National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

CLEANUP COMPLETE: The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation just completed a multimillion-dollar marine debris cleanup in Neah Bay, Washington in partnership with the Makah Tribe and the NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program. This included 15 derelict vessels and a 3,000-ton bridge pontoon which had been sunken in Neah Bay for more than 30 years. The project is part of a nearly $15 million award from NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program with funding provided by the #BipartisanInfrastructureLaw. It includes large #MarineDebris removal across five national marine sanctuaries and two Tribal ancestral waters, including #OlympicCoast National Marine Sanctuary and the Makah Usual and Accustomed Treaty Area. Chairman Timothy J. Greene Sr., Makah Tribal Council, said, "We are deeply grateful for the collaboration with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and NOAA Marine Debris Program in restoring the waters of Neah Bay. Removing this debris not only revitalizes our marina and preserves our environment but also strengthens the cultural and economic pillars of our community. This effort demonstrates the impact of partnerships rooted in respect for our natural resources and shared commitment to sustaining our way of life for future generations." Read more: https://lnkd.in/eeZJZnb6 #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation would like to warmly welcome three new trustees - Nikki Buffa (Latham & Watkins), Suzanne Frey (Google), and Chairman T.J. Greene (Makah Tribal Council)! Newly elected leadership, Dawn Rodney and Laura Godfrey Zagar will serve as co-chairs of the board, succeeding the outgoing co-chairs Susanna Kondracki and Mark McDade. Liz Crego was elected treasurer and Mark McDade secretary. ? “At a time of great change to our environment and economy, challenges and opportunities for America’s public waters, our Foundation’s path forward depends on the guidance of our trustees to help lead and sustain us in partnership with NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration,” said?Joel R. Johnson, president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. “As the Foundation enters its 25th?anniversary year, we warmly welcome Nikki Buffa, Suzanne Frey, and Chairman Greene; each are committed to America’s treasured waters and share a?diversity of experiences. They join a new board #leadership team, that will be invaluable to our next phase of growth.”? Meet our new trustees and learn more about our board leadership: https://lnkd.in/gPhASRzZ

Big Momma in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa might not be the world's largest #coral anymore, but we still think it's a pretty *big* deal! ?? The new largest coral spotted by National Geographic Society Pristine Seas in the Solomon Islands is 3 TIMES bigger! This record-breaking coral colony is approximately 111 feet wide, 104 feet long, and 18 feet tall. This makes it wide enough to fit two standard basketball courts placed next to each other, and longer than the largest animal in the world, the?blue #whale. This discovery is so massive that it is visible from space! Both this newly discovered coral and “Big Momma” remain relatively healthy, despite recent global #CoralBleaching events. Having lived through centuries of changing conditions, these corals’ genetic code may hold the key to survival of other coral species. This remarkable discovery reminds us of the resilience of corals when they are protected and the importance of #conservation efforts to keep these important ecosystems alive. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gPX6x9xD #CoralConservation #OceanDiscovery ??: National Geographic Society Pristine Seas

NEW #DeepSea SPECIES DISCOVERED! So who's the new nudibranch on the block? This "mystery mollusc" was discovered by MBARI researchers in the depths of #MontereyBay National Marine Sanctuary, and is the FIRST nudibranch known to live in the deep water column! See more about this new swimming sea slug: https://lnkd.in/eSr2EpjF #MarineLifeMonday

Happy designation anniversary to Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary! Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary contains North America’s only living barrier?#CoralReef and is home to over 6,000 species of #MarineLife, making it one of the most popular?#dive?destinations in the world! Unlock the secrets of the?#FloridaKeys: https://lnkd.in/g8yMGTnc ??:?Tyler Morris featuring?Maddie Cholnoky

CONGRATULATIONS to the University of Miami for winning the Coral Reef Thermal Stress Design Thinking Challenge for their HexHive shading solution! This first-ever Sanctuary Solution Series event hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation challenged four marine engineering schools – the University of Delaware, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Miami, and Texas A&M University – to independently design solutions for shading and/or cooling large #CoralReef sites to protect them from thermal stress events. Members of the winning University of Miami team included Kylee Rux, Danielle Bejar, Montale Tuen, and?Josh Prabahar (not pictured) and their advisor Prannoy Suraneni.?The team will receive additional funding to further refine their proposed solution, and will showcase their solution at Reef Futures 2024 and Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2025. Stay tuned for a full recap of the workshop! This workshop was funded through a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Coastal Resilience award to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. #CoralBleachingAwarenessMonth ??: Tiffany T.V. Duong

#APPLYNOW: LESS THAN ONE WEEK LEFT to apply for the 2025 #OceanOdyssey Marine Debris Prevention Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility! The deadline to submit a proposal is November 20! The 2025 Ocean Odyssey #MarineDebris Prevention Awards for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility are a partnership between the NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. The program will award up to $100,000 for projects between $5,000-$10,000 to support communities that are underserved, underrepresented, or overburdened by marine debris and promote initiatives that prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. Proposals are due by November 20 at 11:59 PM EST. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eSZ57tpi #DEIJA #OceanJustice

APPLY NOW! The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation in partnership with Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is looking for a contractor to develop interactive online learning modules for the #IconicReefGuardians Reef Experience. The awarded contractor will create ten training modules: nine for dive professionals and one for recreational divers. These modules will train participants to engage in coral restoration maintenance and monitoring activities at Mission: Iconic Reefs restoration sites. As part of the Mission Iconic Reefs in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary collaboration to restore #CoralReefs along the Florida Reef Tract, the Iconic Reef Guardians aims to empower #scuba divers who are working in, and visiting, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to be knowledgeable and supportive of #CoralRestoration efforts and to?become stewards of #MissionIIconicReefs restoration sites. Applications are due November 20 at 11:50 PM EST. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/ewc8jMq

Thank you veterans for your service! Meet some veterans who support the National Marine Sanctuary System, including Monique Baskin (United States Air Force), Jonathan Gordon (US Navy), Christopher Mobley (NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps), and Eric Roberts (U.S. Coast Guard). Read more from NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries for #VeteransDay: https://lnkd.in/gTrRFCbP

Slow your scroll and take a #mindfulness moment with us today ?? In the words of the late Dr. Wallace J. Nichols of The Blue Mind Movement, "It’s important we have some kind of practice that keeps us calm, creative, compassionate, collaborative and courageous. I haven’t found anything that works better than Blue Mind, with music and a pet coming in a close second and third." "The research is clear that time spent near, in, on or under water in any form (as long as it’s healthy) is good for our cognitive, emotional, psychological, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing. Practicing Blue Mind shifts us into a mildly meditative state, reduces stress, calms our mind, boosts creativity and is one of the best sources of awe and wonder, which builds empathy, resilience, and promotes pro-social behaviors." Learn more about the benefits of #BlueMind: https://lnkd.in/et_gviHw