Live virtual event will showcase a decade of research and take audiences on an immersive journey from the ocean surface downward into the deep sea.

MYSTIC, CT (September 9, 2026) – Mystic Aquarium will join scientific partners to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument with “A Live Journey into an Ocean Wilderness,” an immersive, live-produced virtual event featuring scientists and storytellers who have studied this extraordinary marine protected area.

The free public event will take place on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, from noon to 1 p.m. ET. Participants can register through the event’s registration page.

Established on September 15, 2016, the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is the only Marine National Monument in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean. Located approximately 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod, it protects three deep submarine canyons and four seamounts—underwater mountains formed by extinct volcanoes—that influence ocean circulation and support an extraordinary diversity of marine life.

The Monument serves as an important feeding ground for whales, dolphins, seabirds, sharks, tuna, sea turtles, and other marine wildlife. It is also home to rare and ancient deep-sea corals, some of which are thousands of years old.

The anniversary event will celebrate a decade of research conducted by scientists from multiple organizations and disciplines. Through expedition footage, underwater imagery, recent findings, and firsthand stories from the field, presenters will take participants from the ocean surface to the deep sea and share how complementary research efforts are building a more complete understanding of the Monument’s interconnected species and communities.

The program will bring together a decade of interdisciplinary research conducted by scientists from numerous institutions. During the recent R/V Connecticut expedition, led by Mystic Aquarium and the University of Connecticut, researchers collected seawater samples for environmental DNA analysis, deployed baited underwater video systems to document sharks and other apex predators, used specialized nets and imaging systems to study plankton and gelatinous animals, used acoustics to study the daily vertical migration of organisms that are prey for predators, and conducted visual surveys of seabirds.

Quarterly aerial surveys by the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium have provided a broader view of the whales, dolphins, sharks, and other large marine animals using these waters. Deep-sea expeditions conducted through NOAA’s Deep Sea Coral Program and NOAA Ocean Exploration have used remotely operated vehicles and other advanced technologies to explore the depths of the canyons and seamounts and document their ancient coral and sponge communities.

Together, these efforts span the Monument’s surface, midwater, and deep-sea ecosystems and are building a more complete understanding of its biodiversity, ecological connections, and importance as feeding and migratory habitat.

The event is part of Mystic Aquarium’s broader commitment to advancing and sharing research about the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. During the 2026 expedition, the team collected underwater, topside, and aerial imagery to support educational programming and public engagement. The resulting footage, images, and stories have been shared through digital platforms, livestreams, and educational resources, and will also support updates to Mystic Aquarium’s Ocean Refuge exhibit. Through this immersive exhibit, guests can journey into the Monument and discover its extraordinary wildlife, underwater landscapes, and scientific research.

“The 10th Anniversary of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is significant is many ways,” said Dr. Tracy Romano, Vice President of Research for Mystic Aquarium. “We celebrate all the collaborative research, and the knowledge gained on this biodiverse special place in our ocean, Mystic Aquarium’s commitment to connecting the public with the National Monument, and inspiring future generations of marine scientists and conservationists.”

Presenters will include:

• Dr. Paola Batta-Lona – Research Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut, and Scientist-in-Residence, Mystic Aquarium

• Dr. Mary Beth Decker – Research Scientist, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University

• Katherine McKenna – Associate Research Scientist, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium

• Patrick Moffet – Superintendent, Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Dr. Martha Nizinski – Research Zoologist, NOAA’s National Systematics Laboratory

• Quoc Trinh “Fafa” Van Ha – Graduate Student, Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment

The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is co-managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries.

To learn more about the recent research cruise and explore related videos and resources, visit mysticaquarium.org/expedition.