Volunteer in the Sanctuaries

Volunteers help to ensure marine sanctuaries remain America's underwater treasures for future generations. Through their efforts, volunteers contribute over 100,000 hours of annual service to the sanctuaries in areas of research, monitoring, enforcement, education and outreach, and management advisory.

Examples include Beach Watch at Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, which trains volunteers to monitor the sanctuary’s health by surveying California beaches for dead animals and traces of oil.  Naturalist Corps volunteers at Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary teach about the sanctuary’s unique ecosystem at community events, whale watching tours, and free lectures.  Some 3000 miles away, members of Team O.C.E.A.N in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary patrol sanctuary waters to provide boaters with valuable navigational information and report illegal activity to sanctuary law enforcement officers.  Volunteers even represent their communities on management issues by filling seats on sanctuary advisory councils, a body that provides management recommendations to the sanctuary superintendent.

Collectively, volunteers invest enormous amounts of time toward the healthy future of our nation’s marine sanctuaries. 

Volunteer Opportunities

Pacific Islands Region
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

West Coast Region
Channel Islands
Cordell Bank
Gulf of the Farallones
Monterey Bay
Olympic Coast

Southeast Region
Florida Keys
Flower Garden Banks
Gray’s Reef

Northeast Region
Stellwagen Bank
Thunder Bay