The vast, open sea. It may look endless and desolate, but its blue cloak conceals a vibrant,
three-dimensional world. Beneath the undulating ocean surface, a wide variety of structures
rise from the seafloor to create biological hotspots. In certain places, they support
some of the highest concentrations of marine life on the planet. What is it about these
places that draws such an abundance of life? Banks are elevated features of the seafloor.
They often disrupt and redirect ocean currents, stirring up nutrients from the depths and
enriching local sunlit waters. This mixing powers food chains that support huge quantities
of marine life.
They create 3-dimensional oases rising up from a dark and more barren seascape.
Off the coast of Point Reyes, California, one such formation, called Cordell Bank, rises
from the Pacific seafloor to within 115 feet of the surface. This magnificent bank ecosystem
supports a rich community of resident species and attracts migratory seabirds, marine mammals,
fish, and other magnificent life from thousands of miles to feast on its bounty.
Atop its rocky pinnacles you’ll find an astonishing diversity of fish and invertebrates,
where every square inch is covered with life. It is part of an area of over twelve hundred
square miles that was designated as a national marine sanctuary in 1989. Banks are also prominent
features of two other national marine sanctuaries -- one off the East Coast and a group of banks
in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Stellwagen Bank, an 842 square-mile sanctuary 25 miles
from Boston, is steeped in maritime history. Known as productive fishing and whaling grounds
as early as the 1600s, today busy traffic lanes for commercial ships in and out of Boston
cross Stellwagen Bank. Nowadays, tourists have replaced whalers and come from around
the globe to see the majestic whales of this world-class wildlife sanctuary. What they
don't see is equally spectacular: the thriving ecosystem below. A plankton soup nourishing
schools of sand lance and other forage fish that feed the great whales. And, like other
famous fishing banks, such as Georges Bank and the Grand Banks, this place supplies some
of our favorite seafoods - groundfish, lobsters, scallops, and clams. In the northern Gulf
of Mexico, a system of banks rims the outer continental shelf from Texas to Florida. Seventeen
of these banks, located 80 to 125 miles off Texas and Louisiana, make up Flower Garden
Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The banks of this 160 square mile sanctuary support
thriving reef communities, from coral reefs on the shallowest banks to huge expanses of
black coral, sea fans, and sponges at greater depths. Among the wonders of these underwater
treasures are mass coral spawning events timed with the moon phase, manta ray nurseries,
and the world's largest fish... the whale shark. Though created by very different forces
- Cordell by tectonic uplift, the Flower Gardens by upward movement of ancient salt deposits,
and Stellwagen by the deposition of glacial sand and gravel - these unique banks
have all been recognized as special marine places, and set aside as National Marine Sanctuaries.
But, banks are not unique to just these three sites, they’re also found in other sanctuaries --
and along the coasts of countries around the world, where they, too, are valued for their role in the ocean ecosystem and the
benefits they provide people. Your national marine sanctuaries are living laboratories
for scientists studying the marine world. They give educators captivating content to
inspire students of all ages to become ocean stewards.
They provide incomparable opportunities for recreation, both above and below the water.
They support thriving ecosystems that are the heart of our blue planet’s health and
engines of economic and social well being in coastal communities. These places inspire
us to protect our magnificent underwater treasures for future generations. Protecting offshore
banks is an investment in our ocean, our economy, and our nation’s future.