New Enforcement Patrols
Begin in
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
MAY 8, 2001
contact:
Anne Smrcina, 781-545-8026, ext. 204
SCITUATE,
Mass. -- The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary will receive
added protection
this summer as a joint federal-state program begins regular law enforcement
patrols starting Friday, May 11th.
For the
first time, Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) patrol boats will
provide a visible presence
in the Sanctuary, particularly on busy weekend days when commercial
and recreational boats jockey for position around local whales. MEP
officers are cross-deputized to work in federal waters, and can enforce
federal environmental regulations, particularly ones to protect endangered
marine mammals and other Sanctuary resources.
This cooperative
effort between the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, the Massachusetts
Environmental Police, and the NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement
will educate the boating public while documenting Sanctuary uses and
provide a regular marine "cop on the beat."
"With
the growth of whale watching and a steady increase in boat traffic,
the Sanctuary has become an oftentimes busy marine crossroads,"
notes Sanctuary Superintendent Dr. Craig MacDonald. "Unfortunately,
many boaters are unaware of the established guidelines for safe boating
around whales. This program seeks to both bring important education
and information to the public and put officers on the water where they
can investigate potential violations of law."
"The
Massachusetts Environmental Police has been an active force in marine
resource protection over the years," says MEP Director Richard
Murray. "We are pleased to to be part of this interagency cooperative
effort and to field trained officers in support of Sanctuary enforcement."
Sanctuary
patrols depart from various Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay harbors
from the beginning of May through Oct. MEP officers will offer education
materials to boaters in the Sanctuary, collect data on vessel traffic,
and document violations of federal marine environmental regulations.
"This
is an example of state and federal conservation agencies working together
towards a common goal," notes Dick Livingston, Special Agent in
Charge of NOAA Fisheries Northeast Enforcement Division. The program
builds upon a joint enforcement plan developed by the Sanctuary and
the NOAA Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement. Under this agreement,
a NOAA Special Agent is assigned to the Sanctuary to coordinate law
enforcement activities.
"We
see our major thrust in Year One to be in the area of public outreach
and education," said MacDonald. "Part of the program will
be an effort to gather better information about Sanctuary traffic. We
have an 842-square-mile Sanctuary (almost the size of Rhode Island)
and a scarcity of data about the level of usage of this vast tract of
open water," he added.
The Gerry
E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is one of 13 sites
in the National Marine Sanctuary System. This historically important
fishing ground and prime whalewatching site was designated a National
Marine Sanctuary in 1992. The Sanctuary is located at the mouth of Massachusetts
Bay between Cape Ann and Cape Cod; its headquarters office is located
in Scituate, Mass.
