June is National Ocean Month and a great time to learn about New York’s diverse marine life.
New York’s ocean environment stretches three nautical miles from our shores and connects our coastal and estuarian habitats to the depths of the deep-sea that are home to many globally threatened marine animals, including sea turtles, whales, fish, and invertebrates.
In addition to providing essential habitat to marine life, the ocean provides multiple services, including transportation, commerce, renewable energy development, as well as irreplaceable aesthetic and recreational value.
Goals in the New York Ocean Action Plan include improving the health of our ocean ecosystems and increasing their capacity to provide sustainable benefits to New Yorkers.
Everyone’s actions contribute to a healthy ocean. You can help protect our ocean and marine life by curbing your single-use plastic consumption and always remember to Bring Your Own Bag (#BYOBag) when going to the store. Once plastic enters our coastal environment, it’s referred to as ‘marine debris.’ Learn more from this printable Marine Debris Factsheet.
Photo of coldwater corals in deep-sea canyons of the Atlantic Ocean by NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program.
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