Obama puts part of North Atlantic off limits to drilling, fishing

Source: Gregory Korte, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Obama created a marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, taking executive action to protect 4,913 square miles of underwater habitats off the coast of New England.

The new marine preserve, known as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, is the first such protected area in the U.S. waters off the Atlantic. It's similar in purpose — if not in size — to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii, which was first created by President Bush and then expanded last month by President Obama. Both monuments protect marine life from drilling and commercial fishing.

Located about 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod, the Atlantic zone will prevent all drilling and most other development of the area, with exceptions for scientific research and underwater cables. Recreational fishing will be allowed, but ​commercial red crab and lobster fisheries will have seven years to find new waters.

Obama signed the designation Thursday morning in advance of Obama's speech to a State Department conference on oceans.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/09/15/obama-puts-north-atlantic-zone-off-limits-drilling-fishing/90395300/