Friday’s celebration in Oswego, where eastern Lake Ontario was officially dedicated as a marine sanctuary, was felt across New York state.

The designation provides shoreline communities assistance with preserving the lake’s history, as well as its ability to draw in people from around the country.

What You Need To Know

  • Eastern Lake Ontario, a 1,722-mile stretch from near western Rochester to Cape Vincent, was officially dedicated as a Marine Sanctuary Friday

  • Hundreds attended a celebration in Oswego Friday, where a celebratory ribbon was officially cut

  • The waterway and local and state governments can get support from NOAA in preserving the water, its the shipwrecks, history and future

After a seven-year process, a more than 1,700-square-mile section of eastern Lake Ontario is now officially a federal marine sanctuary. The city of Oswego and communities from western Rochester all the way to Cape Vincent are ready to take advantage.

“National Marine Sanctuaries are few because they're considered extraordinary, special places. And you're going to hear that word a lot today, special places,” Oswego County Administrator Philip Church said.

Hundreds gatheried in Oswego Friday for the official dedication as a marine sanctuary.

“We're here today to celebrate because this very rare national recognition presents new opportunities for our communities and our special place,” Church added.

So what exactly is a marine sanctuary? Well, think about it like a national park, but on and under the water.

“Federal government, state government, local government coming together, understanding that the preservation of our ecosystem, the preservation of our waterways, is critically important to the preservation of our society,” Secretary of State of New York Walter Mosely said.

Preservation is a big part of the designation. It allows the state and local governments to work with and get support from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on education and history. That’s from the Indigenous, to the War of 1812, to the nearly 60 shipwrecks (41 confirmed and 19 awaiting confirmation — as well as aircraft that had fallen) that are down below in eastern Lake Ontario.

“What we have seen on recent dives, just within the last 30 days, has shown that some of these wrecks are a lot more exciting than we even anticipated. Their condition is fantastic. Some of the pieces of the wrecks that are still there we don't see in other parts of the lake,” NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Regional Director Matt Brookhart said.

With that promotion, that effort, the goal is to turn that into major tourism for the region from across the country.

“Interestlingly, I think even in Central New York, even my colleagues down, and our friends down in Syracuse, don't always know what we have this close,” Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay said.

To help ensure the plans move forward, the sanctuary will have a 15-member advisory council helping shape Lake Ontario's future.

Lake Ontario is the 16th marine sanctuary in the country. A 17th could be named later this year.