National Marine Sanctuary System The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 629,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of 17 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. Eastern Region Florida Keys Flower Garden Banks Gray's Reef Hudson Canyon (in designation) Lake Erie (in designation) Lake Ontario Mallows Bay-Potomac River Monitor Stellwagen Bank Thunder Bay Wisconsin-Shipwreck Coast West Coast Region Channel Islands Chumash Heritage Cordell Bank Greater Farallones Monterey Bay Olympic Coast Pacific Islands Region American Samoa Hawaii Humpback Whale Pacific Remote Islands (in designation) Papahānaumokuākea Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Washington Coast, USA Sanctuary News View 2024 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest Winners Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest! Read Kanu i ka ʻĀina (Planting the Seeds): Investing in the Next Generation of Indigenous Stewards and Scientists Read Pacific Islands Region Digital Storytelling Series: Navigating How We Care for Our Ocean Read Veterans Across the National Marine Sanctuary System Read My Journey as a Cherokee Nation Citizen and Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar Read A New Marine Protected Area on America's West Coast: Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Read Team OCEAN Prevents Wildlife Disturbances in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Read Congratulations to the 2024 Volunteers of the Year! Read Notes from the Field Join us behind the scenes for a look at research taking place above and below the water. Read more stories National Marine Sanctuary System Posters During the National Marine Sanctuary System's 50th anniversary celebration in 2022, a commemorative poster series was launched to capture the beauty and diversity of each site in the system. The posters are two sided, featuring original artwork on the front and educational information on the back. Other posters created for the system over the years have also been added. Dive in and download your sanctuary posters today! Virtual Dives Immerse yourself in the ocean and your national marine sanctuaries without getting wet! Dive Into Your Sanctuaries Our planet is an ocean planet: Earth Is Blue. The National Marine Sanctuary System protects some of the most iconic underwater places throughout the United States, but we can't do it without you. No matter where you are, the ocean and Great Lakes are in your hands. We hope these images inspire you to help care for our ocean and to spread the word that Earth isn't green – it's blue. Submit your own photos and join us on: View More Photos Stories from the Blue Stories from the Blue celebrate the people at the center of national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments. What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you? What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you? Earth is Blue Magazine Error processing SSI file Sanctuary Nomination Process NOAA invites communities across the nation to nominate their most treasured places in our marine and Great Lakes waters for consideration as national marine sanctuaries. nominate.noaa.gov Visit National marine sanctuaries are ideal destinations for travelers who enjoy a diversity of recreational activities. Plan your visit Get Involved Volunteers help to ensure marine sanctuaries remain America's underwater treasures for future generations. How you can help