Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

The Stellwagen Bank is an underwater plateau at the entrance of the Massachusetts Bay ( ' Engl. Massachusetts Bay '), between Cape Cod and Cape Ann. It forms the core of a marine nature reserve, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. As a popular Walbeobachtungsgebiet directly in front of the U.S. city of Boston Stellwagen Bank has tourist importance.

Geography and Ecosystem

The bank extends about 30 km from north to south and is at the southern end of nearly ten miles wide. The plateau is located only 30 to 40 meters below the water surface, while the surrounding waters are significantly lower (100 to 200 m). The shallowness of the water associated with the minerals and nutrients that are lifted up by striking the bank deepwater currents that favor a rich ecosystem that also large sea animals such as humpback, minke and fin whales also occasionally attracts.

Geology and history

The Stellwagen Bank owes its existence to the last ice age. 25,000 years ago the Laurentide ice sheet moved over the eastern United States and pushed large quantities of earth and rock in front of it. This material formed at the southern edge of the glacier shield a variety of geological formations, including Cape Cod and Stellwagen Bank.

In the 17th century the enormous fish rich waters has been detected. The greatest economic importance had here hunting for cod and tuna, as well as whaling.

1854 sent the U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Henry Stellwagen order to map out the area. The existence of the bank was already known, but not its extent and shape. Also we went to Stellwagen studies from two banks, but this turned out to be wrong. For these merits, the Navy, the bank named after him in 1855.

1992, the U.S. Congress declared the area to the ' National Marine Sanctuary '.