Progress Report: Protecting the Canyons and Seamounts
CLF is fighting to protect the invaluable habitat, biodiversity, and unique marine life of the Canyons and Seamounts National Monument.

CLF is fighting to protect the invaluable habitat, biodiversity, and unique marine life of the Canyons and Seamounts National Monument.
In a monumental decision, President Biden honors science by restoring protections to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.
It’s been two years since President Obama designated the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National monument, providing full protection of this remarkable ecosystem for generations to come. That includes creatures like sperm whales, ocean sunfish, and basking sharks.
For almost as long as he has been in office, President Trump has led an attack on our public lands and waters, trying to reverse protections for our most special places. But the truth is out: New documents show that Trump administration officials agree that the case for rolling back protections for our national monuments… Continue reading No Reason to Eliminate Protections for National Monuments
The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument holds a special place in my heart. This monument, designated by President Obama in 2016, protects crucial marine habitats for incredible species, from whales to corals, along the edge of the New England continental shelf. The monument encompasses four seamounts and three underwater canyons just 130 miles… Continue reading The Science of Conserving the Canyons and Seamounts
Soon, President Obama will close his eight years in office with a strong ocean legacy. He will be remembered for having protected more square miles of ocean than any president before. His administration created new marine sanctuaries, expanded Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and of course, designated the first such monument in the Atlantic, the Northeast Canyons… Continue reading Cashes Ledge: The Next Chapter for Protecting New England’s Ocean Treasures
With Marine National Monument designation in the Atlantic, President Obama seals conservation legacy President Obama is making history today, announcing the designation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which will become the only fully protected large marine area in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean. Until today, zero miles of the U.S. Atlantic were… Continue reading A Historic Moment for New England: A Marine National Monument in the Atlantic!
… Over the past year, Cashes Ledge and several canyons and seamounts on or near the southern edge of Georges Bank have been proposed as national monuments. We won’t know the outcome for sure until January 2017, but the question remains: Is there a need for a few carefully selected areas in the Gulf of… Continue reading The Potential of the Gulf of Maine