OCEAN CITY — Two weeks after the National Aquarium expressed a willingness to consider withdrawing an application to designate the Baltimore Canyon as a national marine sanctuary, a coalition of local marina owners and boat captains last week fired off a letter seeking to hold him to his word.
In October, National Aquarium officials announced they were seeking an Urban National Marine Sanctuary designation for the Baltimore Canyon, a vast 28-mile long and five-mile wide submarine canyon off the coast of Ocean City that lies at the center of the resort’s multi-million fishing industry. According to the National Aquarium’s petition drive, a designation of the nation’s first Urban National Marine Sanctuary for the Baltimore Canyon “presents a unique opportunity to connect an urban population to the ecological treasure using cutting edge deep sea exploration technology.”
The National Aquarium’s announcement in October was opposed by the resort’s area’s multi-million fishing industry, whose representatives fear a sanctuary designation would ultimately limit, restrict or perhaps prohibit recreational and commercial fishing in the canyon. In the months since, the resort area’s delegation in Annapolis, including State Senator Jim Mathias and Delegate Mary Beth Carozza, for example, have been working with local fishing industry leaders and other stakeholders in making known their concerns over the proposed designation. The Ocean City Mayor and Council along with the Worcester County Commissioners have also forwarded letters opposed to the sanctuary designation for the Baltimore Canyon.
Nonetheless, the application was submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as expected in early December. However, about three weeks ago, National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli issued a statement of his own, suggesting the application could and would be withdrawn if an agreement was reached among the stakeholders that the designation was not the “best way forward.”
“As I’ve said, the National Aquarium would never support any new restrictions or limitations on current activities in the waters of the canyon, such as recreational and commercial fishing, boating, diving and other marine tourism activities,” Racanelli’s statement issued in December reads. “I look forward to meeting and engaging with anyone who has concerns about this well-intentioned proposal. If, in fact, we come to agreement that a national marine sanctuary is not the best way forward, I will ask that our application be withdrawn.”
Last week, attorney Mark Cropper, who represents multiple resort area marinas, boat owners and captains and other stakeholders in the resort area, fired off his own letter to Racanelli essentially holding the National Aquarium CEO to his word and calling for the application to be withdrawn as offered.
“Having attended the meeting at the Ocean City Marlin Club on Nov. 18, appeared before the Mayor and Council of Ocean City on Dec. 5 and spoken to many other interested parties and elected officials, it is clear that the local community in and around Ocean City, Maryland is not supportive of this endeavor by the Aquarium,” the letter reads, referencing similar letters from elected bodies including the Mayor and Council and the County Commissioners, for example. “As you can see from these letters, there is no support from our local elected officials for the effort of the aquarium and there is no reasonable expectation that will change. While the aquarium has been an asset to the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland, pursuing this marine sanctuary designation has positioned it on a collision course with many interests that have historically supported it.”
Cropper referenced Racanelli’s statement issued in December entitled “Finding Common Ground on the Ocean Floor,” in which the aquarium CEO said he would consider withdrawing the application for a National Urban Marine Sanctuary for the Baltimore Canyon if it was determined by all that is was not “the best way forward.”
“On behalf of my clients and all other persons or entities that have expressed complete and unconditional opposition to this undertaking by the aquarium, I am asking that you withdraw the application at this time,” his letter reads. “It is unnecessary, unreasonable and unfair for my clients and others to continue devoting substantial time, energy and resources to achieve the denial of this application when you have expressed a willingness to simply withdraw it. I respectfully submit that there will be no agreement that designating the Baltimore Canyon as a national marine sanctuary is the ‘best way forward.’”
In his letter, Cropper urged a rapid resolution to the issue.
“Please reply to this letter at your earliest opportunity and commit if you will voluntarily withdraw the application and if so, when,” the letter reads. “I sincerely hope that closure can be brought to this matter in the immediate future.”
