Gerry E Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

Gerry E Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

Parks Directory of the United States / Marine Sanctuaries

Address: 175 Edward Foster Rd
Scituate, MA 02066
Phone: 781-545-8026;
Fax: 781-545-8036;
Web: stellwagen.noaa.gov
Location: Sits at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, 25 miles east of Boston, Massachusetts.
Activities: Fishing, boating, whale watching, and scuba diving.
Special Features: Northern right whales can be seen passing through sanctuary waters during their annual migration, which occurs from January-April and October-November. Description: Description: The Sanctuary protects an 842-square-mile area that begins three miles offshore at both its northern and southern borders. Boundaries include the submerged lands of Stellwagen Bank, a sand and gravel plateau formed by the slow retreat of Ice Age glaciers, Tillies Bank, and southern sections of Jeffrey's Ledge. Stellwagen Bank is the most prominent feature in the sanctuary. The bank covers the distance between northern Cape Cod and Cape Ann, Massachusetts, which is approximately 20 miles in length. The bank comes within 65 feet of the ocean's surface at its most shallow point and within 100 feet at the upper plateaus. The seaward side of the bank drops off to more than 600 feet. Facilities: Interpretive displays that highlight the living resources within sanctuary waters are located at various coastal points. Common Species: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, harbor porpoise, harbor seal, humpback whale, finback whale, minke whale, pilot whale, and the endangered northern right whale. Environmental Issues: Pollution from coastal towns, vessel traffic, sewage dumping, offshore mineral and gravel mining, and the impact of fishing and trawling on the ocean floor. Habitats: Sand and gravel banks, rocky ledges, muddy basins, and boulder fields. Access: Available via fishing or whale watching cruises.
Year Designated: 1992.

---

See other parks in Massachusetts.