Our planet is an ocean planet: Earth Is Blue. NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary System protects some of the most iconic underwater places throughout the United States, but we can't do it without you. Come experience some of the weekly videos that the NOAA national marine sanctuaries’ production team creates to inspire people to care for our ocean. Watch more Earth Is Blue here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/earthisblue.html

Take a trip back in time to learn the history of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries and check out what's in store for the future!

Earth is Blue: Celebrate 45th Anniversary

Off the coast of California, a mysterious mountain rises from the continental shelf. This is Cordell Bank, home to an astonishing array of technicolor marine life. Learn how Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary came to be.

Earth is Blue: Cordell Bank NMS 30th Anniversary

Looking for incredible destinations for fishing, boating, kayaking, and more? Look no further than your national marine sanctuaries!

Earth is Blue: Fishing Happens Here

Save the date! You're invited to Get Into Your Sanctuary days over the long weekend of July 31-August 2. We'll be holding events–virtual dives, webinars, and more–in celebration of recreation in your National Marine Sanctuary System. https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/visit/gi...

Earth is Blue: Get Into Your Sanctuary!

If you've visited Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, you might have been lucky enough to see a honu, or green sea turtle. Get to know these gentle creatures in our video!

Earth is Blue: Green Sea Turtles of Hawaii

All November, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary celebrates the return of the whales to sanctuary waters. Learn about humpback whales who visit this special place in our Earth Is Blue video!

Earth is Blue: Humpback Whales of Hawaii

You've heard of an octopus's garden – but have you ever seen one? Check out the many octopuses spotted in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary by researchers on the E/V Nautilus this fall!

Earth is Blue: Octopus Garden

In April 2019, NOAA proposed the designation of a national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario to protect historically significant shipwrecks and maritime heritage resources. Following the end of the three-month public comment period, NOAA is now conducting a detailed analysis to develop sanctuary alternatives and a management plan for the proposed national marine sanctuary. Learn more about the proposed sanctuary in this video!

Earth is Blue: Proposed Lake Ontario NMS

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is home to a variety of animals, including sea lions. Learn about these inquisitive creatures in our video!

Earth is Blue: Sea Lion in Channel Islands

We're celebrating the newest national marine sanctuary of all: Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary! Mallows Bay is the first national marine sanctuary designated since 2000, and protects numerous historical artifacts in the tidal Potomac River. Get to know it: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-...

Earth is Blue: Welcome to Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS!

Have you ever heard of a whale fall? When a whale dies at sea, its body sinks the ocean floor, where it becomes a food source for years or even decades. Here, it's called a whale fall. Researchers recently came across this whale fall in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary!

Earth is Blue: Whale Fall in Monterey Bay NMS

Take a visit to each site of the National Marine Sanctuary System! What's your favorite?

Earth is Blue: Your National Marine Sanctuaries

Do you know what a bank is?These raised features found throughout the world are some of the most productive places in ocean. Come along and learn about three sanctuaries where banks are prominent features and why they need protecting. Learn more here: <a href="http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sanctuaries.noaa.gov</a>

Earth is Blue: Banks 101

Nearly 50 years ago, the U.S. ushered in a new era of ocean conservation by creating the National Marine Sanctuary System. Since then, we’ve grown into a nationwide network of 15 national marine sanctuaries and two marine national monuments that conserve more than 620,000 square miles of spectacular ocean and Great Lakes waters. Your national marine sanctuaries and monuments support coastal communities and drive local economies by providing jobs and opportunities for people to discover, recreate, and form life-long connections with these spectacular places. Sanctuaries connect people and communities through science, education, recreation, and stewardship. We rely on these networks to inspire community-based solutions that help us understand and protect our nation’s most spectacular habitats, marine life, archaeological wonders, and cultural seascapes. As we look toward the future, we fully embrace our responsibility to save these spectacular places and ensure the National Marine Sanctuary System remains a source of pride and enjoyment for all. Help us <a href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/savespectacular" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SaveSpectacular</a>! Learn more by visiting: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqa25Kb0lQTl9KV3JGcmQ4T1BDRVhiRW9ZTFhuQXxBQ3Jtc0tuYy0tVy00bWJ3TjhYcERRanZJa3hmaEo5V3hCNjFDODFUUXVrcXl4c0JaLWZ4UjVtOXZjajhhaEduR21RNGlPMVhubVRmYW9iSnc5b2d0TUgtVmhmSS1PUkZQY1pZaE9xVjlWLTBZN3dVcGtFb054WQ&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fsanctuaries.noaa.gov%2F50" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/50</a>.

50 Years of National Marine Sanctuaries

You will never guess what fin-tastic sight scientists in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary stumbled upon this week! Working with shark experts from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (Dr. Greg Skomal) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (Dr. Andy Danylchuk) the team tagged five white sharks feeding on a carcass of a deceased one-year-old humpback whale in the sanctuary.

Earth is Blue: White Sharks Scavenging in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

NOAA is proposing to designate a national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River to celebrate the area’s unique history and heritage and provide a national stage for promoting tourism and recreation. One of the Proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary's most impressive recreationally accessible shipwrecks, St. Peter, is located northeast of Putneyville. This 135-foot, three-masted schooner rests upright in 117 feet of water. Learn about the history of the schooner and the battle with 70 mph winds in this Sanctuaries 360 video! NOAA is accepting public input on the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) and management plan through electronic submissions until Sept. 10, 2021, and will also record input from two in-person and two virtual meetings. Learn more here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnNTaU9vSWsxZkxaMzRDSEpXbkdoU3lJQ2dIZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttb0MtTWdwWm43ZFluZ3c4TTJHOTNKNEtIcVZZMTk2ZE1aSEdJclQxZEY2Nk43U291QmdybnlfSlVZNWNPaG1KV1dkbXFlelZFd05pRXVOU2htVXNmeDNwWm5xdm92WkRGSjRwMDlvQms4N0pxdGVBSQ&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fsanctuaries.noaa.gov%2Flake-ontario%2F" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/lake-ont...</a> If you're on a desktop, click and drag to experience the Lake Ontario Schooner St Peter in 360 degrees, or pair your phone with your virtual reality headset. For the best viewing experience, watch the video in high-definition: click the gear symbol in the lower right corner, then select any of the HD options that pop up when you click "Quality." To experience more 360-degree images of your national marine sanctuaries, visit <a href="http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/vr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sanctuaries.noaa.gov/vr</a>.

Explore the Blue: 360° Lake Ontario Schooner St. Peter

The 962-square mile area of Lake Michigan, named Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, was designated this month by NOAA with widespread support from a diverse coalition of organizations and individuals at local, state, regional, and national levels. The sanctuary will protect and celebrate the region’s maritime cultural heritage while creating unique research, educational, recreational, and tourism opportunities. Learn more here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTZJY3V0aHYzNEV2bHpmeUJwbktVWXJOdHp5Z3xBQ3Jtc0tuTGtxYVhFdFhDR29HWXVuWnFjU2NfaFdUNmNFMXhVUWU3SFVyd2NzdTZsam9ZallvdVZhMlVYaFlVTUpuNHo3bnNNNGhua0Q2ZXpoTF85M2RVSHFnQklxZko2T09NbVZHdHRGQ3lSWDhCOHdRVnVhdw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fsanctuaries.noaa.gov%2Fnews%2Fjun21%2Fwisconsin-sanctuary-designation.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/jun...</a>

Designation of Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary

Every winter, thousands of humpback whales travel to the warm, shallow waters of Hawai‘i to mate, give birth, and raise their young. Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary protects these whales and their habitat by working with local communities and partners. Learn about these partnerships, educational programs, stewardship, cultural connections, and conservation efforts coordinated within the sanctuary. To learn more, visit: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWdtcGU5TXR4cFhNOUI1V0hPc0NSbXltT0l6UXxBQ3Jtc0trSThOYjJCNmhDRDM1NEx6QU1zY3g3X3Q1Znd6MnBnZ2xrSXlKRTFaT1ZRRTQ4ajJuME1UUldyVFg5QXdwWktLd1U3b28tT3V0dDhLaTQzR1JtQlRPbE14c0hMR21uZGlfSmQ5ZFRfTnpCcVVwWk5mTQ&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fhawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov%2F" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/</a>

Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

Earth Is Blue: Your National Marine Sanctuaries (18 films)

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