During the American Civil War, the Confederate states successfully built an iron-clad vessel, Virginia. When news of the Virginia’s construction reached the Union, the Union Navy quickly began making plans to build their own. The iron-clad warship, USS Monitor, created waves around the world when people learned of its revolving gun turret, a new idea designed by American inventor Theodore Timbly, which was duplicated almost immediately by other builders. The remainder of the ship was designed by Swedish-born inventor and engineer John Ericsson, and was completed in New York in only 101 days. The Monitor was a fairly small ship and was not armored well, but it was equipped with large guns. Later, ships built in similar fashion were considered Monitor-type warships. This class of ship which was used beginning in the American Civil War, continuing through World War II, and used by the United States Navy for the final time during the Vietnam War.

The USS Monitor was in service for less than a year, but during that time helped the Union win significant victories. During the Battle of Hampton Roads, the USS Monitor fought the Virginia in a four-hour ordeal, with neither ship sustaining major damage. In the following months, the USS Monitor traveled away from Hampton Roads, assisting Union General George McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign (which occurred on the Virginia peninsula between York and James Rivers) from May to July of 1862. The Monitor remained in the area until orders directing her to move south were issued. She was to be a part of the Union blockaders forming off North Carolina, but sank during a storm just off Cape Hatteras.

The wreckage was located in 1973, and upon the discovery, her guns, the revolving gun turret, and engine were removed. Those, along with other relics, have been on display at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia since they were salvaged.

On January 30, 1975, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) established the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, which was the first of its kind in the country. To date there are thirteen national marine sanctuaries, eleven of which serve to conserve and protect natural marine resources. The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is one of two locations protected as a cultural resource, and the sanctuary currently covers a 9.9 acre area. Over the past several years, NOAA has conducted scientific and archaeological assessments, and with help from the public is proposing an expansion of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. The expansion would, according to NOAA’s website, “…protect a nationally significant collection of shipwrecks that currently have little or no legal protection, including one of America’s only World War II battlefields.”

On their website, NOAA states, “For more than 40 years, Monitor National Marine Sanctuary has served as a special place honoring the iconic Civil War ironclad, USS Monitor, and the memory and service of Civil War sailors. We now have the opportunity to honor another generation of mariners that helped defend the nation during World War I and World War II.” NOAA believes expanding the sanctuary would, “…elevate the maritime legacy of coastal North Carolina,” by preserving historical maritime sites for future generations, increasing the ability to responsibly manage historical resources , and bring economic benefits to coastal communities.

Almost a decade ago, residents along the southern coast of North Carolina became concerned when they learned wrecks were being disturbed by private citizens. With no updated laws in place to protect wreck sites from disturbance, artifacts and cargo were being taken for personal use. As a result of public outcry, NOAA began conducting studies in an effort to figure out a way to protect those and other sites from disturbance while still allowing “free and open access” for “all ocean users”, as stated by the Working Group, to coastal waters.

People from various North Carolina coastal communities who work in a wide array of fields have contributed to the research and input. This Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council – composed of people who represent the commercial and recreational fishing industries, education, conservation, archaeology, tourism, heritage, and economic development – has been and will continue to work directly with NOAA. Their research and input have been instrumental in the development of the four expansion models. When necessary to conduct work in smaller settings, working groups and subcommittees are formed, and while none of these groups are active now, previous research and necessary future research will be used to determine all the possible impacts any of the expansion models would have on coastal communities.

The four models, which were presented to the Advisory Council by members of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Working Group, have been available for public viewing and comment since 2014. The four models range from protection of individual sites to the protection of sites in a contiguous area.

Models A, B, C, and D, taken directly from the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary expansion website http://monitor.noaa.gov/management/expansion.html

 

Implementing any of these models is still at least 18-24 months away, and public comment periods will be available as each stage in this project progresses.

Local concerns have been discussed during public meeting sessions regarding water access around and within the proposed protected areas. With some of these areas being rather large, various residents of coastal communities fear their livelihoods, the local economy, and their way of life will be threatened if more protections, and therefore rules and regulations, are put into place. Worries about government over-regulation have weighed and continue to weigh on locals who rely heavily on the tourism economy to thrive, and it’s not solely those who work on the water who are nervous about the potential impacts.

Because such a large number of people vacation on the Outer Banks in order to access off-shore fishing and boat outings, locals have explained how they foresee hotels, realty companies, restaurants, marinas, fish houses, and other businesses those fishermen visit and utilize suffering due to decreased visitation. Ocracoke native and charter fishing boat captain Steve Wilson explained that people who come to the Outer Banks expecting to partake in ocean-side activities – such as commercial, charter, and recreational fishing – could be discouraged from vacationing here if their activity options are diminished, over-regulated, or too costly due to new and mounting rules and regulations imposed by the federal and state government. Wilson also stated if an expansion does go through and is implemented, the best case scenario, though still not ideal for those who depend on the tourism economy and fishing to make a living, would be Model A.

NOAA Maritime Archaeologist Joe Hoyt, who is based out of Newport News, VA, said that while the expansion is still in the early stages of development, the “free and open access” language from the Working Group would allow for “all ocean users,” including those who run fishing operations and activities, to remain the same as they are now in federal waters; the same language could apply to any state waters protected by any of the expansion models. Hoyt also said, “There currently are no proposed regulations at this stage of the process.”

The public comment time regarding the proposed expansion of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary ends on March 18, 2016. Comments can be made through the expansion website http://monitor.noaa.gov/management/expansion.html or by sending mail to:

David Alberg

Sanctuary Superintendent

100 Museum Drive

Newport News, VA 23606