| Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
 Humpback whale breaching off the Northwest Corner | |
 Map of the Stellwagen Bank sanctuary | |
| Location | Massachusetts Bay,Massachusetts,United States |
| Coordinates | 42°20′00″N70°15′00″W / 42.3333°N 70.25°W /42.3333; -70.25 |
| Area | 638 sq nmi (2,190 km2) |
| Established | November 14, 1992; 32 years ago (1992-11-14) |
| Governing body | NOAA National Ocean Service |
| stellwagen | |
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (officially theGerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary) is an 842-square-mile (636 sq nmi; 2,181 km2)United States Government-protectednational marine sanctuary located at the mouth ofMassachusetts Bay betweenCape Cod andCape Ann. It is known as an excellentwhale watching site, and is home to many otherspecies ofmarine life.
The sanctuary's headquarters are located inScituate, Massachusetts.
The sanctuary lies withinMassachusetts Bay, 25 miles (40 km) east ofBoston,Massachusetts, 5 miles (8.0 km) east ofGloucester, Massachusetts, and 5 miles (8.0 km) north ofProvincetown, Massachusetts.
The heart of the sanctuary is Stellwagen Bank, anunderwater plateau stretching 19 miles (17 nmi; 31 km) north to south, and 6 miles (5.2 nmi; 9.7 km) across at its widest near its southern end. The bank is, on average, 100 to 120 feet (30 to 37 m) below the surface, while surrounding waters to the west are over 300 feet (91 m) deep and to the northeast as deep as 600 feet (180 m).
The underwater cliff-edge of Stellwagen Bank runs parallel to the coastline and is referred to as the "shelf break." The shelf break is a steep slope which descends thousands of feet (hundreds or thousands of meters) to theocean floor. Deep nutrient-richocean currents flowing along the coastline are forced upwards toward the surface when they come into contact with the steep slopes of the bank’s plateau. This createsupwelling at the shelf break, which occur because there are ocean currents flowing along the coast, slower moving water at the bottom of the ocean due to friction, stratified water separated bydensity,salinity, and temperature, and a dramatic change inseafloor slope.[1] This upwelling brings nutrients to the surface forphytoplankton, which attracts larger organisms to feed.
Over 130species from numerous classes of theanimal kingdom live at Stellwagen Bank at least temporarily. Somefish found there are theAtlantic cod,silver hake,yellowtail flounder,bluefin tuna,yellowfin tuna,striped bass,bluefish and numerous species ofshark including thegreat white shark.[2]Shellfish such as theAmerican lobster,sea scallops,squid, andocean quahogs are also prevalent. Manymarine birds live at Stellwagen Bank, includinggannets,shearwaters,storm petrels,fulmars,puffins andrazorbills.Reptiles also are present, primarily represented by theleatherback sea turtle. Possibly the most famous animals on Stellwagen Bank are itsmarine mammals. Five species ofseals (harp seals,gray seals,harbor seals,hooded seals, andringed seals), and numerouswhale species swim in the waters of Stellwagen Bank.[3] Whale watchers frequently can seehumpback whales,minke whales andfin whales and occasionally sight of one of the most critically endangered whale species, theNorth Atlantic right whale. Other whale species seen include thesperm whale,beluga whale,orca,pilot whale,white-beaked dolphin,Atlantic white-sided dolphin,common dolphin,bottlenose dolphin,Risso’s dolphin,harbor porpoise,blue whale, andsei whale.[3]
Stellwagen Bank owes much of its existence tothe last major ice age. TheLaurentide Ice Sheet advanced over theeastern United States 25,000 years ago, pushing in front of it large amounts of earth and rock. The southern margin of theglaciers formed local geographical features includingCape Cod and Stellwagen Bank. Originally, the Stellwagen Bank was above water, but gradually subsided over time as thepost-glacial rebound subsided.
In the17th century it was observed that the area made for excellentfishing. Largecod andtuna were caught frequently in the area, andwhaling ships caught many whales in the area.
In 1854, theUnited States Navy sentLieutenant CommanderHenry Stellwagen to survey and map the area. It was known that there was anocean bank in the area, but its extent and shape were not known.Sounding could show ships how close they were to the dangerous waters ofBoston Harbor, and so better maps were needed. Prior to Stellwagen'shydrographic survey, it was believed there were two small banks in the area, one just to the north of Cape Cod, and one in the middle of the entrance to Massachusetts Bay. Stellwagen showed that they were part of one large bank. As a result, the U.S. Navy named the bank after him in 1855.
On October 7, 1992, theUnited States Congress authorized anational marine sanctuary in the area.[4] TheNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designated the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary on November 14, 1992.[5]
In 1999, thesubmersibleDeepWorker 2000 was used to quantify the species of fish as well as the space resources within the sanctuary.[6]Remotely operated underwater vehicles were used from 1993 to 2003 to make additional observations of the fish within the sanctuary and adjacent waters.[6]
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