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Sanctuaries seek protection of maritime history Advances in diving gear, navigational electronics, and aquatic robots are bringing historical sunken vessels within the reach of marine archaeologists and recreational divers alike. Concerned recreational divers are now joining with scientists to take an active role in preserving and documenting underwater maritime history and educating others as to the importance of conserving it. More about NOAA's role Ocean Report offers support to U.S. sanctuaries On September 2, Vice President Al Gore announced new actions to help preserve and protect our nation's oceans and coasts in a special report given at the New England Aquarium in Boston. One proposal in the "The Ocean Report would enlist commercial fishermen and divers in research efforts at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in California. Read more about "The Ocean Report"   NOAA's Shipwreck Trail Weather and war, uncharted waters and human error enacted a deadly toll on seagoing vessels traveling the waters now contained within the boundaries of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries. The new Shipwreck Trail offers a thematic map of significant, accessible, commonly-dived shipwrecks and artificial reefs through the sanctuary's waters. For more on the new diving adventure   Monitor Mission 1999 A joint Navy and NOAA expedition completed part one of a two-part mission this summer to salvage and shore up the historical remains of the Monitor, the famous Civil War ironclad that foundered and sank in a storm 137 years ago.  For more on the Monitor mission including daily updates.   From vessel grounding to reef recovery On August 10, 1994, the R/V Columbus Iselin, a research ship studying the currents on the Florida Straits, smashed through a coral reef colony in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The damaged area, Looe Key, contains some of the most aesthetically valuable and heavily visited reefs in the continental U.S. part of the Florida Reef Tract, it is the third largest barrier reef in the world. Now five-years later, the Looe Key reef restoration has begun. For more on the Columbus Iselin reef restoration One fish, two fish, rockfish, bluefish! For two weeks in July, the annual Great American Fish Count sends recreational divers and snorkelers into the water to help scientists learn more about fish diversity and populations. Waters include five national marine sanctuaries: Channel Islands and Monterey Bay, California; Flower Garden Banks, Texas; Florida Keys, Florida; and Gray's Reef, Georgia. For more on the Great American Fish Count   First Great Lakes sanctuary moves closer to designation Shipwrecks spanning more than a century of Great Lakes shipping -- early wooden sailboats to steel-hulled lakes steamers -- may soon receive protection as part of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary system. An important step in the designation process of Thunder Bay, Michigan, took place recently with the publication of a Final Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan. For more on the proposed Thunder Bay Sanctuary Sustainable Seas Expeditions head east In early July, the Sustainable Seas Expeditions move to the East Coast where aquanauts will explore the rich boulder reefs and sandy plains of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary, 25 miles east of Boston, Mass. protects 842-square miles of open ocean.  Learn more about SSE Sustainable Seas Expeditions After a year of planning, the Sustainable Seas Expeditions kicks off its unprecedented deep sea exploration of NOAA's twelve national marine sanctuaries this month. For more on Sustainable Seas Expeditions New Navigation System Protects Florida's Coral Reefs In early March the federal government installed state-of-the-art navigational aids in NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to help ships avoid grounding on fragile, threatened coral reefs. For full story   Sanctuary educators praised for environmental work Sarah Mitchell and Becky Shortland of NOAA's Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary were honored recently in a Savannah Morning News series for their positive and significant roles in preserving ocean and coastal environments. Praise for Gray's Reef Marine Sanctuary educators Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary honored as conservation accomplishment of the century As the 20th century draws to a close, The Audubon Society, the nation's first bird preservation organization, took the opportunity to reflect back on the greatest conservation accomplishments of the past 100 years. For full story Coast Guard pilots help sanctuary protect coral reefs NOAA's Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary staff Shelley Du Puy and Emma Hickerson once had to travel eleven hours to reach sanctuary boundaries located 100 miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Now U.S. Coast Guard pilots help sanctuary staff reach the sanctuary in 45 minutes. For more "eyes in the sky" September 17, 2001

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