Lakeshore area could have national marine sanctuary 9/3 - Manitowoc, Wis. – The area’s lakeshore could be home to Wisconsins largest museum. The proposed underwater museum — a 875-square-mile area of Lake Michigan from Two Rivers to Port Washington — would be home to more than 33 known exhibits and many more to be discovered. These underwater exhibits are shipwrecks, which once ruled the surface. The proposed marine sanctuary would be part of the current 13 preserves and would be one of only two in the Great Lakes, established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. We are so fortunate in the Great Lakes to have incredible level of protection with our shipwrecks, said Ellen Brody, NOAA spokeswoman. The lakeshore communities are among the first in a new selection process for marine sanctuary status. The process is by self-nomination and nominees submit why their community would be ideal for preservation. At this time, no communities have submitted nominations, Brody said, but she anticipates many will be sent in the fall. Manitowoc County officials believe if the nomination is accepted, the sanctuary will generate tourism and educational benefits to the area. If successful, this will lead to increased research on these wrecks, as well as creating tourism and educational opportunities for sport divers, students and the general public, said Jason Ring, president of the Manitowoc Area Visitor & Convention Bureau.. Brody said theres a set criteria for the nomination process communities must meet before being considered for a sanctuary designation. Criteria includes having national, natural resource and cultural significance as well as having important economic uses. A marine sanctuary in Manitowoc would allow our citizens and visitors to experience the power and beauty of Lake Michigan and protect its rich maritime history through research, education and resource protection while enhancing our pride in Manitowocs maritime heritage, said Mayor Justin Nickels. After that, other criteria include education and research opportunities, facing potential threats, existing management and regulations that could help conservation efforts and community-based support, according to NOAAs website. After nominees submit, some are selected and inventoried for further perusal. In the past, the process took years but Brody said self-nomination may speed up the task because of limited opposition. This detailed application should be submitted by early autumn, however, it will require months of review in Washington before a decision is made on the status of this application, Ring said. The self-nomination process ensures communities are welcome to the idea of a federally regulated preserve, which has received nearly unanimous favor among officials and residents in the lakeshore communities. The communities are contributing content, the state of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Historical Society and (Wisconsin) DNR are contributing content because the shipwrecks are state owned and state managed, Brody said. The lakeshore sanctuary wasnt the location analyzed by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Deaths Door in Door County has many of the same cultural resources, but Brody said the society deemed the lakeshore area more of a priority. Im thrilled that this is fostering a collaborative effort between all these cities and all these organizations, said Rolf Johnson, CEO of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Even if the sanctuary should not happen, its going to lead to a really great alliance between these port cities. Much like the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (the lone Great Lakes sanctuary) in Alpena, Mich., created in 2000, the proposed marine sanctuary would be based on cultural resources —not solely natural resources such as reefs or flora and fauna — which are shipwrecks. The other cultural-resource based preserve is the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary in North Carolina, which protects the wreck of the USS Monitor, an ironclad ship from the Civil War. Green Bay Press Gazette
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 08:14:56 +0000
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