Lake Ontario designated as national marine sanctuary

[ckhthankgod]

Here is an article related to a couple of counties in the Combined Statistical Area(CSA, bolded below).

"After years of work by federal, state and local agencies, the Biden administration has designated east Lake Ontario as a national marine sanctuary.

Lake Ontario is the 16th national marine sanctuary since the program's creation in 1972. The 1,722-square-mile area is off the coast of four counties — Cayuga, Jefferson, Oswego and Wayne — and includes 41 known shipwrecks and an aircraft.

Dr. Rick Spinrad, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that oversees the marine sanctuaries, considers the designation as a milestone for the country, New York and his agency.

"Establishing a national marine sanctuary in the cold, fresh waters of eastern Lake Ontario opens the door to world-class research and education initiatives, and provides opportunities to support and enhance tourism and the local economy within one of the most historically significant regions in the Great Lakes," Spinrad said.

Cayuga, Jefferson, Oswego and Wayne counties began working on the national marine sanctuary proposal in 2015. An application was submitted in 2017 and reviewed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA decided that year to consider Lake Ontario for the sanctuary designation.

Meetings were held in 2019 and NOAA accepted public comments on the proposed sanctuary. An advisory council formed in March 2020. The council met virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NOAA released its draft environmental impact statement and draft management plan in 2021. Last year, the agency unveiled its proposal to designate Lake Ontario as a national marine sanctuary. There was another public comment period to gather feedback on the plan.

Lake Ontario is the third national marine sanctuary in the Great Lakes, joining Thunder Bay and the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast. The sanctuary will be co-managed by NOAA and New York state.

With the establishment of the sanctuary, there will regulations for exploring the shipwreck sites within the area. But recreational activities, such as boating and fishing, won't be affected by the designation.

An event to celebrate sanctuary status has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, at William S. Cahill Pier, 39 Lake St., Oswego."

Source: https://auburnpub.com/news/local/gov...44e9be484647a9

More info: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/lake-ontario/

https://marinesanctuary.org/sanctuary/lake-ontario/

https://oceanographicmagazine.com/ne...ary-announced/