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STOP NOAA control over the NC oceans
Posted By: Karen Flynn
Date: Friday, 4-27-12, at 5:44 p.m.
I am contacting you as a member of the general public who has a recreational and/or commercial interest regarding assess and use of the ocean environment off of the Outer Banks. I myself am a private citizen who has enjoyed both fishing and scuba diving on the wrecks off this coast for nearly 30 years. If you are not already aware, there is a plan being proposed by NOAA and the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary (MNMS) that could impact public access and use of the coastal area off the Outer Banks FOREVER. Public hearing will be held NEXT WEEK only (April 30 – May 4), so time is critical for you to form an opinion, to act and be heard.
On April 17, 2012 NOAA released a comprehensive draft management plan and environmental assessment for the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary for public review and comment. Complete information can be found at this link - http://monitor.noaa.gov/management/draft_management.html
One of the prime recommendations of this new management plan is to consider expanding the limited/restricted access zone around the USS Monitor wreck site to include a broad, and as yet undefined area known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic". The details of this plan are outlined in the “Expansion Action Plan” (EAP) which starts on page 102 of the Draft Management Plan.
No proposed boundaries of an expanded MNMS or specific shipwrecks are listed in this document. The boundaries of an expanded MNMS may not yet be determined or NOAA does not choose to place their goals in the public purview at this time. During the past several summer seasons NOAA has surveyed many of the wreck sites near the MNMS ranging from the U-701 site off Avon NC to several sites off Morehead City , NC. They have posted videos, stills and blogs from these expeditions on their web sites. This is Activity 1.1 in the “Strategy” section (page 105) of the EAP and has been underway for some time.
The current restrictions around the USS Monitor site have been difficult to impossible to understand since the site became a sanctuary in 1975. Members of the general public have had to take legal action against NOAA in order to ensure public access to the site for scuba divers during the 1980s. Additionally, sport and commercial fishing continue to be blamed as a source of “accelerated deterioration” of the USS Monitor wreck site. Yet the fact that NOAA and the Navy, between 1998 and 2002, have recovered almost 400 tons of material from the USS Monitor including her revolving gun turret, engine, 11-inch Dahlgren guns and thousands of smaller artifacts (as cited in this draft plan) are NEVER attributed as a potential source for this “accelerated deterioration”. Last, based on NOAA's own words in their current Draft Management Plan, while the Monitor Sanctuary has been in existence for 37 years, NOAA is still struggling to effectively deal with ensuring easy public access to the USS Monitor wreck site, which is why this remains a primary objective that has yet to be achieved under the "Resource Protection" portion of this draft plan.
As a private citizen who has enjoyed both fishing and scuba diving on the wrecks off this coast for nearly 30 years, including the USS Monitor site by Special Use permit from 1994-1998, I find it to be a truly frightening proposal to think of expanding NOAA control and access limitations to a board part of the Outer Banks ocean environment.
As a member of the general public who has a commercial/economic interest regarding assess and use of the ocean environment off of the Outer Banks, you should have an even greater concern than I regarding this proposal. In NOAA’s Environmental Assessment (link is just below the draft management plan on the web site identified above), NOAA declares that there is a "Finding Of No Significant Impact (FONSI)" in 3 affected environments: 1) Biological & Physical; 2) Socioeconomic; and 3) the Maritime & Cultural environment. However, since NOAA has not demonstrated an ability to effectively deal with ensuring easy public access to a single shipwreck site in 37 years, how will they deal with a nearly countless number of shipwreck sites in an expansive, and as yet undefined area, known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic"? The proposed expansion is certain to bring major restriction and limitation, and subsequent harm to the entire economic community that uses access to this ocean environment as a means for business - scuba diving, sport fishing, commercial fishing, and all tourist related industries that support these communities.
I urge you to challenge this proposal and the FONSI on the socioeconomic environment that will be brought about by the proposed expansion of the MNMS. Please attend a public scoping meeting at one of the following locations:
April 30, 6:30 p.m., Raleigh, N.C., NC Museum of History, 5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27601
May 1, 6:30 p.m., Wilmington, N.C., NC Maritime Museum, 204 E Moore Street, Southport, N.C. 28461
May 2, 6:30 p.m., Beaufort, N.C., NC Maritime Museum, 315 Front Street, Beaufort, N.C. 28516
May 3, 6:30 p.m., Nags Head, N.C., Jennette's Pier, Milepost 16.5, Nags Head, NC 7223
May 4, 2:00 p.m., Newport News, Va., The Mariners' Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, Va. 23606If you cannot attend, please register your thoughts and concerns by email to monitor@noaa.gov, by fax to 757-591-7353, or in writing to the Monitor NMS Management Plan Review Coordinator at 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606. A significant and vocal public opposition to this plan is required NOW if we are to maintain the unlimited and unrestricted access to the Outer Banks ocean environment that we enjoy today!
Please don’t hesitate to contact me via email if you have any additional questions or thoughts.
Karen Flynn
Atlantic Wreck Divers
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