Waters for All
Protecting America's marine sanctuaries — from Massachusetts to American Samoa.
As the official non-profit partner of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the Foundation works to connect Americans to their marine sanctuaries and inspire them to support and invest in these public waters.
Our Impact
A quarter century investing in America's public waters
The Sanctuary System
Sanctuaries to discover
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Once you set foot in Florida Keys waters, you have entered Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This marine sanctuary protects 4,539 square miles of waters surrounding the Flori…
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Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS
True to its name, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is home to one of the world’s most important populations of humpback whales. More than half of the humpb…
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Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Off California’s central coast, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the largest national marine sanctuary in the continental U.S., covering almost a quarter of California’s c…
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Our Work
Three pillars of our mission
Our programs center on science and conservation, connecting people and communities to sanctuaries, and creating the next generation of ocean stewards.
Conservation & Restoration
Direct support for habitat protection, species recovery, and resilience projects across the National Marine Sanctuary System.
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Science & Technology
Research, monitoring, and innovation that informs sanctuary management and advances ocean understanding.
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Education & Outreach
In- and out-of-school education programs that grow the next generation of ocean stewards and connect communities to their sanctuaries.
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From the field
Follow the Foundation
Sanctuary stories, advocacy alerts, and field updates from America's marine protected areas. Tag your own photos #NationalMarineSanctuary to be featured.
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Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2026 · sneak peek -
Birds Supporting Birds · Eagles + Stellwagen BankReel -
25 years of the Foundation — celebrate with a $25 giftReel -
Sir David Attenborough turns 100 -
Trash Derby pulled 34,000 lbs of marine debris · Florida Keys -
30 years of Sanctuary Ocean Count · Hawaiian Islands HumpbackReel
Pilot snapshot from @marinesanctuaryfdn captured 2026-05-14 — production replaces this with a live feed via the Foundation's Meta Graph API or a $15/mo aggregator service.
Take Action
Speak up for America's marine sanctuaries.
Add your voice to active campaigns protecting endangered species, designating new sanctuaries, and funding the National Marine Sanctuary System.
See current campaigns