As a child, I spent hours body surfing amidst the swells on our New Hampshire beaches. Beyond these inshore waters, unbeknownst to me then, was an underwater world that would one day beckon me to explore its depths and advocate for its survival.
Fast forward to 2021: I am a 25-year-old dive master and ocean advocate who – after witnessing plastic pollution, fishing gear entanglements, and other human-driven harm inflicted on our oceans – is committed to working to protect our oceans and all the incredible life they support.
So last June, I was saddened when the administration rolled back protections on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a vibrant ocean habitat 150 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. The changes opened the area up to commercial fishing, where the gear can damage 1,000-year-old corals and entangle sea animals that call the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts home.
Thankfully, President Biden recently signed an executive order announcing a review of the last administration’s rollbacks to national monuments, including the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts. Now, I’m calling on President Biden and his administration to finish the job and fully restore protections to the area.
I have seen the magic within our ocean. I have witnessed the miraculous life it creates. By restoring full protections to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts, we can take steps toward building a healthy future for our oceans, which play a critical role in ensuring that life on Earth continues to thrive.
BRYNNE RARDIN
Concord