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Stay up to date with the latest news and stories from your National Marine Sanctuaries. From groundbreaking research to regenerative tourism and recreation opportunities, to inspiring ocean stories, our featured news highlights the incredible work being done to protect and celebrate America's underwater treasures. Dive in and discover what's happening beneath the waves!

TA humpback whale wrapped in coaxial cable
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A Life on the Line: A Powerful Humpback Whale Recovery

When a young koholā (humpback whale) was found entangled off Maui’s coast in 2017, its survival seemed unlikely. Thanks to expert responders, the whale was freed—and spotted again, healthy, seven years later. This story showcases the power of science, innovation, and community in safeguarding marine life.

Two scuba divers securing a buoy to the ocean floor using metal hooks and ropes.
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NOAA Staff Have Been Busy Installing Mooring Buoys for Public Use Across America

two freedivers hover over a boulder coral as one holds a measuring stick next to the coral and the other takes a photo
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Training a Community to Combat Coral Disease in National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa

a robotic arm with a sensor gathers data from the water released from a hydrothermal vent in the deep sea
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Five Reasons Seamounts Matter

Deckhands prepare to launch the data buoy by lifting it with the crane on the boat.
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Sentinels of the Lake: How Data Buoys Increase Safety and Support Communities of Wisconsin's Lake Michigan

two scuba divers with lights and a camera explore a shipwreck
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Take a Dive (Live) in NOAA's Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary

students gather by a river and squat down to collect baby salmon into clear containers
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High Schoolers Help Federal Biologists Unravel the Mystery of Spinning Salmon

shipwreck
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25 Years of Tourism, Science, and Economic Growth at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

a seagrass meadow
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NOAA Leads Project to Restore a Seagrass Meadow in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

sharks swim around a school of fish
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How Sharks Keep the Ocean Healthy

buoy team
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Why Deep-Sea Corals Are Essential to Our Ocean

buoy team
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Buoyed by the Mission: The People and Work Behind Your Florida Keys Mooring Buoys

national marine sanctuary foundation logo
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Force Blue Tour of Duty

three boats on the water with people fishing over the sides
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How National Marine Sanctuaries Fuel Local Economies

Sunset from the back deck of a large vessel at sea
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Restoring Deep Habitats In and Around Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Masked Angelfish
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Rare Species Found in Your National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments

green sea turtle and hawaiian monk seal laying on the beach together
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A Match Made in the Ocean: Sanctuary Symbioses

a boat tied to a buoy, people skorkling in the background
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Buoys Support Recreation in National Marine Sanctuaries

Boundry map of Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary
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NOAA Announces Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary

family camping on the beach
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Camping Itineraries to Explore the Best of Land and Sea: National Parks and National Marine Sanctuaries

a multi-colored image of a sailboat with three masts
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Frozen in Time: National Marine Sanctuary Researchers Discover Lost Shipwreck Ironton

Three elementary students sit on a moving boat with an American flag flapping in the wind on a boat ride on the water.
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Third Graders Get Into Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

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

Heather Spalding, Ph. D. of the College of Charleston collects water samples from within Chondria mats for nutrient analysis.
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Nuisance Alga Found in New Locations of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

person on a boat holding up two lionfish
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Rachel Bowman Leads Lionfish Invitationals at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Two NOAA Enforcement Officers in uniform stand with two children on a pier holding a large crevalle jack fish
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To Protect and Serve: NOAA Enforcement Gives Back to Military Families

a shipwreck underwater with marine life growing on and living around it
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USS Monitor: From Weapon of War to Island of Life

an underwater robot shines a bright light on a seamount with marine life living on it
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Explore Spectacular: Interesting Discoveries From 50 Years of National Marine Sanctuaries

Photo collage of 10 different species
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10 Animals You've Probably Never Heard of From Our Annual Photo Contest

2025 Web Stories

Check out some of latest news from across your national marine sanctuary system. Tune in each week for more updates.

buoy team
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Buoyed by the Mission: The People and Work Behind Your Florida Keys Mooring Buoys

Sunset from the back deck of a large vessel at sea
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Restoring Deep Habitats In and Around Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Masked Angelfish
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Rare Species Found in Your National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments

green sea turtle and hawaiian monk seal laying on the beach together
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A Match Made in the Ocean: Sanctuary Symbioses

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Get into Your Sanctuary

National marine sanctuaries offer unique opportunities for regenerative tourism and responsible recreation, supporting local jobs and economies while safeguarding marine ecosystems. Ready to explore your sanctuary? Discover resources and events to help you connect with these special places!

boat tied to a mooring buoy while people swim in the background

How to Use a Mooring Buoy
Close up of a crab posing in front of a urchin, its long rostrum blending in with the urchins spines.

Enter the 2025 Photo Contest
ocean guardian logo

Become an Ocean Guardian School
People on a charter vessel peer out at the backs of two humpback whales visible above the ocean surface

Monterey Bay Whale Watching Guidelines