Cultural Connections

In December 2020, Palau National Marine Sanctuary was officially recognized as a sister site to National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. This agreement opens the door for international collaboration through joint ocean exploration, marine protected area management, and education and outreach initiatives. Sister site partnerships enable sites with similar cultural or ecological foundations to work together to improve conservation, stewardship, and livelihoods across international boundaries.

Coral reefs across the Samoan archipelago
National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa protects lush coral reefs across the Samoan archipelago. Photo: Matt McIntosh/NOAA
Kid stirring a ship
Photo: Wendy Cover/NOAA