Small Actions, Big Impact: Get Involved in Your National Marine Sanctuaries This Spring
By Rachel Plunkett
April 22, 2026
April is a time to celebrate the many ways people can make a difference, from Earth Month and Citizen Science Month to National Volunteer Month. Across the National Marine Sanctuary System, volunteers play an important role in helping protect America's underwater parks through hands-on stewardship, community science, and public engagement. Every year, people across the country give their time, curiosity, and skills to help care for America's underwater parks. In 2025 alone, 6,806 volunteers supported citizen science in the National Marine Sanctuary System, contributing 36,748 hours to projects that help answer real-world scientific questions. Whether you want to join a one-day event, contribute sightings from your phone, or get involved in an ongoing restoration effort, there are many ways to make a difference. Explore some currently available opportunities across different regions of the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System below!
Featured Opportunities
West Coast Region
Washington Coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca - Washington Coast Cleanup
Celebrate Earth Day by joining in the Washington Coast Cleanup on Saturday, April 25, 2026, along with other opportunities throughout the year! Volunteer to help keep our beaches clean and beautiful by removing marine and shoreline debris at various locations along the Pacific Coast and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Sign up for a beach with Washington CoastSavers. The sanctuary also supports the Hobuck cleanup on the Makah Reservation every April.
Northeast Pacific Beaches: COASST
The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) is a citizen science program based at the University of Washington that trains volunteers to survey local beaches for signs of seabirds, marine debris, and other coastal changes. Participants choose a favorite beach and conduct monthly surveys, helping build long-term datasets that support marine ecosystem monitoring in the northeast Pacific.
California National Marine Sanctuaries: Marine Invasives
Through this ongoing project, volunteers help track invasive marine species along California's coast. By reporting observations, participants contribute valuable information that helps scientists better understand how invasive species spread and affect sanctuary ecosystems.
Monterey Bay, California: Snapshot Day
Held on May 2, 2026, Snapshot Day is a one-day volunteer event in which community members help collect water quality data from rivers and streams that flow into Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It's a hands-on way to support long-term watershed and ocean health monitoring.
Channel Islands, California: Wanted Alive: Finding Hal
Help us find white abalone on your next dive! Running May through October, Wanted Alive: Finding Hal invites divers and ocean users to report sightings that can support white abalone recovery efforts in and around Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. It's a unique way for the public to help scientists track and protect a rare marine species.
Eastern Region
Florida Keys, Florida: Iconic Reef Guardians
Iconic Reef Guardians offers year-round opportunities for volunteers to support coral reef restoration in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Participants can tour a coral nursery and help monitor coral health in active restoration areas while contributing to the long-term recovery of these iconic ecosystems. See the calendar of events for a full list of upcoming signup opportunities with participating dive operators on the Mission: Iconic Reefs website.
Florida Keys, Florida: Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys
This year-round marine debris removal program gives volunteers a chance to help keep sanctuary waters cleaner and healthier. Through Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys, participants support efforts to remove trash from coastal and marine environments and protect wildlife and habitats.
Florida Keys, Florida: BleachWatch
Offered year-round in partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory, BleachWatch trains community members to monitor corals for signs of bleaching and disease. Volunteer observations help provide timely information about reef conditions in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Savannah, Georgia: Become an Ocean Discovery Center Volunteer
Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary is in need of visitor services specialists to help out at the new Ocean Discovery Center in downtown Savannah, Georgia. Visitor services specialists serve as representatives of the Ocean Discovery Center, curating visitor experiences in the space. They welcome and orient guests, answer questions, and assist with various visitor needs. Those interested in this opportunity should complete the form on the sanctuary's website.
Mallows Bay, Maryland: Help Monitor Microbes in Mallows Bay
From May through September, this citizen science effort invites volunteers to help monitor bacteria and water quality conditions in Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary. The project supports broader efforts to better understand and protect this important tidal river ecosystem.
Massachusetts: Stellwagen Sanctuary Seabird Stewards (S4)
Year-round and seasonally from April-October on whale watch vessels, citizen scientist volunteers collect seabird data to help with research and monitoring of populations. This is the only dedicated seabird survey that exists in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Data is used to compare relative abundance of seabirds over time to better understand wildlife populations in the sanctuary. Interested volunteers should fill out the form on the S4 webpage.
Pacific Islands Region
Hōlanikū (Kure Atoll), Papahānaumokuākea: Habitat Restoration Volunteers
The State of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and Kure Atoll Conservancy are seeking Habitat Restoration Volunteers for work at Kure Atoll Wildlife Sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands/Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary. Field seasons are six to eight months in a remote location, and volunteers can expect to work 40 hours per week.
Various Locations
Various Locations: Whale Alert
Whale Alert is a year-round opportunity for boaters and ocean users to report whale sightings through a free app. These reports help raise awareness of whale presence and support efforts to reduce vessel strikes in waters used by whales along the U.S. coasts.
Various Locations: Start a Beach Cleanup
Want to take action close to home? Year round, you can organize your own cleanup at a beach, shoreline, or waterway near a national marine sanctuary. Ocean Conservancy's "Start a Cleanup" guide offers tips for choosing a site, gathering supplies, recruiting volunteers, and using the Clean Swell® app to document the debris you collect, helping turn local cleanup efforts into useful marine debris data.
Various Locations: Take the Pledge For Wildlife
Encountering wildlife can be a once-in-a lifetime opportunity! For their safety as well as yours, please follow our Wildlife Viewing Guidelines and be aware of local regulations when heading out into a national marine sanctuary. Year round, you can take our pledge for wildlife to commit to being a responsible visitor while having a memorable experience.
More Ways to Get Involved
Explore more citizen science and volunteer opportunities across the National Marine Sanctuary System and meet some of our featured sanctuary stewards on the Get Involved page. Find even more opportunities to help the ocean during Earth Monthget involved through NOAA's citizen science projects page and with our official nonprofit partner, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
Rachel Plunkett is the content manager and senior writer/editor for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries