Stellwagen Bank FEIS/MP Appendices Page A2 



Sanctuary waters exceeded $15 million in 1990. 



The biological productivity of the Bank also attracts a seasonal variety of large and small cetaceans, several 

 of which are classified as endangered species. The Stellwagen Bank environment provides feeding and nursery 

 areas for humpback, fm, and northern right whales, the latter being the most critically-endangered of all large 

 cetacean species. The photo-identification at Stellwagen Bank of 100 or more individual right whales from a total 

 North Atlantic population estimated in 1990 at approximately 300 to 350 indicates the importance of the Bank 

 to this species. The predictable seasonal presence of these and other cetacean species has generated a growing 

 commercial whalewatch industry, involving more than 40 vessels (over 1.5 million passengers), and producing 

 revenues in excess of $17 million in 1988. 



A vessel traffic separation scheme (VTSS) crosses directly over Stellwagen Bank, and accommodates 

 approximately 2,700 commercial vessels annually in and out of Boston, Massachusetts. Existing or potential 

 additional human activities involving the Stellwagen Bank environment include dredged materials disposal; sand 

 and grave! extraction; offshore maricultiu-e development; and offshore fixed artificial platform construction. 



The uniqueness of the Stellwagen Bank environment as well as its accessibility draws the continuing interest 

 of area scientific institutions, including the Center for Coastal Studies, Cetacean Research Unit, University of 

 Massachusetts, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Manomet Bird 

 Observatory, New England Aquarium, University of Rhode Island and the National Marine Fisheries Service 

 (NOAA). In light of the increasing levels of human activities, several issues such as: interactions between marine 

 mammals and commercial/recreational vessels; immediate, long-term and cumulative impacts on marine 

 mammals from whale-watching vessel activity; and the immediate, long-term and cumulative effects of 

 discharge/disposal operations on the Bank§ resources and qualities require coordinated and comprehensive 

 monitoring and research. 



Article IV. Scope of Regulations 



Section 1. Activities Subject to Regulation 



The following activities are subject to regulation under the Act, including prohibition, to the extent necessary 

 and reasonable to ensiu-e the protection and management of the conservation, recreational, ecological, historical, 

 research, educational or esthetic resources and qualities of the area: 



a. Disch2irging or depositing, from within the boundary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter; 



b. Discharging or depositing, from beyond the boimdary of the Sanctuary, any material or other matter; 



c. Exploring for, developing, or producing oil, gas or minerals (e.g. clay, stone, sand, gravel, metalliferous 

 ores and nonmetalliferous ores or any other solid material or other matter of commercial value 

 ['Industrial materials']) in the Sanctuary; 



d. Drilling into, dredging or otherwise altering the seabed of the Sanctuary; or constructing, placing or 

 abandoning any structure, material or other matter on the seabed of the Sanctuary; 



e. Development or conduct in the Sanctuary of mariciJture activities; 



f. Taking, removing, moving, catching, collecting, harvesting, feeding, injuring, destroying or causmg the 

 loss of, or attempting to take, remove, move, catch, collect, harvest, feed, injure, destroy or cause the 

 loss of, a marine meunmal, marine reptile, seabird, historical resource or other Sanctuary resource; 



