From Cape Cod to Georges Bank to the Gulf of Maine, New England’s ocean is home to a remarkable array of plant life and wildlife.
The health of our ocean is intertwined with that of our fisheries and our coastal economies – and today, all are at risk.
That’s why CLF is working to protect special ocean places, especially those that are most critical and fragile. CLF helped secure protections for what is now the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. But that’s just the beginning – we must protect other parts of New England’s ocean to ensure its long-term health and vitality.
In protecting important ocean habitats, we want to do more than preserve biodiversity and ensure the future of our fisheries. Protected areas also serve as valuable undersea laboratories for scientists, whose research will help us understand, respond, and adapt to the impacts of our changing climate.
We are currently working at two levels to protect New England’s special ocean places:
- We advocate before regional fishery managers to protect important habitats and allow vulnerable groundfish – including Atlantic cod – time to recover from decades of overfishing.
- As part of a global initiative known as 30×30, we work with partners to urge the Biden administration to protect at least 30% of the ocean nationwide, including through new protected areas here in New England. We’re fighting to make Cashes Ledge, an underwater mountain range habitat in the Gulf of Maine, a protected national marine sanctuary.
