No substitutes exists for this kind of education. Between 200 and 250 commercial fishing vessels ply the waters of Stellwagen Bank that must compete with charter fishing boats. The National Marine Sanctuaries Act of 1972 guaranteed that the new National Marine Sanctuaries System would protect marine resources while keeping the area accessible to the public. Stellwagen Bank National Ocean Sanctuary is constantly balancing stewardship with multiple use. Adding to the heavy commercial fishing that occurs throughout the year, recent studies indicate that more than 200,000 charter boats sail to the Bank annually.
Anglers come for cod, bluefish, mackerel, striped bass, pollock and bluefin tuna.
Birdwatchers are drawn to the area for its collection of seabirds. Whalewatchers gaze at the acrobatic displays of humpbacks and the more subtle movements of finbacks. Tankers and freighters cross the sanctuary via the official shipping lanes that provide the most efficient and safe path into and out of Boston Harbor. Other vessels, such as tugs with barges and sailing vessels, moving northward or southward along the coast, also pass over sanctuary waters. Then add research vessels and military ships, and together these numbers bring ever increasing stresses on the marine ecosystem.