National Marine Sanctuaries: Where We've Been and Where We're Headed

June 16, 2022

John Armor, Director, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Nearly fifty years ago, a new era of ocean conservation was born by creating a system of national marine sanctuaries. Since then, the National Marine Sanctuary System has 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, an area nearly the size of Alaska. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the System, we're taking time to look back on all that's been accomplished, celebrate where we've gotten to, and plan for the future, to elevate national marine sanctuaries and their effectiveness (as well as other types of MPAs) as part of a future strategy for ocean and Great Lakes conservation.

This presentation is part of the Third Thursday By the Bay Presentation Series at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, which is the visitor center for Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. This lecture series is also supported by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.