Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument  The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is a marine national monument of the United States off the coast of New England, on the edge of Georges Bank. It was created by President Barack Obama on September 15, 2016. It is the first U.S. national marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The area includes four underwater mountains and three deep-sea canyons. It is home to endangered whales and other rare species, some found nowhere else in the world. On June 5, 2020, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation lifting the restrictions on commercial fishing at the Monument. The Center for Biological Diversity reacted to this by saying, "Gutting these safeguards attacks the very idea of marine monuments." The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is located within the New England and mid-Atlantic regions, 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod. It comprises a total area of 4,913 square miles, and protects several underwater seamounts (Bear, Mytilus, Physalia, and Retriever Seamounts) and three submarine canyons in the edge of the continental shelf (Oceanographer, Lydonia, and Gilbert). The area is home to rare and endangered species, including sperm whales, fin whales, sei whales and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. President Barack Obama designated the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (NCSMNM) on September 21, 2016. Signing Proclamation 9496, which was found under section 320301 of title 54 of the United States Code, or the Antiquities Act of 1906, this made the Monument, which is located off the coast of New England, the first and only fully protected marine sanctuary in the Atlantic Ocean. According to a White House press release, the Monument was created in response to half a century of calls to protect the area, due to its importance as a biodiversity hotspot, habitat for numerous rare and endangered species, and a valuable scientific and historical site. According to the "Federal Register", the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is the smallest area feasible to provide necessary management; designating a smaller zone would lead to an inaccurate interpretation and protection of biodiversity within the fragile area. The designation of the Marine National Monument occurred after numerous meetings and deliberations with stakeholders including conservationists, community members, fishermen, and local businesses; administrative officials gathered social, economic, and environmental data to inform the creation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.