Waters for All: 25 Years of Impact | National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
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25 in 25
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025.
Explore Our Work
For
25 years
, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation has
made
incredible achievements in
species
conservation,
habitat restoration,
cultural and
maritime
heritage preservation
and
technolog
ical
innovation and scientific discovery.
hese
stories and videos
demonstrat
the Foundation’s
impact
and
show how its work is charting
path for
ward for
our
national marine
sanctuaries
CELEBRATE 25 YEARS
Donate Today
Dive Into Deep Coral Restoration
The Hidden Gulf takes viewers behind-the-scenes of a field expedition around Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary where experts work to restore corals in mesophotic, or “middle light” seafloor habitats of the Gulf.
Battling Marine Debris
Across our National Marine Sanctuary System, the Foundation is racing to reclaim these waters from harmful marine debris. From community cleanups to large scale debris removals, every piece of debris we remove keeps our national marine sanctuaries clean, safe, and accessible to everyone.
The Power of Partnerships
The Florida Keys are iconic, but keeping them pristine takes more than just looking at the view. This video follows Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys, a mission to pull marine debris out of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and protect the Keys’ blue backyard. Through a partnership with Hilton Global Foundation, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is turning spectators into stewards. From Blue Star Dive Operators scouting debris hotspots to locals and visitors participating in regenerative tourism, we’re working to keep these waters clean.
Saving North Atlantic Right Whales
With fewer than 400 North Atlantic Right Whales surviving today, their migration paths, nurseries, and hangout spots are crucial to their species’ survival. At Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, the Foundation sponsors a system that alerts vessels when they are in areas where Right Whales are commonly found to prevent collisions.
Watch the Video
Exploring the Unknown
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation connects communities to our maritime heritage. This first of its kind expedition documents the shipwrecks 600 feet below the surface of Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary with a remotely operated vehicle.
Watch the Video
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ROV Competition (MI)
At Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, students tackle real-world challenges using underwater drones.
The Foundation supports ROV programming
, helping kids hone their skills and prepare for a future in marine engineering.
Flower Garden Banks NMS Cleanup (TX)
This mission built on years of data about the type and location of marine debris in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, the best methods to remove it, and the importance of restoring seafloor habitats.
Innovating Coral Conservation (FL)
The Foundation hosted a Design Thinking Challenge on marine engineering solutions
to protect coral reefs from bleaching
event
. The event
showcase
how
marine sanctuaries
can be
sources of
innovati
on
Giving Whales Another Chance at Life
Along California’s coast, whale rescue responders put their own lives at risk to rescue 40-ton whales entangled in trash and other marine debris. In Channel Islands and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries, the Foundation supports training responders like Stephanie Marcos, the youngest female Level 3 whale rescue responder, who work to give entangled whales another chance at life.
Watch the Video
African American Sailors Aboard USS
Monitor
Monitor National Marine Sanctuary was designated to preserve USS
Monitor
, which is nicknamed the “little ship that saved the nation” for its pivotal role in the Civil War. The crew of
Monitor
included freed Black men who joined the Union Navy. The Foundation supported genealogical research to locate descendants of
Monitor’s
crew, helping improve our understanding of the country’s maritime history.
Read the Blog
Neah Bay: Restoring Ancestral Waters
For generations Makah Tribal
fishermen
fished Washington’s Neah Bay. But marine debris, including a dystopian 3,000-ton piece of highway bridge,
was
choking their fishing grounds.
Last year
, a coalition work
ed
together to demolish and remove the marine debris
of
Neah Bay
Watch the
documentary
trailer
and check out
our Neah Bay
: Restoring Ancestral Waters
page
to get the latest on film festival appearances
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Derelict Ship Removal (CA)
In February
2025
, the Foundation removed a
abandoned
54-foot fishing vessel that
was threatening local marine wildlife
in
Greater
Farallones
National Marine Sanctuary
along
California
’s central coast.
Channel Islands Cleanup (CA)
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
ha
s been called a “catcher’s mit
for marine debris.”
But thanks to hundreds of volunteers, that trash is being cleaned up
Sanctuary Ocean Count (HI)
Each year, volunteers in
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
participate
in
the world’s longest running community science project: the Sanctuary Ocean Count
The I.CARE Trash Derby removed 36,000+ pounds of debris from the Florida Keys.
Marine debris threatens
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
and the wildlife that
live
there
This is why t
he Foundation
works with local
partners
including dive shops
to
upport
th
annual
I.C
ARE
Trash Derby
and
other cleanup programs in the
Florida Keys
including Goal: Clean Seas.
Watch the Video
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