Volunteers across the country donated more than 100,000 hours of their time last year – the equivalent of 58 fulltime employees – to help protect and conserve the country's ocean and coastal treasures for future generations, according to the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Sanctuary volunteers assisted with a variety of activities including science diving, vessel maintenance, whale identification, beach cleanups and water quality monitoring. They also collected field observations and surveys, acted as educational docents at visitor centers, and monitored wildlife.

"National Volunteer Week is a time we recognize our outstanding corps of volunteers nationwide who make a difference to their communities and help us achieve our mission," said Daniel J. Basta, director, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. "Our volunteers are an important part of our team and our success." Since the mid-1990s, sanctuary volunteers have provided more than $17 million of in-kind support, according to a national value of volunteer time.

The National Marine Sanctuary System manages 14 marine protected areas spanning more than 150,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes waters from the Hawaiian Islands to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa.