NOAA warns boaters to steer clear of 11 shipwrecks, including WWII minesweeper, in marine sanctuary east of Boston

Federal authorities are asking fishing vessels to steer clear of 11 shipwreck located in a marine sanctuary east of Boston, warning that they could "cause serious damage" to the many historically significant ships that have gone down in the waters since the 19th century.

In a news release issued Wednesday, NOAA is requesting that vessels avoid the shipwreck sites in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which sits between Cape Ann and Cape Cod. Though dozens of shipwrecks lie in the sanctuary, NOAA singled out 11 wrecks for boaters to avoid, including the World War II minesweeper USS Heroic, the trawler Josephine Marie and the 55-foot North Star. The other eight wrecks are unknown vessels, the agency said.

"NOAA recognizes that fishermen want to avoid shipwrecks to ensure the safety of the crew and because of the risks of damaging their gear when the gear gets hung up on a wreck or other objects on the ocean floor," the agency said, while providing a map and coordinates for the doomed vessels. "Hanging up on a wreck can also cause serious damage to shipwrecks that have historical significance."