, shad, menhaden, herring, cod, 

 haddock, flounders, quahog, and sea scallop. Large 

 populations of the predominant forage fish, the sand 

 lance, support larger fish species and seasonal 

 populations of cetaceans. Sand lance are also 

 responsible for seasonal concentrations of a variety 

 of seabirds. Several species of cetaceans have been 

 recorded at Stellwagen Bank, including Atlantic 

 white-sided dolphins, white-beaked dolphins, harbor 

 porpoises, orca whales, pilot whales, minke whales, 

 humpback whales, fin whales, sei whales, and 

 northern right whales. The latter four species are 

 Federally-Usted as "endangered." 



The proximity to land and accessibility of this 

 biologically rich and diverse system have resulted in 

 extensive levels of human activities. The primary 

 commercial use of the Bank's resources is fishing, 

 which has occurred in the area for several 

 generations. More recently, commercial 



whalewatching also has become a principal 

 commercial activity. Whalewatchers visiting the 

 Stellwagen Bank region number more than 1.25 

 million a year, involving more than 40 vessels. 



Commercial vessel traffic lanes in and out of 

 Boston Harbor traverse directly across the Bank 

 feature. Waters near the Stellwagen Bank have 

 been and continue to be used for disposal of 

 dredged materials. There are also activities 

 currently underway to estabhsh an extended outfall 

 tunnel, ending approximately 15 miles from 

 Stellwagen Bank, to carry and release treated 

 wastewater effluent from Boston Haibur. 



Pubhc awareness of and attention to coastal 

 management issues, and the desire to ensure the 

 future of such areas for commercial, recreational, 

 and other uses, have highlighted both the 

 importance of the Stellwagen Bank system and the 

 current lack of comprehensive and coordinated 

 management for this area. The Sanctuary occurs in 

 Federal waters not fully protected from potentially 

 harmful activities, and lacking the benefits of 



