Obama Creates Atlantic Ocean’s First Marine National Monument Off Cape Cod
A NOAA ship investigates underwater canyons. Credit: NOAA
President Barack Obama has signed an order protecting a section of underwater mountains and canyons off New England’s coast. It’s the first marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean.
Deep sea coral, endangered whales, and sea turtles are just a few of the things the White House said will now be protected under the order signed by the President.
“I always describe it as climbing mountains from the top down,” said Peter Auster, a senior research scientist at Mystic Aquarium who has explored the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts first-hand using underwater robots and by sitting in submarines.