More than 18,000 square miles of ocean and coastal waters, from Cape Cod to American Samoa, are protected by NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries.
About 180 million people visit U.S. coastlines each year; beaches are the leading tourist destination.
The remains of the USS Monitor, a U.S. Civil War ironclad warship resting 230 feet at the bottom of the ocean, is the site of the first national marine sanctuary.
Human activities, such as fishing, boating, nearshore construction and commercial underwater ventures, may impact marine wildlife if caution is not taken. Habitat and survival go hand in hand. Some animals and plants can survive only in one specific type of habitat, and when their habitat disappears, so do they.
Preservation of marine species is important for economic, biological, educational and aesthetic reasons. The U.S. fishing economy, which in 1995 added more than $20 billion to the gross domestic product, depends on continuous replenishment. Tourism, which annually generates $54 billion in goods and services, also depends on healthy marine life and habitats.
Sustainable use, which is the ongoing availability of renewable marine resources, requires us to consider and manage the many biological and technological factors that affect the ecological well-being of our oceans and shorelines.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is part of the Commerce Department. NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary and National Estuarine Research Reserve Programs bring new approaches to natural resource management. Sanctuaries balance recreational and commercial use of our ocean and coastlines with long-term protection of their natural bounty. Reserves serve as natural laboratories and classrooms for increased understanding and protection of coastal habitats. Both programs partner with local citizens and governments to manage our nation's waters and shorelines, and their inhabitants.
These partnerships also advocate for conservation of our natural and cultural heritage; aid in the recovery of endangered marine mammals; and lessen the threat of oil spills and ship groundings.
Get educated and share your knowledge!
Volunteer with a sanctuary, reserve or nonprofit group that works to protect coastal and marine habitats.
Be mindful of your own environment. Keep litter, used oil, antifreeze, toxic chemicals, pesticides and debris out of drains, and conserve water.
Work individually and with others to help keep the ocean clean, and protect vital habitats like wetlands.
Treat the ocean with care. Enjoy your ocean, waterways and shorelines, but remember that this recreation area is a fragile homeland to many plants and animals.
Don't feed the fish or other marine wildlife! It destroys natural feeding habits.
Year of the Ocean Information Line: 1-888-4YOTO98
Year of the Ocean Website: www.yoto.com
NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program Website: www.nos.noaa.gov/ocrm/nmsp
NOAA's National Ocean Service
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management
National Marine Sanctuaries Division
1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
NOAA's National Ocean Service
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management
National Estuarine Research Reserve Division
1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
The International Year of the Ocean Home Page
is a publication of the NOAA Home Page Design
and Construction Company.