Topic: National Marine Sanctuary Program

National Marine Sanctuary Program federally owned marine and Great Lakes reserves, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The program consists of 13 marine sanctuaries totaling over 18,000 sq mi (46,632 sq km) in eight states and American Samoa. Four of the areas are on the California coast, including the largest, at Monterey Bay. The Florida Keys and Hawaii also have large sanctuaries. Founded in 1972, the program was set up to protect those marine and Great Lakes areas of special significance, such as the only barrier reef in the United States, which is... Read more