At the end of April, Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary held their annual BioBlitz: a community science event where volunteers collect observations of different species in the sanctuary. This event coincided with the worldwide City Nature Challenge, a friendly collaboration among cities all over the world to share observations of nature over the course of one weekend, providing a global snapshot of biodiversity. Nearly 40 people participated in the BioBlitz, documenting 237 observations of 167 different species of plants, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and more in the sanctuary waters and surrounding Mallows Bay Park. Why it matters: Community science events like the BioBlitz provide an opportunity for volunteers to visit the sanctuary and contribute valuable scientific data to research and monitoring programs. This data helps sanctuary staff and co-managers better understand the species diversity and ecology of the sanctuary, and provides insight into the presence of invasive and endangered species. Learn more in our latest #NoteFromTheField: https://lnkd.in/evd88TPQ. 📸:Taylor Schneider/NOAA, Elena Gilroy/Charles County, and Megan McCabe/NOAA #NOAASanctuaries #MallowsBay #GetIntoYourSanctuary #CityNatureChallenge #CitizenScienceMonth #NationalVolunteerWeek #VolunteersMakeWaves
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Government Administration
Silver Spring, Maryland 7,675 followers
Encompassing more than 629,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters across the US.
About us
From Washington state to the Gulf of America and from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Islands, the National Marine Sanctuary System protects 18 underwater parks spanning over 629,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes waters. By investing in innovative solutions, we strengthen these iconic places to address 21st-century challenges while supporting America's commerce and tourism. These unique locations inspire people to visit, value, and steward our nation’s iconic ocean and Great Lakes waters.
- Website
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https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/
External link for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
- Industry
- Government Administration
- Company size
- 201-500 employees
- Headquarters
- Silver Spring, Maryland
- Type
- Government Agency
Updates
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Happy Anniversary to Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary! 🐙🐟🪸🐋🐦 Cordell Bank is the centerpiece of the sanctuary, a bank that rises from the soft sediments on the edge of the continental shelf just 22 miles west of Point Reyes. The combination of ocean conditions and topography create a rich and diverse marine community around the bank. This supports all kinds of fish, invertebrates, marine mammals, and incredible seabirds. Join us in celebrating your Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary with their #SanctuarySwatch! Learn more about this incredible place: https://lnkd.in/eum3AzX8. All year long, we will be highlighting the 🎨 #SanctuarySwatch palettes from across your National Marine Sanctuary System as we celebrate the site's anniversaries. Stay tuned to catch all 18 swatches! 🌈 📸: Rob Lee/BAUE #EarthIsBlue #Swatches #ColorPalette
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It's time to GET INTO YOUR SANCTUARY! 📸🤿⛱️⛵️🌅💙🪸🐟🐋 Our Photo Contest is now open and this year we have ALL NEW categories: 🦈 Life in Motion 🚣♂️Sanctuaries & You 🏝️The Water's Edge ⚓️Ripples from the Past Tell us which category speaks to you and submit your photos starting TODAY until Labor Day, September 7, 2026! Visit https://lnkd.in/eXGccev for rules, submission information, and photography tips. We cannot wait to see the sanctuary system through your lens! 🎥: NOAA/Photo Contest Winners from 2025 #PhotoContest #Photography #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography #ILoveMySanctuary
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NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries reposted this
Congratulations to the 2026 Hollings scholars! The 128 selected applicants come from 95 different campuses in 40 U.S. states, Guam, and Washington, D.C. We can’t wait to see the valuable contributions they’ll make to NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration during their internship experience! https://lnkd.in/eiZgb6Sw
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What does it take to capture an award-winning sanctuary photo? 📸🥇 Our new web story takes a deep dive with last year’s winners to reveal how patience, planning, and awareness of light, tides, wildlife behavior, and place helped them capture powerful images responsibly for last year's Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/e6MQA4tE. Get your cameras ready for our 2026 Photo Contest, opening this FRIDAY! 🌊🐠🦭🪸🐋🦦 📸: Courtesy of Luan Roberts, Ben Caswell, Gabriel Jensen, and Daniel Eidsmoe #GetIntoYourSanctuary #ILoveMySanctuary #PhotoContest #PhotographyTips
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See a spout? Watch out! 🐋 We’re expanding our See a Spout program to the West Coast and Hawaii! This program helps ocean users stay safe and learn how to observe and protect whales in each region. New FREE online courses are now live in Channel Islands, Monterey Bay, Greater Farallones, Cordell Bank, and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuaries. In under 30 minutes, you’ll learn how to: ✔ Understand whale behavior ✔ View whales responsibly ✔ Respond if you see a whale in distress These courses are perfect for boaters, paddlers, and anyone who spends time in the ocean or wants to learn more about whales on the East Coast, West Coast, and Hawai’i! They were created in partnership with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, NOAA Fisheries, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the The Marine Mammal Center, and the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area. Learn more about the courses: https://lnkd.in/eTyg7aJw Share with your crew and help keep sanctuary waters safe for whales and people alike! 📸: J. Moore/NOAA Permit #20311 #SeeASpout #Whales #BoatingSafety #NationalSafeBoatingWeek #SafeBoating
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NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries reposted this
Endangered species face many threats, but thanks to protections under the Endangered Species Act, some are showing signs of recovery. For #EndangeredSpeciesDay, we’re highlighting a few success stories we’re excited about: Each fall through spring, North Atlantic right whales give birth in the shallow, coastal waters of the Southeast. This year, 23 calves were born—the highest number since 2009! This suggests reproductive health is improving, potentially moving the species toward more positive recovery trends. Once significantly harmed by harvest and habitat loss, sea turtles have persevered with new protections and conservation efforts. Their populations are now rebounding even as ocean conditions change. Field biologists working in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands have helped Hawaiian monk seals entangled in derelict fishing gear and other plastics. After they started cleaning up the marine debris in the water, entanglements dropped—by as much as 70 percent on some islands. Most Pacific Coast salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act have increased in abundance over the past 25 years. Protected population groups also increased faster than unprotected populations of the same species. Locally driven conservation efforts and community monitoring and data gathering at nesting beaches has reduced the number of leatherback turtles harvested in Indonesia's Kei Islands by 85 percent. https://lnkd.in/edXjHGdX Photo credits: Cover: Turtle: iStock; Fish: John McMillan; Whales: NOAA Fisheries Slide 5: Milton Love, University of California Santa Barbara Slide 6: Scubazoo All other photos: NOAA Fisheries
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🤿 Many scuba divers from around the world have Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, famously known as “shipwreck alley,” on their dive bucket list. But there’s a new group of explorers in town: third graders, many of them excited to see their first shipwreck! ⚓️⛴️ Just in time for 2026 #KidsToParksDay, 🌳 which encourages kids and families to connect with parks, public lands, and waters across the country, the Third Grade Get Into Your Sanctuary education program is helping students discover an underwater park close to home. 👉 Read all about the program in our latest #NoteFromTheField: https://lnkd.in/eYptxn8g. #EarthIsBlue #KidsToParks #RecreateResponsibly #ILoveMySanctuary
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Shape the future of your sanctuary! 📝🗣️ We are updating the NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary management plan and NOAA is inviting the public to provide their input. The 2026 draft management plan identifies how the sanctuary will carry out its mission to continue protecting one of the nation’s most productive marine ecosystems and spectacularly rugged coastlines. Make your voice heard and help guide the future management of this special place. The public can comment through July 13th, 2026 on the priorities and strategies for managing the sanctuary over the next 5–10 years. Comments may be submitted online or by mail. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eY3UtPhY #PublicComment #ManagementPlan #OlympicCoast #NationalMarineSanctuary
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For #NationalTeacherAppreciationDay, 🍎 we would like to honor all of the dedicated educators who lead ocean stewardship efforts across the country! ✏️ Hear from a few of the enthusiastic teachers making an impact by leading NOAA Ocean Guardian School projects on their campus or in their classroom in our latest web story: https://lnkd.in/eRxe-zMH. 📸: Courteosy of Catherine Walker, Valerie Randall, Jacqui Stanley, Jade Giotta, and Stacey Klimkosky #EarthIsBlue #TeacherAppreciation #TeacherAppreciationWeek
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