Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



Page 142 



Designation of boundary alternative #1 would 

 not provide for the establishment of a natural link 

 between the National Marine Sanctuary Program 

 and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Ocean 

 Sanctuary Program; or between the NMSP and the 

 Massachusetts Bays/NEP. Additionally, designation 

 of boimdary alternative #1 would not permit the 

 development of research or education/interpretive 

 programs founded in a system-wide approach. 



Boundary alternative #2 (Figure 19) 

 encompasses approximately 453 square nautical 

 miles of Federal waters. The boundary forms an 

 approximately rectangular area around the 

 Stellwagen Bank feature, with the southern border 

 extended to coincide with the seaward limit of the 

 Commonwealth's jurisdictional waters. The 

 northern and southern borders of boundary 

 alternative #2 are of approximately equal distance 

 from the land points of Cape Cod (Race Point) and 

 Cape Ann (Gloucester). 



In addition to the entirety of the Bank feature, 

 boundary #2 incorporates important marine 

 habitats which result from, and are sustained by the 

 cyclic upwelling and mixing processes caused by the 

 presence of the Bank. Endangered and other 

 species of cetaceans, pinnipeds, and numerous 

 species of commercially-important fish and 

 invertebrates depend on the habitats included in this 

 boundary alternative. The most frequently-utilized 

 feeding and nursery areas for the largest high- 

 latitude population of humpback whales in the 

 contiguous United States are included in this 

 boundary alternative, as well as spawning areas for 

 the humpbacks' primary prey, the American sand 

 lance. This and other species of endangered large 

 cetaceans attract large numbers of seasonal 

 commercial and recreational whalewatch vessels, as 

 well as significant scientific interest, to the area 

 included in boundary alternative #2. 



The commercial value of fisheries existing 

 within boundary alternative #2 is also well- 

 established, generating multi-milUon-doUar revenues 

 to the regional economy. The tradition of fishing 

 within the Stellwagen Bank system is historically the 

 most important human activity in the New England 

 region, dating from the time of the early Colonists. 



The southern border of boundary alternative 

 #2 comcides with the seaward limit of 

 Commonwealth jurisdictional waters adjacent to the 

 Cape Cod Bay Ocean Sanctuary; and is also 

 tangential to waters designated by the 

 Commonwealth as the Cape Cod Ocean Sanctuary, 

 creating the potential for Federal-State coordination 

 in ocean system management initiatives. 



Boundary alternative #2 does not include any 

 of the Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site (MBDS), as 

 currently proposed for permanent designation by 

 EPA. However, the MBDS (if designated at the 

 site proposed by EPA) will be situated in close 

 proximity to the Sanctuary. Designation of both 

 sites will provide the opportunity for coordinated 

 management considerations to enhance scrutiny of 

 disposal activities, in particular from the perspective 

 of Sanctuary protection. 



The environmental consequences of boundary 

 alternative #2 would be expected to be beneficial to 

 a significant portion of the overall Stellwagen Bank 

 system, due in part to the manageability of the site, 

 and to the reahstic potential for coordinated efforts 

 with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through 

 its Ocean Sanctuaries Program, and through the 

 Massachusetts Bays Program/NEP planning efforts. 



Boundary alternative #3 (Figure 20), 

 encompassing approximately 702 square nautical 

 miles of Federal waters, is the largest boundary 

 option considered by NOAA for Sanctuary 

 designation. The boundary includes all of 

 Stellwagen Bank, as well as additional submerged 

 features, i.e., TiUies Bank and southern portions of 

 Jeffreys Ledge, located north of Stellwagen Bank. 

 Boimdary alternative #3 also extends into 

 Stellwagen Basin, west of the Bank feature. 



This boundary alternative includes additional 

 important habitat areas important to invertebrate, 

 fish, and cetacean species, as well as human 

 activities. The northwest border of this boundary 

 alternative also is extended to coincide with the 

 North Shore Ocean Sanctuary, designated by the 

 Commonwealth. Adoption of this boundary 

 alternative would therefore offer enhanced 

 opportunities to ensure that management planning 

 for resource protection, research, and education 



