Webinar Series

The National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Series provides educators, students, and the interested public with educational and scientific expertise, resources and training to support ocean and climate literacy. This series generally targets formal and informal educators that are engaging students (elementary through college) in formal classroom settings, as well as members of the community in informal educational venues (e.g. after school programs, science centers, aquariums, etc.). However, the series is open to anyone interested in the topics listed below.

For distance learning programs about marine mammals and other protected species in the wild, please visit our Wildlife Viewing Guidelines and the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources' Marine Life Viewing Guidelines to ensure you are aware of the regulations.

Upcoming Webinars

L to R: A male scientist in scuba gear on a boat; vibrant coral reef ecosystem; and a male scientist standing next to a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).

Eternal Evening in the Ocean: Where Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems Thrive

January 16, 2025 at 1 pm Hawai`i, 3 pm Pacific, 5 pm Central, 6 pm Eastern

Philip Yang, PhD Student and NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography

Mesophotic, or “middle-light”, coral ecosystems exist deeper than the shallow coral reefs you might immediately think of. Mesophotic ecosystems can exist across depths of 100 ft (30m) to 350 ft (150m) from the ocean surface. Because of this depth range, these ecosystems occupy as much as 80% of the potential space coral reefs can live in on the seafloor throughout the global tropical ocean. In recent decades, technological advances in diving and robotic vehicles have allowed us to explore and learn more about these diverse and important ecosystems. Come join me to learn more about these ecosystems and what it takes to study them using cutting-edge science!

5 images creating a banner; first image of Dr. Steve Gittings, second image of a white and orange striped fish with very flowing fins, the next of a prism like trap underwater with the same fish crowding around. The fourth image shows five younger people in red shirts, standing in a boat with hundreds of the orange fish at their feet, holding large, white cylinders. Last image shows a diver spearing the orange, striped fish and stuffing it into a gray and red cylinder with a thin spear.

Lionfish: An Ocean Tragedy in Three Acts

January 14, 2025 at 7am Hawaii / 10 am Pacific / 12 pm Central / 1 pm Eastern

Join Dr. Steve Gittings, Chief Scientist of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, for a front-row seat to a 40-year saga of beauty, death, and survival. Act I: A brilliant new star, the Indo-Pacific lionfish, makes its dramatic debut in the Atlantic Ocean. Mesmerizing at first, it soon horrifies as it leaves disappearance in its wake. Act II: An ecological crisis ensues as native fish succumb to waves of these alien invaders, with no natural defenses to stop them. Act III: Humans enter the scene, combining innovation and brute force to offer Nature a helping hand while it seeks its own footing. Will this epic struggle find resolution? Is it the end of the ocean we know, or a new beginning? Learn how this drama unfolds and what the future holds.