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August/Sept 2000 • Vol.1 No. 5

President Clinton announces new era in ocean exploration

Monterey Bay VesselTraffic Agreement

Marine DebrisConference

SanctuaryManagers Meet

US Coral TaskForce in Samoa

SanctuaryCalendar

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(Cont. pg.. X)

Vessel Traffic Lessens in Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary

(Cont. pg.4)

In a White House ceremony on June 12, President Clinton invigorated newinterest in the nation’s still undiscoveredmarine environment and announced a new eraof collaborative ocean exploration andprotection. During the “Millennium CouncilMillennium Matinee, Exploration: Under theSeas, Beyond the Stars,” the Presidentdescribed a variety of projects that will includeexploration on both oceans and the GulfCoast. One project will take ocean explorersdeep into the Hudson Canyon, less than 100miles off New York City, where manyeconomically and ecologically valuable speciesabound. The deep reefs and seeps off the GulfCoast of Florida with its dense thickets of giantworms and mussel beds is another area ofexploration. On the West Coast off central California,scientists will focus on the 30 mile-wide, 9000-foot Davidson Seamount an areathatis home to a mixture of unusual deep-sea animals, including large, dense patchesof sponges and extremely old coral forests. In furthering knowledge of unknown marine areas, President Clinton alsodirected the Department of Commerce to convene a panel of leading oceanexplorers, educators, and scientists to develop recommendations for a national

Five hundred miles of California coastline from San Francisco to Los Angelesbenefits from an agreement brokered by the Monterey Bay National MarineSanctuary and recently approved by the U.N. International Maritime IMO thatmoves large vessel traffic 15 miles offshore and lessens the risk of oil spill andmarine destruction to three of the nation’s marine sanctuaries. The IMO, in a May meeting in London, approved the U.S. proposal to moveships farther offshore and modify certain approaches to and from major ports.The new routing measures are primarily designed to improve protection for theChannel Islands, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay Sanctuaries.“This landmark agreement is an excellent example of how NOAA’s NationalMarine Sanctuaries can be a catalyst to bring agencies, industry and

On May 26PresidentClintonannounced anew ExecutiveOrder onMarineProtectedAreas whilevisitingAssateagueIslandNationalSeashore inMaryland.

Photo: Margo Jackson

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International Marine DebrisConference Begins in HawaiiThe International Marine Debris Conference onDerelict Fishing Gear and the Ocean Environmentsconvenes August 6-11 in Honolulu, Hawaii.Marine debris has increased ecological andeconomic costs to the marine environment. It alsopresents hazards in vessel navigation and publicsafety. Sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands HumpbackWhale National Marine Sanctuary, the conferencebrings together a diverse body of participants:government representatives from Australia, Chile,Fiji, Japan, Canada and Micronesia, federal agenciessuch as the NMFS, State Department, EPA, andthe Center for Marine Conservation. Its purpose isto evaluate past, present and future mitigationefforts, including marine debris removal, identifyingsources of marine debris, enforcement and policyinitiatives. An action plan to lesson damage fromderelict fishing gear and reduce their impact onmarine species and the environment is expected atthe conclusion of the five-day conference. Keynote Speaker U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouyewill speak on “Society’s role and Obligations asStewards of the Ocean Environment. Participantsalso include NOAA Undersecretary Dr. D. JamesBaker, ocean conservationist and explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, Research Triangle scientistsAnthony Andrady, and Senators Daniel Akaka andRep. Neil Abercrombie. For more information on the conference, call808-875-2317 or e-mail questions to info@mauipacific.org.

Sustainable Seas Expeditions Enjoysa Busy Summer in SanctuariesThe Sustainable Seas Expeditions, the NOAA andNational Geographic Society’s undersea explorationof the national marine sanctuaries, began itssummer season in June in the Channel IslandsSanctuary. For several days, Expeditions’ sub,DeepWorker, explored the islands to producetransects and roving surveys to collect video footage,still photographs, and water quality data. On June8th SSE provided shared explorations with 250

participants around the country via the Internet andsatellite downlink. In late June, SSE moved to theMonterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary forStudents at Sea events, an Interet uplink with NASAOceanography that featured Mike Guardino,Teacher-in-the-Sea. On July 4 DeepWorker pilot,Kip Evans, experienced underwater fireworks as heturned off the sub’s lights at 1000 feet for a show ofKrill bioluminescence. On subsequent days,explorers toured the head of the Monterey BayCanyon, one of the largest on the nation’s westcoastline.

National Marine Sanctuary HoldsAnnual Leadership Team MeetingThe National Marine Sanctuary Program’sLeadership Team met in Galveston, TX June 7-9.G. P. Schmahl, manager of Flower Gardens BankNational Marine Sanctuary hosted the annualsummer meeting that brings together nationalheadquarters staff and managers from the nation’s12 marine sanctuaries. Dan Basta, the sanctuary program’s actingdirector began the meetingwith a list of hot items important to the program inthe coming months. These include The JASONProject partnership; the National Education Plan;the recent announcement by President Clintonconcerning Marine Protected Areas or MPAs; andthe program’s continuing work with the SustainableSeas Expeditions; as well as other ongoing projectsand NOAA and NOS programs. Deputy Director Craig McLean reported onpersonnel, reorganization, and budget matters; anupdate on the progress of the Monitor 2000mission; and the program’s plan for oceanexploration. Each site and branch from the nationalheadquarters gave a presentation on the “state of thesanctuary” from their individual vantagepoint. Thepresentations will be used in a final report to bereleased this summer as a public document. After a day of near and long-term budgetplanning, the team discussed on policy procedures,specific policy discussions on fishery regulations,and base-line resource definitions.The meeting concluded with a presentation by TomMartin of Martin and Associates, who has been

Sketchof thefamed

Civil WarVessel’sengine.

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Vessel Traffic Agreement (Cont. pg. 1)

environmental groups together to protect marineresources and ensure the viability of the region’scritical shipping industry,” said Secretary ofCommerce William Daley. “This cooperative effortallowed the group to reach consensus on the vessel traffic recommendations and stands as amodel for resolving other resource managementissues around the country.”More than 4,000 large vessels transit the centralCalifornia coast every year. They pose a potentialrisk of catastrophic spills from the large amounts ofheavy fuel oil they use to power themselves.The California sanctuaries are home to anextraordinarily diverse array of marine mammals,seabirds, fish, and invertebrates. Many of theseocean inhabitants, sucha sea otters and seabirds, areparticularly susceptible to the effects of an oil spill.The California sanctuaries are home to anextraordinarily diverse array of marine mammals,sea birds, fish and invertebrates. Many of theseinhabitants, such as sea otters and seabirds, areparticularly susceptible to the effects of an oil spill.“I am very pleased that this important initiative,developed with extensive local involvement, wasformally adopted internationally,” said William J.Douros, superintendent of the Monterey BayNational Marine Sanctuary. “These measures willgreatly reduce the chance for a catastrophicaccident in our sanctuary.”

contracted to do an analysis regarding the needs ofeach site for visitor centers and site interpretation.

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meets inPago Pago in AugustThe fifth meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Forcewill be held Saturday, August 5 through Monday,August 7, 2000 in Pago Pago, American Samoa.Jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department ofCommerce and the U.S. Department of theInterior, the meeting brings together scientists andstakeholders from many nations to review anddiscuss efforts to implement the National ActionPlan adopted by the Task Force at its Marchmeeting.NEED ANOTHER PARAGRAPH ON THEINTIATIVE OR CORAL REEFS IN GENERAL

Monitor Mission 2000The Monitor 2000 Expedition continues off thecoast of North Carolina. Using a 300-foot barge aswork platform, NOAA and the U.S. Navy areworking to stabilize the Monitor’s hull and prepareher historic engine for recovery. Navy divers haveplaced frames holding bags into which grout(cement) is being pumped to shore up the hull andprevent its collapse. Once the shoring has beencompleted, Navy divers will begin removinglower hull plating to gain access to the engineeringspace. The engine will be separated from the hulland attached to a series of lifting slings which will,in turn, be connected to a steel lifting frame. Timeand weather permitting, the engine will berecovering and transported to the Mariners'Museum in Newport News, VA, forconservation and eventual exhibition. Stabilizing the Monitor’s hull and recoveringmajor components of the wreck are part of a long-range plan for the Monitor National MarineSanctuary entitled, Charting a new Course for theMonitor, which was submitted to Congress in April1998. The plan describes the rapid disintegration ofthe Monitor, discusses various action options, andrecommends stabilization, and selective recovery. All planning and field operations conducted sincethe comprehensive plan was submitted havefollowed the plan’s recommendations.

Natural events• Flower Garden Banks puts onan annual mass coral spawningdescribed as “an upside downsnowstorm” at the sanctuary.snowstorm. Recreational diversfirst discovered and reported onthis phenomenon in 1990. InSeptember whale watchingbegins in the Gulf of theFarallones Sanctuary and thebeautiful creatures flock itswaters to feed and breed in thenutrient-rich waters.August 11 - 13 • Thinking LikeAn Ocean: Sea Kayaking theOlympic Coast. Olympic CoastNational Marine Sanctuary.Experience the wild OlympicCoast a few have, from the waterlevel perspective of a sea kayak.September 16 • 16th AnnualCalifornia Coastal Cleanup Day.Become a steward of ourbeaches and Sanctuary bycleaning up the garbage thatpollutes our Sanctuary waters.Join FMSA and Sanctuary Staff ata cleanup of Crissy Field Beach inthe Presidio of San Francisco.Enjoy refreshments and a tour ofCall Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association, (415) 561-6625 forreservations. 1990.

A new era of ocean exploration promised (Cont’d from pg. 1)

1305 East-West HighwaySilver Spring, MD 20910301-713-3125, ext. 124301-713-0404http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov

August/SeptemberCalendar

vision People valuemarine sanctuaries astreasured placesprotected for futuregenerations.

mission Serve asthe trustee for thenation’s system of marineprotected areas toconserve, protect, andenhance their biodiversity,ecological integrity, andcultural legacy.

Photo: Claire Cappelle

Sanctuary Watch is a publication of NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program.Editor: Nancy O’DonnellGraphic Artist: Sandy GantMatt Stout, Chief, Commu ications and Development BranchPrinted on recycled paper.

The National Marine Sanctuary program is part of the Office of Ocean and Coastal and Resource Management,National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ocean exploration strategy.This important new initiative is a result of the National Ocean Conference held inMonterey, California in 1998. At that meeting, the President and Vice PresidentGore met with staff from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Program,NOAA leadership, members of Congress and other ocean supporters to discuss thestate of the world’s oceans. Later the President pledged new efforts to restore ailingcoral reefs, rebuild exhausted marine fisheries and protect the nation’s coastlines fromoil drilling. In addition, President Clinton directed his Cabinet to developrecommendations for a coordinated, disciplined, long-term federal ocean policy. Inits 1999 report, “Turning to the Sea: America’s ocean Future,” the Cabinet outlinedstrategies to protect and sustainably use the nation’s network of marine protectedareas.The report notes that even though the oceans cover 70% of the planet, scientistsestimate that over90% of our underwater world remains unknown and unseen.Scientists believe that these unexplored regions may hold clues to the origin of life onEarth, cures for human diseases, answers to problem of overfishing and the possibilityof sustainable use, and information on how to protect marine endangered species. Finally, the President has directed the Secretary of Commerce to convene a panel ofleading ocean explorers, educators, and scientists to present a report within 120 dayson recommendations for national oceans explorations strategy.