Mystic Aquarium Expands Marine National Monument Exhibit

Press release from Mystic Aquarium:

Aug. 4, 2021

Mystic Aquarium, with its unique ability to engage and educate, is excited to unveil an expanded exhibit highlighting the incredible underwater resources of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (NCSM). The immersive exhibit was made possible by a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the federal agency that manages the monument.

About the size of Connecticut, the monument includes two units in the Atlantic Ocean waters southeast of Cape Cod. The Seamounts Unit has four undersea mountains, and the Canyons Unit has three undersea canyons. It is considered by many as one of the planet’s natural treasures for its rich and unusual array of ocean life, including countless species and ancient deep-sea corals.
The exhibit, Ocean Refuge: Marine National Monuments, is on full public display and features a tactile, immersive replica of an underwater canyon and three-dimensional, holographic, and digital representations of sealife, as well as moving imagery and graphics. Photos of the exhibit available for download here.

“The Service is proud to partner with Mystic Aquarium on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument exhibit expansion, an achievement that brings to life the unique wonder and ecological significance of this area in the East Coast’s backyard,” said Wendi Weber, North Atlantic-Appalachian Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The exhibit makes this special place accessible and relevant to the public in a whole new way.”

President Barack Obama designated the monument by proclamation on September 15, 2016 (Federal Register, 2016), using authorities delegated to the President of the United States by the Antiquities Act of 1906 (United States Congress, 1906). The monument conserves the submarine canyons and seamounts, and ecosystems they support. Managed by the Service in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and lauded for its incredible biological diversity and ocean wildlife, it is the only national monument in the Atlantic Ocean.

“It cannot be overstated how much the support of the Connecticut congressional delegation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has meant to not only this pristine ocean ecosystem but also implementation of ocean policy and conservation,” said Dr. Stephen M. Coan, President and CEO of Mystic Aquarium. “The vast majority of people will never experience this special part of the ocean first-hand, but this exhibit brings that experience to life for Connecticut residents and all our visitors. Our mission to conserve our ocean planet and educate future conservationists and leaders is greatly strengthened by local leaders and federal authorities championing our cause.”

The monument is renowned for its biodiversity, including deep-sea coral communities and concentrations of marine wildlife. Its geographic features create ocean conditions that attract animals like whales, dolphins, seabirds and turtles, as well as fish that migrate long distances, such as tuna, billfish, swordfish and sharks.

The Mystic Aquarium’s senior research scientist, Dr. Peter Auster, whose research was key to designation of the monument, said, “a dive into the canyons and seamounts demonstrates the magic of the ocean.” By protecting unique marine treasures such as this, we ensure that future generations can immerse themselves in the mystery, wonder, and inspiration of the deep sea.
This new exhibit is integrated with two existing spaces at Mystic Aquarium -- “Protecting Special Places in the Ocean” and “Our Blue Park” -- which take families on a journey through the monument using deep-water images of its marine life and biological diversity. Parts of “Our Blue Park” have been reimagined as part of the project.

“We know that close, personal experiences with wildlife and their habitats can instill a
conservation ethos in aquarium visitors,” Weber added. “Mystic Aquarium has designed a truly immersive experience that will connect people to the marine monument."

This press release was produced by Mystic Aquarium. The views expressed here are the author's own.