From Jim Kennard
Minimal
Benefits for a Federally Funded Lake Ontario NOAA Marine Sanctuary
There are areas of the
country where a NOAA marine sanctuary has provided a benefit via
increased recreational activities and tourism due to unique
opportunities that exist in those areas, but these do not apply to
the proposed Lake Ontario Marine Sanctuary.
For the past 45 years our
shipwreck discovery team has located 15 of the 21 shipwrecks
described in the proposed Lake Ontario Marine Sanctuary. We have
thoroughly researched the 47 potential submerged resources and found
that over 50% were incorrectly reported. In May 2019 the National
Museum of the Great Lakes published my book Shipwrecks
of Lake Ontario – A Journey of Discovery
which details the discoveries along with the historical research and
imagery of all 21 shipwrecks listed in the proposed area. Listed
below are my reasons why I believe there are minimal benefits for
federally funding the proposed Lake Ontario NOAA Marine Sanctuary
based on my knowledge of the shipwrecks that exist in the proposed
area and the general public interest that I have observed,
Minimal
recreational diving opportunities
No shipwreck
observation opportunities by the public
Potential submerged
resources have been grossly overstated
Federal and State
laws already protect shipwrecks in New York State waters
Monitoring shipwrecks without
being able to stop the buildup of quagga muscles – A waste of
funding
Research,
documentation, and imagery is published in Shipwrecks
of Lake Ontario
HMS Ontario is a war
grave, and is not located in Lake Ontario eastern basin – do not
include
Several local museums
currently have shipwreck displays for their area
A centralized
shipwreck facility could pull public interest away from visits to
other towns
General public
interest today in shipwreck presentations is declining
Recommendation:
Individual townships promote the history of ships wrecked off their
shores
Minimal recreation
diving opportunities
There are only 6
recreational diving (limit of 130 feet) opportunities off the
southern shore of Lake Ontario. Among those the only real shipwreck
of historic interest is the schooner St. Peter off Pultneyville.
There is very little remaining of the steamer David Mills except ribs
and a boiler near Oswego on Ford Shoals. Two of the other wrecks, a
house boat and tugboat, are totally smashed up. The tug Cormorant and
overturned USCG cable barge are post 1950’s wrecks. The remaining
15 shipwrecks in the proposed marine sanctuary, which our team
discovered, are way beyond the recreational diving limits. The
recreational diveable wrecks that are that exist in the northern area
of the proposed preserve are far from land and not economically
worthwhile for dive boat charters operating in the St. Lawrence
River.