April 7, 2017 — The Hudson Canyon is in the spotlight.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hear a proposal from New York Aquarium, which has nominated the canyon for a National Marine Sanctuary designation.
The sanctuary program is run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In the program’s 40 years of existence 13 national marine sanctuaries and two marine national monuments have been established.
The sanctuaries are to be tailored to the needs of its stakeholders. New Jersey fishermen however, are raising concerns that they will be shut out of a prolific fishing ground.
“We’re in complete opposition. We’re not going to be fooled by the notion that the aquarium doesn’t intend to severely restrict fishing over time,” said Greg DiDomenico, Executive Director, Garden State Seafood Association.
The seafood association represents the interest’s of the state’s commercial fishermen.
The Hudson Canyon, a depression in the ocean floor that starts 80 miles east of Manasquan Inlet, is the largest submarine canyon on the Atlantic coast. It’s supports a rich diversity of marine life. Fishermen harvest seafood including squid, tunas, and shellfish from the canyon.