Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



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on crustaceans, fish and squid, in addition to offal. 

 The species is extremely abundant during November 

 to March, particularly in the cu-ea from Jeffreys 

 Ledge south and east across the northern portion of 

 Georges Bank. In winter months, the density of 

 kittiwakes over Stellwagen Bcmk and Jeffreys Ledge 

 is probably higher than for any other species of 

 seabird. 



Three species of jaegers occur in the western 

 North Atlantic, although only two are regularly 

 observed in the southwestern Gulf of Maine, over 

 Stellwagen Bank: the Parasitic jaeger (Stercorarius 

 parasiticus ) and the Pomarine jaeger (Stercorarius 

 pomarinus ). The Long-tailed jaeger (Stercorarius 

 longicaudus ) is only seen very occasionally in the 

 Gulf. Jaegers are migrants across Georges Bank, 

 principally in spring and fall months. Jaegers feed 

 at the surface, seizing prey or snatching from other 

 birds, such as gulls and terns. The species are 

 secondary and tertiary carnivores feeding on 

 crustaceans, fish and cephalopods, as well as offal. 



Two species of skuas appear over Georges Bank 

 and the surrounding areas, the Great skua 

 (Catharacta skua) and the South polar skua 

 (Catharacta maccormickii '). The great skua is most 

 common from October to March, although 

 individual sightings have been made every month 

 (Powers and Brown, 1983). The south polar skua, 

 only recently recognized in the overall western 

 North Atlantic, has been generally observed from 

 May to October over Georges Bank. Like the 

 jaegers, skuas feed primarily on fish, cephalopods, 

 and offal. 



Terns - All nine species of terns identified as 

 occurring around the Stellwagen Bank region feed 

 exclusively on small fish. Of the group, it is known 

 that Common terns (Sterna hirundo ). Arctic terns 

 (Sterna paradisaea ). Roseate terns (Sterna 

 dougallii), and Least terns (Sterna albifrons ) breed 

 along Atlantic coastlines at various points, 

 depending on the individual species, between Nova 

 Scotia and Florida (and, in the case of the Least 

 tern, also along the Gulf coast). Terns are typically 

 seen around the Bank during summer and autumn 

 months. The roseate tern is Federally-listed as an 

 endangered species. 



3. Historical /Cultural Resources 



There are several known and potential submerged 

 cultural resources within or adjacent to the 

 Sanctuary. Given the distance from the nearest 

 landfall, submerged cultural resources might include 

 prehistoric materials and sites, historic and modern 

 shipwrecks, disposal areas, and aircraft. At present, 

 the only submerged cultural resources identified are 

 shipwrecks and aircraft. 



a. Prehistoric Cultural Resources 



While no known prehistoric cultural resources, 

 artifacts, or sites have been located in the Sanctuary 

 area, the potential for their existence must be 

 considered. The occasional recovery of megafauna 

 remains (such as mammoth and mastodon skeletcd 

 materials) by fishermen demonstrates that 

 environmental conditions were present to support 

 Paleo-lndian populations. Recently, skeletal 

 materials (mastodon or mammoth tooth) were 

 recovered by commercial fishermen several miles off 

 Provincetown (H. Arnold Carr, pers. comm., 1990). 

 However, these discoveries do not necessarily 

 presume the presence of Native American remains. 

 Further, a more diverse subsistence pattern of 

 foraging and hunting (big-game and smaller 

 animals) was more likely for Paleo-lndian groups 

 (Funk, 1978; Barber, 1979). 



A Bureau of Land Management study of the 

 Outer Continental Shelf (Barber, 1979) 

 characterized two possible periods when the study 

 area was not inundated and could have supported 

 Native American exploitation. Between 12,(M)0 and 

 9,000 B.P. (Before Present), the Stellwagen Bank 

 area was a series of shoals and small islands. Seal 

 hunting would have been a major subsistence 

 activity. Between 9,000 and 6,000 B.P., the Bank 

 appears to have been one large coiitinuous island 

 that may have supported Native Americans similar 

 to the nearby Provincetown area of Cape Cod (shell 

 middens and habitation). Sites are characterized as 

 small in size and low in frequency. 



Some researchers assert Native American 

 populations were exploiting large marine mammals 

 at sea prior to European contact (Proulx, 1986). 

 Erickson (1978) observed that porpoises and seals 



