Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

  • map of the MBNMS

    The Sanctuary protects 4,601 square nautical miles of ocean

  • sea otter at the surface

    34 species of marine mammals are found in the Sanctuary

  • Shorebird walking on slough

    The Sanctuary boundary includes the Elkhorn Slough

  • Volunteers working at shoreline

    Volunteers assist the Sanctuary in many ways

News & Upcoming Events

2013 Coastal Discovery Center Fair

The Coastal Discovery Fair, a popular family event with lots of activities for children of all ages. (6/17/13)

2013 Sanctuary Classic Flyer (365K PDF)

Sanctuary Classic is a joint effort of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries and the Sportfishing Conservancy. (6/3/13)

Sanctuaries revise introduced species prohibitions in California (3/19/13)
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Welcome to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary! One of our nation's most spectacular marine protected areas, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary offers some of the best wildlife viewing in the world! This "Serengeti of the Sea" stretches along the central coast from San Francisco to Cambria and includes pristine beaches, jewel-like tide pools, lush kelp forests, steep canyons and an offshore seamount teeming with life—from tiny shrimp to giant blue whales. The National Marine Sanctuary System promotes environmental protection, stewardship and ocean research. We invite you to explore and help protect this national undersea treasure.
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URL: http://montereybay.noaa.gov/welcome.html    Reviewed: June 11, 2013
Web Site Owner: National Ocean Service

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