Mystic
Aquarium asks you to help save new Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Monument
Day
of Action on Monday
Mystic
Aquarium joins other members of the National Ocean Protection Coalition to mark
“Monumental Monday” with the goal of encouraging engagement during the public
comment period of the Department of the Interior’s review of 26 National
Monument designations.
An Executive Order threatens to undo protections for
many of our nation’s most cherished natural, cultural, and historic wonders-including
the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts.
On
September 14, 2016, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts off the coast of New
England was designated the first marine national monument in the U.S. Atlantic
Ocean.
Mystic Aquarium’s senior research scientist Dr. Peter Auster was
instrumental in providing the scientific rationale for conservation of the
area.
The region represents a biodiversity hot-spot, and the best remaining
undisturbed ecosystems in the north Atlantic, making them vital to scientific
research, especially in the face of climate change.
On April 26, President Trump signed an executive order that opens the door to eliminating or shrinking 26 parks and monuments that have been protected by previous presidents, including the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.
The
goal is to reach 1 million comments to the federal register portal ahead of the
deadline of July 10.
“Mystic
Aquarium is committed to ocean research and conservation and we know that many
members of our community feel the same way, and are eager to take
action,” said Katie Cubina, Senior Vice President of Mission Programs at Mystic
Aquarium.
“We are asking our citizen scientists, our Youth Conservation Corp.,
our guests, friends, followers and fans, to tell the Department of the Interior
why the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts are so important.”
Sixteen
presidents have designated national monuments in bipartisan efforts to protect
places throughout the country, on land and at sea. The American public
overwhelmingly supports the protections our national monuments provide to our
lands and oceans.
No
other president has ever attempted to revoke a predecessor's monument
designation(s).
On
campus, through e-communication and social media, Mystic Aquarium is providing
encouragement to ocean stewards to share why protection of monuments, and
particularly the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, is
important.
Those
interested in making their voices heard this monumental Monday or any day up to
July 10 are invited to log on to https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=DOI-2017-0002-0001.
“Together,
we can generate a tidal wave of comments to support marine national monuments,”
added Cubina. “We must protect the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts, and
all monuments in the ocean and on land from harm, so future generations of
Americans can enjoy and benefit from them.”