Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Home Page

National marine sanctuary offices and visitor centers closed to the public; waters remain open

NOAA's national marine sanctuary offices and visitor centers are currently closed to the public, and in accordance with Executive Order 13991 - Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask Wearing, all individuals in NOAA-managed areas are required to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on mask-wearing and maintaining social distances. Sanctuary waters remain open for responsible use in accordance with CDC guidance, U.S. Coast Guard requirements, and local regulations. More information on the response from NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries can be found on sanctuaries.noaa.gov/coronavirus/.

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

A humpback whale breaching in MBNMS
Deep-sea octopus along the seafloor near Davidson Seamount
Map of MBNMS with Davidson Seamount in the front
Julia Pfieffer Burns State Beach
Deep-sea octopuses discovered near Davidson Seamount at 3300 meters below

News & Upcoming Events

Sanctuary Offices & Visitor Centers Are Now Closed to the Public.
We are following local and departmental guidance, and will continue to monitor the situation. (4/13/2021)

Superintendent Statement: Large Vessels Close to the Coast in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (4/13/2021)

Attention Teachers! Explore MBNMS through our new Distance Learning Programs for your students! (11/2/2020)

MBNMS Virtual Dives and Feature Film “One Breath” are now available! Watch the stunning 18 minute film highlighting the sanctuary from filmmaker Bob Talbot (10/29/2020)

More News, Announcements and Updates!

Welcome to Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary! One of our nation's most spectacular marine protected areas, 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.