Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Aquatic protected area in Michigan, USA}}

'''Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve''' is a [[United States National Marine Sanctuary]] on [[Lake Huron]]'s [[Thunder Bay (Michigan)|Thunder Bay]], within the [[Northern Michigan|northeastern region]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. It protects an estimated 116 [[List of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes|historically significant shipwrecks]] ranging from nineteenth-century wooden side-wheeler [[paddle steamer]]s to twentieth-century [[steel]]-[[Hull (ship)|hulled]] [[Steamship|steamers]]. There are a great many wrecks in the sanctuary, and their preservation and protection is a concern for [[United States Government]] policymakers.<ref>[http://www.oceancommission.gov/meetings/sep24_25_02/gray_testimony.pdf Statement of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Director] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715071456/http://oceancommission.gov//meetings/sep24_25_02/gray_testimony.pdf |date=2007-07-15 }}</ref> The landward boundary of the sanctuary extends from the western boundary of [[Presque Isle County, Michigan|Presque Isle County]] to the southern boundary of [[Alcona County, Michigan|Alcona County]]. The sanctuary extends east from the lakeshore to the [[Canada–United States border|international border]]. [[Alpena, Michigan|Alpena]] is the largest city in the area.

==History==

The [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] established Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve on June&nbsp;22, 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sanctuary Designations & Expansions |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/about/designations.html |access-date=October 17, 2024 |website=NOAA}}</ref> It became the thirteenth [[National Marine Sanctuary|national marine sanctuary]] overall and first on the [[Great Lakes]]. Original boundaries followed that of [[Alpena County, Michigan|Alpena County]] to [[83 degrees west]] [[longitude]] totaling {{convert|448|sqmi|sqnmi km2|0}}. In 2014 it was expanded to {{convert|4300|sqmi|km2|0}}.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Vernon|last2=Gandualla|first2=Stephanie|title=NOAA expands Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron|url=http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/press/2014/pr090514.html|website=[[NOAA]]|access-date=11 September 2014}}</ref>  The marine sanctuary contains many [[shipwreck]]s, such as the hull of package freighter [[SS Pewabic|SS ''Pewabic'']].

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==Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center==

Tied to the sanctuary is the '''Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center'''. The museum, located in Alpena on the [[Thunder Bay River]], features exhibits about local shipwrecks and the Great Lakes, an auditorium, an [[archaeological conservation]] laboratory, and education areas.