In today’s State of the City speech, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to expand the New York City’s ferry services, including a new ferry line from Manhattan to Coney Island, home of the New York Aquarium.

The following statement on today’s announcement comes from WCS Vice President and Director of the New York Aquarium Jon Forrest Dohlin: 

“Today’s announcement by Mayor de Blasio of the city’s planned expansion of ferry service is great news for Coney Island and for the New York Aquarium.

“New ferry services such as the planned Wall Street to Coney Island line are expected to significantly cut travel time to and from Manhattan for commuters and visitors to the New York Aquarium and other Coney Island attractions. The new services will provide the added benefit of inspiring views of the city’s skyline and beautiful waterways.

“Nothing could be more appropriate than to have tens of thousands of residents and visitors alike traveling to the Aquarium and experiencing the great water wilderness the Aquarium works so diligently to protect and celebrate.

“We also commend the Mayor for his reiterating his commitment to pursuing a ban on single use plastic products such as straws and plastic bags. Plastic is one of the biggest threats to marine life, and this pledge dovetails with WCS’s ‘Give a Sip’ campaign led by the New York Aquarium. The campaign promotes alternative materials such as paper and metal as replacements for plastic straws.

“We applaud the Mayor’s announcement on the expansion of NYC’s ferry services and for responding to the wishes of Coney Island residents, visitors, and the efforts of advocacy groups such as the Aquarium and the Alliance for Coney Island to create a faster and more convenient mode of travel between the boroughs. We also celebrate the fact that water transportation helps to tie together this beautiful city of islands.”