Go Beneath the Surface

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National Marine Sanctuary System

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 620,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of 16 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments.

national marine Sanctuary system map

Sanctuary News

the massive head of a whale pokes above the ocean surface next to a team of researchers on a small boat
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Tagging Humpbacks: Where Biology, Conservation, and Engineering Meet

Each year, researchers at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary learn more about whale behaviors through the use of non-invasive biologging tags. This year, the team was able to successfully tag all members of one group and track every behavior the tagged animal does at the surface. Join researchers for a day of tagging two humpback whales in the sanctuary---named Azrael and 3.14--- during the 2024 field season, and learn about the latest aerial drone technology being used.

Read more stories

National Marine Sanctuary System Posters

ROV shinning it's light at the bottom of Davidson Seamount; A varity of sealife can be seen including deep-sea corals, sponges, deep-sea fishes, crustaceans, jellies, and an octopus gardens
Coastal mangroves and seagrass are nurseries for many species of fish, invertebrates and birds that inhabit Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. These calm, shallow waters are ideal for paddle sports, snorkeling, and fishing for species like tarpon. The offshore coral reef features elkhorn and brain corals, sponges, and other invertebrates which create habitat for spiny lobster, urchins, and many other species of reef fish like sergeant major and larger fish like sharks, rays, barracuda, and snapper.

During the National Marine Sanctuary System's 50th anniversary celebration in 2022, a commemorative poster series was launched to capture the beauty and diversity of each site in the system. The posters are two sided, featuring original artwork on the front and educational information on the back. Other posters created for the system over the years have also been added. Dive in and download your sanctuary posters today!

Virtual Dives

Immerse yourself in the ocean and your national marine sanctuaries without getting wet!

Dive Into Your Sanctuaries

 

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.

Submit your own photos and join us on:

Bright pink anemones and a barnacle
A Hawaiian monk seal mother and pup lying on a beach
Humpback whale underwater

 

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?

What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you?

Earth is Blue Magazine

Waves crash near a light house

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.

nominate.noaa.gov
a surfer and bodyboarder standing on the beach looking at the water

Visit

National marine sanctuaries are ideal destinations for travelers who enjoy a diversity of recreational activities.

Plan your visit
a pair of kayakers with marine debris they collected on their kayak

Get Involved

Volunteers help to ensure marine sanctuaries remain America's underwater treasures for future generations.

How you can help