Obama to announce first Atlantic Ocean monument

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Washington Examiner:

President Obama on Thursday will designate the first national marine monument off the Atlantic Coast as part of a broad conservation push to fight the effects of climate change on sea life.

 

The announcement comes just two weeks after he designated the largest marine national monument off the coast of Hawaii. Obama will make the announcement at the third annual Our Oceans Conference being held in Washington with leaders from around the world.

 

"Today, President Obama will designate the first marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean, protecting fragile deep-sea ecosystems off the coast of New England as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument," the White House said. "The new national monument — which encompasses pristine underwater mountains and canyons — will provide critical protections for important ecological resources and marine species, including deep-sea coral and endangered whales and sea turtles."

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Obama Will Set Aside 5,000 Square Miles Off New England--Ban Commercial Fishing

 

(CNSNews.com) - The State Department is hosting a two-day conference on the world's oceans, beginning today, and it's expected to produce a raft of announcements and initiatives, including new marine protected areas -- one off the coast of New England -- as well as a ban on single-use plastic bags.

Ahead of the conference, press reports said President Obama on Thursday will establish the first national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean to permanently protect nearly 5,000 square miles of underwater canyons and mountains off the coast of New England.

 

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/obama-protecting-5k-square-miles-new-england-ban-plastic-bags-also-expected

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Kerry: Residents of Martha's Vineyard 'Appreciate Everything We're Here to Protect in Terms of the Ocean'

 

(CNSNews.com) - Secretary of State John Kerry, hosting an "Our Ocean" conference at the State Department on Thursday, thanked actor Ted Danson (of "Cheers" fame) for introducing him, noting that Danson has "had a passion for the ocean" for years.

 

"We're proud to call him a part-time resident of Massachusetts," said Kerry, the former senator from Massachusetts. "He has a place out on Martha’s Vineyard, where truly people appreciate everything we’re here to protect in terms of the ocean."

 

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/kerry-residents-marthas-vineyard-appreciate-everything-were-here-protect