Sanctuaries Support Communities

Sea to Shining Sea Newsletter - February 2017

From preservation of maritime heritage, to dedicated volunteerism, to contributing billions of dollars annually to the national economy, NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries embody values that we as Americans can support. As NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary System is looking forward to progress in the new year, we strive to build on our recent successes to better conserve and celebrate our country's vast natural and cultural ocean resources, through collaboration and shared vision with communities and local partners,from sea to shining sea.

NOAA Moves to Conserve Shipwrecks in Two New Sanctuaries

Americans have an unprecedented (and limited: until March 31, 2017) opportunity to participate in the designation of two new national marine sanctuaries that protect over 200 years of maritime history and honor the people that risked their lives to better ours. Both the Mallows Bay-Potomac River and Wisconsin-Lake Michigan proposals center on preservation of maritime heritage and the potential for economic benefit as well as strengthened community partnerships.

Communities and the Blue Economy

Across the sanctuary system, about eight billion dollars annually is generated in coastal and ocean dependent economies from diverse sectors like commercial fishing, research, and tourism-related activities. National marine sanctuaries are managed for conservation of natural and cultural resources, while supporting sustainable recreation, tourism and compatible commercial activities.

Volunteering in Sanctuaries

Volunteering is one way to explore our nation’s underwater treasures while doing your part to ensure a healthy ocean and Great Lakes. The sanctuaries themselves may be out of sight for many of us, but robust teams of volunteers make sure that our beaches, reefs, watersheds, and ocean heritage are never out of mind.