MASSACHUSETTS' PERSPECTIVE ON SUBMARINE CANYONS 

 AND DRILLING AROUND THESE CANYONS 



Ms. Patricia E. Hughes 



Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Office 



Boston, MA 



In late 1983 and through 1984, the Minerals Management Service, along 

 with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, 

 worked on the development of a stipulation that prohibited drilling within 200 

 m of the submarine canyons in the North Atlantic OCS planning area. A further 

 part of the stipulation required monitoring of exploratory drilling activities 

 within 4 mi of the submarine canyons. This no-drilling stipulation was 

 established for three reasons: 



■ to protect the unique biological habitats of the canyons 

 {presentations by Dick Cooper, Barbara Hecker, and Nancy Maciolek 

 discussed this aspect of the canyons. Dick called the canyons a very 

 unique habitat and indicated that the canyons are important nursery 

 areas for a number of species. Brad described the canyons as a 

 complex environment.) 



■ to protect the important biological resources (Dick Cooper highlighted 

 the variety of species using the canyons that are subject to the 

 commercial fishery.) 



■ to avoid spatial exclusion of fishing activity and minimize conflicts 

 between fishing (particularly pot fishing for lobsters and red crab 

 and long-line fishing for tilefish and swordfish) and petroleum 

 activity 



Five years after the no-drilling stipulation, it is my opinion that the 

 information we've heard today reinforces the original no-drilling stipulation. 

 If the stipulation did not exist, the canyons would be viewed as areas of 



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