Listen Up! Vessel Traffic in U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries

Many visits to U.S. national marine sanctuaries happen aboard a vessel. Vessels are essential to the recreation and tourism experiences that people have in sanctuaries, as well as research, commerce, and national security. Information about vessel use is important for managing sanctuaries—to both estimate the value of these special places to their many users and to understand the impacts that vessels can have on the marine animals that inhabit them. This StoryMap highlights what we are learning about vessels in sanctuaries by listening underwater.

a whale swims with a large ship in the background
Credit: Cascadia Research