West Coast Region
Channel Islands Chumash Heritage (in designation) Cordell Bank Greater Farallones Monterey Bay Olympic CoastPacific Islands Region
American Samoa Hawaii Humpback Whale Pacific Remote Islands (in designation) Papahānaumokuākea
Sanctuary News
Proposed Designation of Lake Erie Quadrangle National Marine Sanctuary
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is considering designating a new national marine sanctuary in Lake Erie, adjacent to Pennsylvania, and the public is invited to participate in the first step of the process.
Virtual Dives
Immerse yourself in the ocean and your national marine sanctuaries without getting wet!
Our planet is an ocean planet: Earth Is Blue. The National Marine Sanctuary System protects some of the most iconic underwater places throughout the United States, but we can't do it without you. No matter where you are, the ocean and Great Lakes are in your hands. We hope these images inspire you to help care for our ocean and to spread the word that Earth isn't green – it's blue.
Join us on 
and submit your own photos.
Stories from the Blue
Stories from the Blue celebrate the people at the center of national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments. What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you?
Earth is Blue Magazine
Explore Sanctuaries Live
with real-time video and communication feeds
Sanctuary Nomination Process
NOAA invites communities across the nation to nominate their most treasured places in our marine and Great Lakes waters for consideration as national marine sanctuaries.
Visit
National marine sanctuaries are ideal destinations for travelers who enjoy a diversity of recreational activities.
Get Involved
Volunteers help to ensure marine sanctuaries remain America's underwater treasures for future generations.