Interesting facts state that there are 870 offshore islands, rock, and reefs, and that sanctuary regulations prohibit flying over these areas at less than 2,000 feet in order to protect the sea birds and marine mammals that rest or nest on them. Science lovers can discover the exciting research projects at the sanctuary. Stellwagen Bank Discover how the slow retreat of massive Ice Age glaciers formed this bank, a sand and gravel plateau at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay. Learn how nutrients, with the energy of sunlight, are pulled to the surface to nourish oceanic phytoplankton growth, and why the wealth of sea life has drawn commercial fishing fleets for centuries, presenting a challenge to the management of the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary. This section covers news related to proposed and current sanctuaries.
Users can also read stories from the past and access publications released by each sanctuary.
Each sanctuary, according to its needs, has developed extensive programs to implement these goals. The programs may be touched upon briefly in the summaries of the sanctuaries, and additional information can be viewed online at the sanctuaries specific Web sites. This section provides an overview of NOAA's activities in the Sustainable Seas Expeditions. This five-year project of ocean exploration and conservation analyses some of America's marine sanctuaries' goals, including scientific research, public education, and outreach. The Photo Gallery is very well designed and exhibits a vast array of visual splendor.