Cassandra Eusebio '27
Do you know what the Grand Canyon is? It is a natural cut into the earth located in Arizona, United States, and is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and about a mile deep. It reveals a rich geologic history and an impressive sight of rock layers. Now think of something similar to the Grand Canyon, but underwater. The canyon is full of various species of fish and coral, bustling with life as if it were an underwater city. That is what the Hudson Canyon is. The Hudson Canyon is located 100 miles southeast of New York City’s coast and extends for about 350 miles seaward. Its deepest point is the size of seven Empire State buildings stacked on top of each other from the seafloor to the surface, about 10,500 feet. It was formed 10,000 years ago during the last ice age and is now the biggest undersea canyon on the Atlantic coast of the United States. The canyon has a richly diverse community of marine species such as whales, sharks, sea turtles, octopuses, corals, and many more. The Shortfin Mako Shark, the fastest shark in the world with a top speed of 45 miles per hour, is one of the many beautiful species that depend on the Hudson Canyon, as they reside in it during the summer. Unfortunately, their population has significantly declined due to overfishing, as they are a popular target for fishermen in the Atlantic.
Another summer resident of the Hudson Canyon is the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. A unique feature of this turtle is its big head, which supports strong jaw muscles that allow it to feed on hard-shelled prey. However, Loggerhead Sea Turtle populations have been declining due to bycatch in fishing gear.
You may be wondering, “Why should I care about this place?” or “What is so important about it?” As mentioned earlier, the Hudson Canyon has a rich diversity of marine life that relies heavily on the canyon. For many animals, the Hudson Canyon is their home, whether seasonal or year-round, or it’s a place for migrating animals to stop by and get food. For us, we depend on the connection between us and these animals. The Hudson Canyon's diverse marine life supports numerous local, commercial, and recreational fisheries. The ecotourism and recreational activities that the Hudson Canyon provides are vital contributors to the regional economy. The canyon is also one of the largest ports in the world as many ships travel the canyon’s surface. On the sea floor is a communication cable system connecting people on the U.S.’s Atlantic Coast to the rest of the world. People from all over the United States rely on the Hudson Canyon’s services, especially those in New York and New Jersey. But as of now, this underwater canyon is unprotected; it is vulnerable to exploration and exploitation of minerals, oil, and gas which can ruin the canyon and harm the environment.
The Hudson Canyon on the map, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
What has been done for the Hudson Canyon? In 2016, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) nominated the Hudson Canyon as a National Marine Sanctuary. In February 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) decided that the Hudson Canyon is worthy of National Marine Sanctuary status. According to WCS, “On June 8, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced its intent to initiate the multi-year designation process for Hudson Canyon as a National Marine Sanctuary.” Fortunately, the Hudson Canyon has entered that process. When it becomes a marine sanctuary, exploration and exploitation of minerals, oil, and gas will be forbidden which benefits the conservation of the canyon’s wildlife.
According to the NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), there are six steps in the designation process. The first is “Public Scoping” when the public submits comments about the Hudson Canyon to the NOAA. The Hudson Canyon completed this step already during the summer of 2022. The second step is “Review of Public Comments and Preparation of Draft Documents”, in which the ONMS reviews all of the public comments they received and produces “a draft management plan, draft environmental impact statement, proposed regulations and proposed boundaries” (Office of National Marine Sanctuaries). The Hudson Canyon is currently undergoing this step. The third step is “Release Draft Designation Documents and Provide for Public Comment Period”, in which the NOAA requests that the public review and comment on the documents made from the previous step. For the Hudson Canyon, this step is intended to be done during the spring of 2025. The fourth step is “Prepare Final Designation Documents” when the NOAA considers the public’s comments and makes edits to the documents if needed before finalizing them. This step is also intended to be done during the spring of 2025. The fifth step is “Publish Final Designation Documents” which is planned to be done in late 2025. The final step is the sanctuary designation which should be done in 2026. The designation process is very long so careful consideration must be given when a marine ecosystem is nominated to be a national marine sanctuary. It is not a simple process.
The Hudson Canyon exhibit at the New York Aquarium, from the New York Aquarium
Over the summer, I worked at the New York Aquarium in Brooklyn, New York, where I learned about the Hudson Canyon. At the aquarium, there is a large exhibit dedicated to the Hudson Canyon’s animals where visitors may see the beauty of the canyon themselves. Seeing it myself made me realize how important preserving the Hudson Canyon’s environment is. Designating it as a National Marine Sanctuary will help advance community-led conservation, provide opportunities for STEM education and research, ensure a future for and support the industries that are dependent on the Hudson Canyon such as fisheries and tourism, expand ocean science and monitoring, and promote sustainable use of the area. Supporting the cause means supporting our future generations. To support the cause, you can let the NOAA know how important it is to designate the Hudson Canyon to become a marine sanctuary by sending them a message. The Hudson Canyon is more than just an underwater cut in the earth, it is our past, present, and future, and we can protect it.
CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE HUDSON CANYON:
https://secure.wcs.org/campaign/2406-ADV-Petition-Hudson-Canyon?_gl=1*1n84tt6*_gcl_au*MTE0NDc5NDkyMS4xNzMxMjkyOTMy*_ga*NDQwNDg5Nzc0LjE3MzEyOTI5MzI.*_ga_BTX9HXMYSX*MTczMTMwNzA1Ni41LjEuMTczMTMwODQ1OS42MC4wLjA.
Works Cited
https://www.wcs.org/get-involved/hudson-canyon
https://cdn.wcs.org/2022/06/07/4a1x5suhte_FINAL_BY_NYA_Hudson_Canyon_Factsheet.pdf?_gl=1*1p9o3s1*_gcl_au*MTE0NDc5NDkyMS4xNzMxMjkyOTMy*_ga*NDQwNDg5Nzc0LjE3MzEyOTI5MzI.*_ga_BTX9HXMYSX*MTczMTI5MjkzMi4xLjEuMTczMTI5MzUyMi42MC4wLjA.
https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/hudson-canyon/
https://marinesanctuary.org/sanctuary/hudson-canyon/
https://www.britannica.com/place/Hudson-Canyon
https://citessharks.org/shortfin-mako
https://scubaturtles.gr/8-facts-about-the-loggerhead-sea-turtle/