Stellwagen Bank is a National Marine Sanctuary. National marine sanctuaries are special areas in the ocean and Great Lakes waters around our country; they are often called America’s underwater parks. Sites have been designated for their aesthetic beauty, the bounty of their natural resources, and/or the wealth of their cultural resources. Although some areas within national marine sanctuaries restrict certain activities to protect sanctuary resources, all are managed for compatible uses such as recreation, tourism, travel, and commerce.

The productive waters surrounding Stellwagen Bank have made the area famous as a fishing ground, and its regularly returning whales make it one of the world’s premier whale-watching destinations. The 400-plus years of active vessel traffic inevitably led to accidents, with the sanctuary seafloor now providing the final resting place for many shipwrecks, some of special national significance. These cultural resources give us insights into our nation’s maritime history.