National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES, THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION (FOUNDATION) IMPLEMENTS PUBLIC EDUCATION, OUTREACH, CONSERVATION, AND MARITIME HERITAGE PROJECTS THAT ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BECOME ENGAGED STEWARDS OF U.S. OCEAN, COASTS, AND GREAT LAKES WATERS. PROGRAMMATIC WORK INCLUDES: (1) PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE RECREATION AND TOURISM IN NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES; (2) ESTABLISHING LIFELONG CONNECTIONS TO NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES AND MONUMENTS THROUGH EDUCATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS; (3) DEMONSTRATING HOW THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY SYSTEM SERVES AS A GLOBAL MODEL FOR MARINE PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT; (4) ENGAGING PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC IN CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS; AND, (5) PROMOTING NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES AND MONUMENTS AS LIVING LABORATORIES AND HUBS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF OUR OCEAN AND GREAT LAKES. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS PUBLIC OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AT SEVEN SANCTUARY-FOCUSED VISITOR CENTERS AND NUMEROUS EXHIBITS LOCATED AT PARTNER VENUES THAT WELCOME MILLIONS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR; PROVIDES MINI-GRANTS TO APPROXIMATELY 50 SCHOOLS IN NINE STATES ANNUALLY TO COMPLETE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS; FACILITATES INTERACTIVE EXPLORATION AND MAPPING EXPEDITIONS INTO WEST COAST AND PACIFIC NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES; AND SUPPORTED PIVOTS TO VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES IN SANCTUARIES TO REACH PUBLIC AUDIENCES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION IMPLEMENTS MARINE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF MARINE SPECIES AND HABITATS MANAGED BY NOAA FISHERIES, INCLUDING THOSE IN NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES. OUR EFFORTS FOCUS ON: FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS THAT BENEFIT EDUCATORS AND THEIR STUDENTS; EXPANDING AWARENESS OF THE CHALLENGES FACING ENDANGERED AND PROTECTED SPECIES; ENHANCING SUSTAINABILITY OF FISHING COMMUNITIES--PARTICULARLY THOSE NEAR NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES; AND, CONVENING STAKEHOLDERS IN OCEAN AND GREAT LAKES ISSUES TO ADVANCE COLLABORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND CROSS-SECTOR UNDERSTANDING. PROGRAMS REACH MORE THAN 1,000 K-12 EDUCATORS ANNUALLY; AND CONNECT SITES IN THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY SYSTEM TO SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES/SEAFOOD AND ENDANGERED/PROTECTED SPECIES PROJECTS. THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS CAMPAIGNS AND PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTING THE VALUE OF SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION TO HELP SUPPORT SEAFOOD INDUSTRY RECOVERY. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NOAA OCEAN EXPLORATION AND RESEARCH, THE FOUNDATION MANAGES AN EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT PROMOTES THE ADVANCEMENT OF OCEAN SCIENCE LITERACY THROUGH OCEAN EXPLORATION. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO GAIN AN IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO INTEGRATE NOAA OCEAN EXPLORATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN CLASSROOMS, HELPING THEM TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT AMERICA'S MARINE RESOURCES AND THE LARGER OCEAN OF WHICH THEY ARE A PART. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 15 AQUARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTERS ANNUALLY THAT HOST OCEAN EXPLORATION EDUCATOR WORKSHOPS (VIRTUAL FORMAT IN 2021), AND PRODUCES A VARIETY OF WEB ACCESSIBLE LEARNING MATERIALS THAT LINK TEACHERS ACROSS THE U.S. TO NOAA SCIENCE RESOURCES AND MISSIONS OF THE OKEANOS EXPLORER AND EXPLORATION PARTNERS IN THE U.S. PROJECT WORK INCLUDES THE AWARD-WINNING DEEPOCEANEDUCATION.ORG WEBSITE, WHICH AGGREGATES EXPLORATION EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS CUSTOMIZED TO THEIR NEEDS. IN SUPPORT OF PROTECTING SPECIES THAT INHABIT NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE WORK OF THE INTERAMERICAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF SEA TURTLES (IAC), INCLUDING ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL MEETINGS TO (VIRTUALLY IN 2021) CONVENE CONVENTION REPRESENTATIVES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, AND TO SUPPORT SEA TURTLE-FOCUSED CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH PROJECTS INITIATED BY THE IAC.

WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL SANCTUARIES WITHIN THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY SYSTEM, THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS LOCALLY-IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS TO IMPROVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR PROTECTED WATER, ENGAGE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND STAKEHOLDERS IN STEWARDSHIP OF SANCTUARIES, AND TO ENHANCE OUR SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF OUR OCEAN, COASTS, AND GREAT LAKES. THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS WHALE CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH, MARINE DEBRIS REMOVALS, AND HABITAT RESTORATION. GOAL: CLEAN SEAS FLORIDA KEYS HELPED REMOVE NEARLY 4,740 POUNDS OF MARINE DEBRIS AND 9,439 FEET OF LINES AND ROPE FROM THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY. THE FOUNDATION ALSO CONDUCTS THE PREMIER OCEAN-FOCUSED CONFERENCE IN THE U.S., OFFERED VIRTUALLY IN 2021, CONVENING 2,500 STAKEHOLDERS IN OCEAN AND GREAT LAKES MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION TO ADVANCE OCEAN POLICY INITIATIVES AND INCREASE INCLUSION FOR THE OCEAN CONSERVATION MOVEMENT AND MARINE SCIENCES.

THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION FOSTERS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN THE FLORIDA KEYS FOR THE MISSION: ICONIC REEFS INITIATIVE. MISSION: ICONIC REEFS BUILDS OFF OF DECADES OF PIONEERING RESTORATION EFFORTS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE FLORIDA KEYS INVOLVING GROWING AND TRANSPLANTING CORALS, SETTING THE STAGE FOR THIS LARGE-SCALE, MULTI-PHASED RESTORATION EFFORT AT SEVEN REEFS. THE FIRST PHASE FOCUSES ON RESTORING ELKHORN AND STAGHORN CORALS, FAST-GROWING SPECIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY THE CURRENT OUTBREAK OF STONY CORAL TISSUE LOSS DISEASE. THE SECOND PHASE WILL FOCUS ON INCORPORATING RESILIENT CORALS OF OTHER SLOWER GROWING SPECIES AND INTRODUCING GRAZER SPECIES THAT CONTROL INVASIVE ALGAE THAT SMOTHER AND OUTCOMPETE CORAL. THE GOAL IS TO RESTORE DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION TO THE REEFS BY RETURNING CORAL COVER AT TARGET REEF SITES TO A SELF-SUSTAINING LEVEL. MODIFYING FISHING GEAR, IDENTIFYING AREAS OF HIGH RISK OF ENTANGLEMENT, AND REMOVING DERELICT GEAR FROM THE WATER CAN DECREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF LARGE WHALE ENTANGLEMENT. INNOVATIONS LIKE POP-UP OR ROPELESS GEAR WOULD REDUCE OR ELIMINATE VERTICAL FISHING LINES IN THE WATER COLUMN. IN-WATER TESTING OF THESE INNOVATIONS CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION, DATA, AND DESIGN FEEDBACK NEEDED TO GAUGE THE TECHNOLOGY'S EFFICACY AND EASE OF USE BY FISHERMEN. THE FOUNDATION WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH FISHERMEN TO TEST DIFFERENT GEAR INNOVATIONS IN SANCTUARY AREAS AND AREAS OF CONCERN. THE GOAL IS TO FOSTER COOPERATIVE AND SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND RESEARCH TO SIMULATE REAL WORLD SCENARIOS THAT ADVANCE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO EXPANDED ITS UNDERWATER MARINE DEBRIS PROGRAM BY CONTINUING GOAL: CLEAN SEAS CHANNEL ISLANDS, MODELED AFTER GOAL: CLEAN SEAS FLORIDA KEYS. IN GOAL: CLEAN SEAS CHANNEL ISLANDS, THE FOUNDATION WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO REMOVE 8,630 POUNDS OF MARINE DEBRIS AND 134 LOBSTER TRAPS FROM 2.5 MILES OF REMOTE COASTLINES IN CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY. WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF COAST MANAGEMENT, THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION SUPPORTS RESTORATION OF THE HE'EIA NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE (NERR) IN HAWAII. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ERADICATE INVASIVE MANGROVE SPECIES FROM THIS MARINE PROTECTED AREA BY 2022, THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR INTRODUCTION TO THE STATE, AND REPLACE THE INVASIVES WITH NATIVE PLANTS, WHICH IN TURN HELPS BRING BACK NATIVE WILDLIFE TO THE RESERVE AS WELL. THE FOUNDATION WORKS WITH THE KEY HAWAIIAN PARTNERS WHO MANAGE THE HE'EIA NERR ON THIS PROJECT.