NOAA: National Marine Sanctuaries

NAMEPA joined the NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries webinar: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Headed in the United States.

This series spotlights National Marine Sanctuaries and was incredibly informative. John Armor, Malia Evans, Andy Collins and Justin Umholtz hosted the webinar, speaking about the 15 National Marine Sanctuaries, sites across the Pacific and North America, and celebrating 50 years of National Marine Sanctuaries, and Papahānaumokuākea is celebrating the 16th anniversary.

The Sanctuaries are attempting to expand as well: Lake Ontario, Hudson Bay, and the expansion of Papahānaumokuākea are the newest proposed sites. The experts explained the history of conservation sites, beginning with the National Parks, the first being Yellowstone in 1872, and the use of that logic to marine protection as well leading to Nixon signing the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act in 1972, the first designated national marine sanctuary in 1975, and the current measure of 620,000 square miles of protected Ocean and Great Lakes waters in today’s National Marine Sanctuary System.

It was informative and interesting to learn how successful these sanctuaries become once they are protected.