Northeast Canyons and Seamounts

In 2023 and 2024, the federal government carried out a planning process for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. During the public review and comment period, the Northeast Ocean Data Portal provided public access to interactive maps of data used in the planning process.

On September 12, 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) jointly released a Draft Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument for public review and comment. To view all written comments that were received during the public comment period, visit https://www.regulations.gov/document/FWS-R5-NWRS-2023-0154-0001.

On February 16, 2024, NOAA Fisheries published a notice in the Federal Register to implement regulations for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. This measure defines the boundary coordinates of the Monument area, reflects Presidential Proclamation 10287’s prohibition on commercial fishing within the boundaries of the Monument in the Magnuson-Stevens Act prohibitions at § 600.725, and clarifies that commercial fishermen may transit through the Monument if fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use during passage through the Monument.

The gallery below is an archive of maps that were provided on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal during the public review and comment period. The maps are interactive versions of Figures 12-18 in the Draft Management Plan and Environmental Assessment. Click on an image to open a new tab with the Data Explorer displaying the data.