Marine Sanctuary May Be Designated in Part of Eastern Lake Ontario with 43 Shipwrecks
Published: Tuesday, January 24, 2023 12:00 pm
By: Emma Misiaszek
Washington, D.C. — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its proposal to designate a new national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario.
The sanctuary would serve to recognize the national significance of the area’s historical, cultural and archaeological resources, including 43 known shipwrecks and one aircraft representing events spanning more than 200 years of the nation’s history.
Archival research also suggests an additional 20 shipwrecks, three aircraft and several other underwater archaeological sites may yet be discovered.
In addition, the sanctuary would highlight the connection to the ancestral lands and waters of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
The proposed sanctuary would span a 1,724 square mile area in Eastern Lake Ontario in New York.
In Jan. 2017, the leaders of Jefferson, Oswego, Cayuga and Wayne counties, along with the City of Oswego with support from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, submitted a nomination to the NOAA.
Leaders believe the sanctuary designation will bring new opportunities for research, educational programming, community engagement and economic development.
The NOAA will host three in-person and one virtual public meetings during which members of the public can offer oral comments.
More information on the meetings can be found here.
tags: History, Lake Ontario, Shipwrecks
