NOAA and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are guiding Mission: Iconic Reefs (M:IR) restoration partners with coral return protocols to help ensure the safe and efficient return of thousands of corals evacuated from their shallow in-water nurseries to land-based facilities this July. This summer’s historic marine heatwave prompted the emergency removal and massive collaboration between M:IR partners and multiple additional practitioners in order to safeguard the genetic diversity of Florida’s coral reef-building species. 

The new protocols outline temperature markers, coral health check procedures, transportation methods, and monitoring requirements. Ocean temperatures at in-water nursery locations must be below 87˚F for at least seven days and must be cleared of all diseased or dead corals before evacuated corals can be returned. An official Coral Health Veterinarian will conduct on-site health checks and provide a 30-day reintroduction certification. Transport protocols ensure that holding containers do not exceed 87˚F, are shaded, offer appropriate space, and are inspected at the end of transport. Corals that show signs of distress, such as tissue loss or excessive mucus, will be quarantined on land.

Restoration partners Coral Restoration Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory, and Reef Renewal began the return efforts in late-October, using the protocols to transport corals from temporary safekeeping at land-based facilities at Mote in Sarasota, Summerland, Islamorada, and Key Largo; Keys Marine Laboratory; FL SeaBase; The Reef Institute; Aquarium Encounters; and Plant a Million Corals. The corals will be closely monitored for disease, predation, and mortality for a 30-day minimum in order to reduce stressors they may encounter when they are later outplanted on the reef, help stave off disease outbreaks, and help prevent introduction of pathogens into the wild. 

Assessment of coral health ongoing

In mid-August, NOAA’s M:IR Monitoring and Assessments Team conducted a 10-day assessment at segments of all seven iconic reef sites in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) to document the condition of the outplanted corals. At every location, the team observed fully bleached and recently dead corals. Most sites had pockets of corals that were only partially bleached, and in some cases, completely unbleached corals were observed. Boulder corals showed much less bleaching and minimal mortality, as compared to the branching elkhorn and staghorn corals. Approximately 30% of outplanted staghorn and 45% elkhorn coral surveyed died, most likely due to heat stress. Approximately 90% of elkhorn and staghorn corals surveyed exhibited signs of heat stress with bleaching, partial bleaching, or paling of the tissue. 

The assessment results are preliminary due to eight additional weeks of high temperature stress that occurred after the survey was conducted, which may have further impacted coral bleaching and mortality. A follow-up cruise is planned for February 2024, and  data from both cruises will help NOAA biologists understand the full extent of the marine heatwave impacts and inform future Mission: Iconic Reefs restoration strategy. Outplant method, temperature trends, bleaching thresholds, site comparisons, and survival and mortality rates by age and outplant dates are variables that will be considered. 

Corals that remained in the in-water nurseries and survived the heatwave will be considered for outplanting on a case-by-case basis under approval by FKNMS. Those corals will be outplanted to portions of M:IR sites where restoration efforts have not taken place;  their health and success will be tracked separately from pre-heatwave restoration areas. 

Additional guidance will be provided for future outplanting and monitoring by NOAA/FWC officials, who continue to assess conditions of Florida’s Coral Reef after the unprecedented heat wave.

National marine sanctuary workers, partners, scientists, and volunteers are coming together to help coral reefs. How can you help corals? Find out in this #EarthIsBlue video!

Learn more about coral reefs by visiting https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/coral-reef/ 

Are corals in trouble? Find out in this #EarthIsBlue video

Learn more about coral reefs by visiting https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/coral-reef/ 

Meet the coral reefs of your National Marine Sanctuary System! Coral reefs can be found in several sanctuaries from the Pacific Islands to the Gulf of Mexico.

Learn about corals in our latest #EarthIsBlue video

Learn more about coral reefs by visiting https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/coral-reef/ 

This is an incredible opportunity to work onboard research vessels and be exposed to a wide range of marine technologies, equipment and marine technical professionals. Please share this announcement with undergraduate students and recent graduates you think would be interested and qualified.

Internship Description: The U.S. Academic Research Fleet of UNOLS-designated research ships will host 1 long-term (approximately 6 months) and 12-14 short-term (4-16 weeks each) marine technical internships in 2023 (subject to funding). Departure dates will depend on the schedule of each research cruise. We will first select candidates for internships starting in Spring, and then in Summer and Fall.

The selected interns will work with marine technicians and other crew members on shore and at sea and learn how to operate and maintain a variety of scientific and navigational equipment in support of shipboard scientific research. Interns will work, eat, and sleep aboard the research vessel, and be provided lodging off ship as needed. Shipboard sleeping arrangements vary vessel to vessel. The program will pay a stipend of $600 per week plus airfare, lodging and other approved travel expenses. Internship projects will vary from one hosting organization to another and correspond to the objectives set by each specific cruise mission. Previous interns have worked on cruises to support science projects ranging from chemical oceanography to marine biology, GIS/bathymetric surveys (seafloor mapping), geological studies, ROV missions, and much more! Many successful internships have resulted in job offers. Please email Maria Osiadacz, Program Manager, mosiadacz@mpc.edu, with questions about the program and life aboard research vessels.

To apply, read the requirements listed below, prepare your documents and complete the online application: ONLINE APPLICATION FORM

Did you know that REEF has marine life identification curricula for 15 different areas? Hot off the press are the latest, brand new curricula: Fishes of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS), and Fishes of the Red Sea. These instructor-led curricula include everything you need to teach divers and snorkelers about some of the most commonly encountered species in a given area.

Each course comes with an easy-to-use teaching curriculum to train students in identification and REEF survey methodology, a USB Flash drive with a slideshow of fish images, survey materials including a slate, underwater paper, and photo ID card, plus a Level 2 Surveyor quiz.

We have also created new survey paper and starter kits for FGBNMS and the Red Sea, plus a Red Sea Fishes photo ID card. There is a wide array of underwater survey paper available for the various locations throughout the tropical Pacific, as well as our other survey regions.

Check out the REEF Surveyor Toolbox to see all of the materials for a specific region.

Curricula and other survey materials can be purchased online at www.REEF.org/store.

You won’t want to miss this webinar as we celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the raising of Monitor’s turret.

Join Dr. John Broadwater, former Superintendent of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, as he recounts the efforts of NOAA, the U.S. Navy, The Mariners’ Museum and Park, and other agencies to recover the most famous and important components of the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor.

Monitor was discovered in 1973, lying 16 miles off the North Carolina coast. In 1975, the wreck was designated America’s first national marine sanctuary. A series of scientific expeditions revealed that the wreck had begun to deteriorate rapidly, due to saltwater corrosion and storms. NOAA responded by developing a plan to recover as much of the Monitor’s hull and contents as possible.

Beginning in 1998, a series of deep-water expeditions recovered Monitor’s propeller, steam engine, and the famous rotating gun turret that was the prototype for all naval armament up to the present day. NOAA could not have accomplished these groundbreaking feats without the participation of the U.S. Navy, which conducted most of the recovery work, and The Mariners’ Museum and Park, which assumed responsibility for conservation and display of recovered material.

Register for the Webinar at: https://bit.ly/3zrWBlK

Diadema antillarum, also known as the long-spined sea urchin, is one of the most important grazers on tropical coral reefs, removing algae and maintaining open space for coral growth.

In February 2022, we received reports of extensive Diadema die-offs in the Caribbean. While we do not know what is causing these die-offs, the speed at which large numbers of sick urchins are now dying resembles the mass mortality event of four decades ago, in the 1980s.

You can help track sea urchin health by adding your observations of healthy, sick, or dead urchins from dives at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, or anywhere in the Caribbean. These reports will allow scientists to determine the extent of the die-offs and share the sequence of events as they are happening.

To report observations, go to https://www.agrra.org/sea-urchin-die-off/

Are you participating in REEF’s Conservation Challenge? It’s a fun way to get involved in marine conservation and earn collectible stickers for completing different challenges. Get ready to jump in the water (or take a look through your camera’s memory card) to complete this month’s featured Conservation Challenge: the Discover the Sea Underwater Photography Contest. All you need to do to complete this Conservation Challenge (and earn the corresponding sticker) is enter one or more of your photos into the contest, or simply cast a vote for your favorite photo.

All REEF members may submit photos to the Discover the Sea Photography Contest now through July 31. Check out all the details at www.REEF.org/photocontest. For more information about the Conservation Challenge and details about other stickers you can add to your collection, visit www.REEF.org/conservationchallenge.

NOTE: You can learn more about REEF’s fish survey program by joining Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary for a Fish ID Class. More info here.

Artist Boat is currently recruiting passionate individuals to become a Sea Citizen Volunteer and help with this restoration work. Becoming a Sea Citizen will allow you to get involved with coastal habitat restoration, learn new skills, and protect the unique and fragile Coastal Heritage Preserve. If you are interested in developing new skills, connecting with your community and other conservationists, and becoming a volunteer leader, please contact the Habitat and Stewardship Program Manager at habitat@artistboat.org. 

Through a year long grant, Artist Boat hopes to restore 9 acres of the 690 acre Coastal Heritage Preserve to its natural state. Restoration tasks include mowing, removing invasive species, “bumping up” seedlings, repairing the fence line around the property, and monitoring the site to ensure proper management of resident plants and animals at the Preserve.

One project: The Artist Boat Coastal Heritage Preserve has many areas of fence that badly need management, and volunteers will be utilized to clear brush and small trees from fence lines and other similar land management tasks. Volunteers with their own chainsaws and PPE are preferred for this specific task.

Learn more at: https://www.artistboat.org

The need for metals, particularly for batteries as we move away from a carbon-based energy sector, has renewed interest in deep-sea mining. On the high seas, twenty-seven global mining exploration licenses covering over 1.5 million km2 of seafloor have been granted by the International Seabed Authority. There are significant risks from these activities to both seafloor and midwater ecosystems over potentially very large areas. Dr. Jeff Drazen, Professor, Department of Oceanography, UH Mānoa will outline the potential risks to biodiversity, carbon cycling and particularly fisheries, sharing what we know and don’t yet understand. He will discuss the potential of US Pacific Monuments for conserving biodiversity and deep-sea ecosystem health in the face of the developing mining industry.

This presentation is part of the Third Thursday By the Bay Presentation Series at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, which is the visitor center for Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. This State of the Monument lecture series is also supported by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

The National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Series provides educators with educational and scientific expertise, resources, and training to support ocean and climate literacy in the classroom. This series currently targets formal and informal educators, students (high school through college), as well as members of the community, including families. You can also visit the archives of the webinar series to catch up on presentations you may have missed here.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The Webinar ID is 176-816-571. 

Register for the Webinar at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3913124920171214859

Are you focused on building science literacy so your students or community members can understand concepts in ocean, atmospheric, and Earth science?; assess the scientific credibility of information?; make informed and responsible decisions?; and most importantly, initiate actions to address pressing environmental issues? 

Through federal funding opportunities of up to $5,000, NOAA Planet Stewards supports educators in carrying out hands-on stewardship projects with elementary through college age students, as well as the general public. Stewardship projects must make a substantive, and quantitatively measurable impact on an environmental issue related to the educator’s community. Projects should focus on the conservation, restoration, and/or protection of human communities and/or natural resources from environmental issues in one of the following four focus areas:

• Marine debris
• Habitat conservation and restoration
• Carbon footprint reduction
• Carbon sequestration

You can find more details about the application process and supporting documents on how to develop a project plan at: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/planet-stewards/psep-application.html

During World War II, some of the Tuskegee Airmen—the first African-American fighter pilots for the U.S. Army Air Corps—trained over the Great Lakes. Fifteen Tuskegee Airmen were killed while training in Michigan, and the airplane flown by Lt. Frank H. Moody was recently discovered in Lake Huron. The wreckage is being ​archaeologically documented and recovered by the State of Michigan in partnership with the National Museum of the Tuskegee Airmen in Detroit. In 2021, Diving With a Purpose Maritime Archaeology Program dedicated a memorial in Port Huron to honor the Tuskegee Airmen that perished in the Michigan area. Learn more about this exciting project from Wayne R. Lusardi, State Maritime Archaeologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Principle Investigator of the Tuskegee Project and Erik Denson, Board Member/Lead Instructor, Diving With a Purpose Maritime Archaeology Program.

February 8th 2022

The National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Series provides educators with educational and scientific expertise, resources, and training to support ocean and climate literacy in the classroom. This series currently targets formal and informal educators, students (high school through college), as well as members of the community, including families. You can also visit the archives of the webinar series to catch up on presentations you may have missed here.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The Webinar ID is 381-572-011. 

Register for this Webinar at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/

A new StoryMap highlights what we are learning about vessels in sanctuaries by listening underwater. Vessels are essential to the recreation and tourism experiences that people have in sanctuaries, as well as for research, commerce, and national security. Information about vessel use is important for managing sanctuaries—to both estimate the value of these special places to their many users and to understand the impacts that vessels can have on the marine animals that inhabit them.

To access the StoryMap and learn more about the SanctSound program, click here.

Supporting Action in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Land-Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) in the Ocean Decade

24 NOVEMBER 2021
(20.00-21:30 CET)

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) has a strong focus on ensuring that Decade Actions engage and benefit stakeholders across geographies, genders and generations. Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Land-Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs), including Africa, are considered privileged partners of the Ocean Decade. They play a key role in the sustainable management of ocean and coastal resources owing to their central relationship with the ocean at all levels. The results of the first Call for Decade Actions No. 01/2020 revealed that while several endorsed Decade Actions are taking place in SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs, few are led by institutions from these countries.

Following up on the outcomes of the previous webinar ‘Fostering innovative ocean science partnerships for SIDS’ that took place in December 2020 as part of the Ocean Decade Virtual Series, this online exchange will provide guidance on the approach, steps and resources required for co-designing a Decade Programme. It will serve as a platform for SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs to share experiences on partnership-based approaches to ocean science for sustainable development. The aim is to provide guidance for submissions to the Second Call for Decade Actions (No. 2/0201), and to identify the key challenges and opportunities for promoting lead applicants by SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs partners in future Calls.

Register at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ySKPfK27S6a3_D1v7X8EuA

NOAA is excited to launch the updated NOAA National Marine Ecosystem Status website. This website provides the interested public, educators, outreach specialists, and others a starting point to see how marine ecosystems across the U.S. are doing.  It also provides access to all of NOAA’s ecosystem resources and data in one place for audiences that want a deeper dive.

Until now, there has been no single entry point to access NOAA’s ecosystem information. There also is no place that summarizes and synthesizes ecosystem information across regions to provide a broader view of conditions across U.S. large marine ecosystems. The Ecosystem Indicator Working Group, under NOAA’s Science Council, led this project to distill vast amounts of ecosystem data into a consistent, easy to view presentation. The information will help us become better stewards of the ocean, its essential resources, and the communities it supports.

Please explore the site and share your feedback with nmfs.eiwg@noaa.gov.

Visit at: https://ecowatch.noaa.gov

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council uses its Something’s Fishy tool to gather feedback from fishermen on what’s happening on the water with our fish stocks. The tool is deployed for each fish that is undergoing a stock assessment. Responses are shared with assessment scientists, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee, and the Gulf Council itself. Sharing the tool with each group ensures that your on-the-water perspective is considered along with the fisheries science when management measures are proposed. Check out our Something’s Fishy webpage for examples of past efforts.

The tool has proven itself to be very useful to scientists and fishery managers, but the name of the tool seems to be a bit more controversial than we intended. People have expressed concern that the Gulf Council is only looking to gather negative feedback because the name may imply that something is wrong with the stock. That is certainly not their intention so, they’re considering renaming the tool to ensure that the name more accurately reflects their desire to gather general on-the-water perspectives from the fishing and diving community about each species.

Please help them come up with a new name! Suggestions collected through this re-naming contest will be reviewed by the Council’s Outreach and Educational Technical Committee and a winner will be chosen. The submitter of the winning response will receive a gift bag containing a variety of Gulf Council goods. Responses are due by 5:00 pm, eastern time on November 5, 2021.

Suggest a new name here.

America’s greatest museum of our past as a seafaring nation lies on the bottom of our nation’s ocean, seas, lakes, and rivers. That heritage is a legacy of thousands of years of settlement, exploration, immigration, harvesting the bounty of the sea, and creating coastal communities and maritime traditions. Shipwrecks offer an exciting window into the study and preservation of our past. They are a random sampling of voyages and a record of past trade and communication. It’s almost as if they are frozen in time, giving a fresh perspective on history and acting as valuable classrooms. Archaeology is the study of the ancient and recent past, and maritime archaeology offers a rare glimpse into these submerged historical resources and the landscape that surrounds them.

7th October 2021

Join Shannon Ricles, Education and Outreach Coordinator for Monitor National Marine Sanctuary to dive into maritime archaeology. Explore its early beginnings, and learn about maritime archaeology as a career. Discover how technology has changed the tools used to explore shipwrecks, while you dive into the waters off North Carolina. Learn how NOAA and partners work to conserve and protect submerged historical resources and grasp the significance of a World War II battlefield located just off the North Carolina coast. Hear how maritime archaeologists and technology discovered three shipwrecks that give us greater insight into World War II’s Battle of the Atlantic.

Preview a free STEM curriculum guide designed to help students understand maritime archaeology. Activities in the guide explore ships through time, the people of maritime archeology, the tools they use, and shipwreck ethics and conservation. This free curriculum guide, Maritime Archaeology – Discovering and Exploring Shipwrecks is designed for grades 6-12.

Although this webinar is aimed at educators, anyone interested in attending is welcomed to join us!

To learn more about the documented shipwrecks off the North Carolina Coast, visit https://monitor.noaa.gov/shipwrecks.

To learn more about Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, visit https://monitor.noaa.gov.

To learn more about the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, visit https://archaeology.ncdcr.gov/ 

Register for the Webinar at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5409102841986674703

A Systemic Effort to Document Cultural Resources Damaged and Threatened by Hurricanes in Coastal North Carolina

The hurricanes of 2018 devastated coastal North Carolina. Not only did they cause significant damage to property and infrastructure, Florence and Michael also impacted coastal cultural resources, including archaeological sites and cemeteries. In response to these storms, the National Park Service is providing emergency supplemental funds to support preservation efforts, including surveys to assist in planning for future storms. The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology (OSA) received funding for two projects that will document and assess cultural resources in the coastal counties of North Carolina.

19th October 2021

Join OSA archaeologists Mary Beth Fitts and Allyson Ropp to see how OSA’s Shorescape and Coastal Historic Cemetery Survey Projects have been designed to document important places in counties impacted by Hurricanes Florence and Michael in 2018. Unlike most surveys of coastal resources, these projects are adopting a holistic approach to the archaeology of maritime lifeways by simultaneously investigating resources on the shoreline, within the littoral zone, and submerged in adjacent waterways. This approach will not only provide a baseline for understanding differential climate change and storm effects on dry and waterlogged sites; it will broaden our understandings of coastal communities’ political economies and experiential realms. In addition to identifying the context and goals of these projects, this talk will discuss the prioritization models OSA is using to implement these surveys, which have been designed to identify at-risk sites associated with North Carolina’s maritime industries and African American communities, and the role of these efforts to build upon the Office of State Archaeology’s Sea Level Rise Project.

To learn more about Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, visit https://monitor.noaa.gov.

To learn more about the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, visit https://archaeology.ncdcr.gov/ 

Register for the webinar at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4083452458702758671

We are thrilled to announce that the NOAA Live! 4 Kids webinars will continue this 2021-2022 school year! Join us to get a sneak peek at what our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists do in all the various NOAA offices across the country! Students in grades 2nd-8th can connect with scientists and ask questions in real-time through a moderator.

This year, we will typically host two webinars per month (with live American Sign Language interpretation). One webinar will feature brand new speakers, and the other will bring back previous speakers revisiting their topic through a new lens. NOAA Live! Alaska will be doing a series of shorter regional webinars focused on specific regions of Alaska generally on Tuesdays a 1 pm AKT/5 pm ET.

Our first NOAA Live! 4 Kids webinar will take place on October 6th at 4pm ET. Be on the lookout for more details about how to register. We look forward to sharing NOAA science with kids again this school year! 

Click here for a full list of both upcoming and past recorded webinars.

America’s greatest museum of our past as a seafaring nation lies on the bottom of our nation’s ocean, seas, lakes, and rivers. That heritage is a legacy of thousands of years of settlement, exploration, immigration, harvesting the bounty of the sea, and creating coastal communities and maritime traditions. Shipwrecks offer an exciting window into the study and preservation of our past. They are a random sampling of voyages and a record of past trade and communication. It’s almost as if they are frozen in time, giving a fresh perspective on history and acting as valuable classrooms. Archaeology is the study of the ancient and recent past, and maritime archaeology offers a rare glimpse into these submerged historical resources and the landscape that surrounds them.

Thursday 7th October 2021 – 10pm

Join Shannon Ricles, Education and Outreach Coordinator for Monitor National Marine Sanctuary to dive into maritime archaeology. Explore its early beginnings, and learn about maritime archaeology as a career. Discover how technology has changed the tools used to explore shipwrecks, while you dive into the waters off North Carolina. Learn how NOAA and partners work to conserve and protect submerged historical resources and grasp the significance of a World War II battlefield located just off the North Carolina coast. Hear how maritime archaeologists and technology discovered three shipwrecks that give us greater insight into World War II’s Battle of the Atlantic.

Preview a free STEM curriculum guide designed to help students understand maritime archaeology. Activities in the guide explore ships through time, the people of maritime archeology, the tools they use, and shipwreck ethics and conservation. This free curriculum guide, Maritime Archaeology – Discovering and Exploring Shipwrecks is designed for grades 6-12.

Although this webinar is aimed at educators, anyone interested in attending is welcomed to join us!

To learn more about the documented shipwrecks off the North Carolina Coast, visit https://monitor.noaa.gov/shipwrecks.

To learn more about Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, visit https://monitor.noaa.gov.

To learn more about the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, visit https://archaeology.ncdcr.gov/ 

Register for the webinar at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5409102841986674703

Join us for an online celebration of sharks to raise awareness of the importance of elasmobranchs in our marine ecosystem, coinciding with the arrival of white sharks to the San Francisco area to feed on our abundant seal and sea lion populations.

Tune in for fun and educational activities for adults and kids, shark art, shark science, shark films, shark conservation, and lots of great ukulele tunes! Free event. Gift with optional registration

Learn more and register at: https://farallones.org/sharktoberfest

When World War I began in 1914, the battles happened far from American shores with seemingly no direct danger to the U.S. Although Germany’s Unterseeboot(undersea boat) fleet was prowling the North Atlantic, the people of North Carolina felt they had little to fear, and many believed the U-boats could never travel the distance to their shores. They were wrong. By the end of the war in 1918, three German U-boats had sunk a total of 10 vessels off North Carolina alone.

Join Shannon Ricles, Education and Outreach Coordinator for Monitor National Marine Sanctuary to learn about World War I and the enemy in home waters. Learn about the great debate on isolationism, and discover what life was like during the war. Explore the U-boats that patrolled the East Coast, and learn more about the ships they sank. Dive into the mystery of the Mirlo and see if you can solve it. Discover how NOAA and partners work to preserve this significant piece of our nation’s maritime heritage and explore beautiful underwater images.

Preview a free curriculum guide designed to help students understand World War I. Activities in the guide explore the debate on isolationism, the effects of the Zimmerman Telegram, how propaganda was used, and what life was like on the home front. Also, in the guide, explore the mystery of the Mirlo and the German U-boats that patrolled the East Coast. This free curriculum guide, World War I: Discovering and Exploring the Great War off the North Carolina Coast is designed for grades 6-12.

Although this webinar is aimed at educators, anyone interested in attending is welcomed to join us!

To learn more about the documented shipwrecks off the North Carolina Coast, visit https://monitor.noaa.gov/shipwrecks

To learn more about Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, visit https://monitor.noaa.gov

To learn more about the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, visit https://archaeology.ncdcr.gov/ 

Register at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1220937707462235407

Want to work on coral reefs and be part of the world’s largest coral restoration effort? Do you love SCUBA diving, small boat operations, and making stuff happen? Have you ever looked out at the water and thought ‘I wish that was my office’? If that sounds like you, you probably haven’t had much luck because jobs like that are extremely rare. That changes today!

We have an amazing opportunity and are hiring 4 new people to join our NOAA team as part of the Mission: Iconic Reefs Field Operations Team!

These positions will collectively form the Mission: Iconic Reefs Field Operations Team. The Field Operations Team is expected to comprise individuals that will undertake site preparation, support restoration, conduct maintenance, perform benthic monitoring, collect fish assemblage data, install and download sensors, analyze and archive large data sets, and support a variety of other operations associated with the execution of Mission: Iconic Reefs.

We are seeking individuals that collectively can form a team capable of the following specialties: Scientific Diving; Marine & Vessel Operations; Coral Restoration; 3D Photogrammetry; Benthic, Invertebrate, Fish, & Water Quality Monitoring; Mapping; Data Management; and Data Analysis.

The ideal candidate will specialize in one or more of these areas, but will be capable of supporting them all as a member of a multidisciplinary team. Each member of the team will also have specific non-field work responsibilities that could include the following: Sample & Image Processing; Data Entry; Data Management; GIS; and/or Equipment Preparation & Maintenance.

The positions are being hired via our partners at Florida International University, but will be part of the NOAA team day to day and based in our Key Largo or Key West offices.

Learn more at: https://hr.fiu.edu/careers/

• Click “Prospective Employees”

• Search for job # 524551 OR #524552 — qualifications/experience differ per position ID#

NOAA today released for public comment a draft plan for a national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River. In partnership with the state of New York, the proposed sanctuary would manage a nationally significant collection of maritime heritage resources, including shipwrecks, and provide a national stage for promoting heritage tourism and recreation. NOAA is soliciting public comment on the draft environmental impact statement and management plan. Your voice can help shape the future of resources to be managed and interpreted for generations to come.

As the easternmost of the five Great Lakes, Lake Ontario connects North America’s inland seas to the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence Seaway. The first regional inhabitants, the ancestors of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, developed a deep understanding and connection to the lake and its resources that remains vibrant today. The designation of a national marine sanctuary would offer opportunities to collaborate with Indigenous nations and tribes, and provide a diversity of perspectives for appreciating North America’s earliest cultures through education and outreach efforts.

In the last 200 years, hidden beneath Lake Ontario’s waters lie shipwrecks and artifacts that reveal the long and fascinating maritime history of the region. “These shipwrecks represent important historical events, such as military conflicts, maritime innovation and entrepreneurship, and American westward expansion,” said Joe Hoyt, national maritime heritage coordinator for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. “This region occupies a position in the landscape that continues to serve as a gateway to the Great Lakes. The sanctuary will help ensure that the rich history in this eastern transportation corridor is not forgotten.”

The area under consideration includes up to 1,786 square miles of Lake Ontario waters and bottomlands adjacent to Cayuga, Wayne, Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties in the state of New York. NOAA is proposing two alternatives. Alternative 1 contains a portion of eastern Lake Ontario and a section of the St. Lawrence River. This proposed boundary contains 64 known shipwrecks and one aircraft representing events spanning more than 200 years of our nation’s history.

The area includes the oldest known commercial sailing vessel in Lake Ontario, Lady Washington (1797–1803), the oldest known shipwreck in the Thousand Islands region, Iroquoise/HMS Anson (1759–1761), the wreck of the schooner St. Peter(1873–1898), which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a World War II-era Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor aircraft. Certain areas are excluded from the proposed boundary to ensure compatible use with commercial shipping and other activities important to the local, regional, and national economies.

Based on historical records, an additional 20 shipwrecks and three aircraft may be located within these waters, including three vessels related to the War of 1812, several 19th century bulk cargo carriers and steamers, the B-24 Liberator “Get-A-Way Gertie,” a heavy bomber that was lost 77 years ago during a blizzard, and a Canadian Royal Air Force Avro Anson trainer aircraft. NOAA is working collaboratively with Great Lakes historians and Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River shipwreck experts to determine the accuracy of these historical records and locations of shipwreck sites.

Under Alternative 2, the proposed sanctuary boundary would include 1,724 square miles of eastern Lake Ontario. This area includes the same underwater cultural resources included in Alternative 1 in the eastern Lake Ontario segment, but would not include underwater cultural resources in the St. Lawrence River.

Under both alternatives, NOAA would implement a sanctuary management plan—a roadmap to help conserve and promote the underwater cultural resources that have already been discovered and those that await discovery. The management plan also includes considerations that will help protect sanctuary resources while fostering recreation.

The proposed sanctuary hosts a range of diving opportunities, from shallow sites for snorkeling and recreational diving, to deeper sites for advanced divers. Others are located at depths accessible only by submersible and remotely operated vehicles, and present excellent opportunities to work with research partners.

Community Support

Through the study, protection, and promotion of our diverse maritime legacy, sanctuaries provide the public a chance to learn, share, and connect to the past. Through partnerships with local communities, NOAA would provide a national stage for promoting heritage tourism and recreation in and around this special place. The proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, established in early 2020, provides key community input on the designation of this sanctuary.

“The Sanctuary Advisory Council has been instrumental in providing a local voice for the national marine sanctuary proposal. From writing the first version of the draft management plan to providing expertise on Lake Ontario communities and resources, the council has shaped NOAA’s proposal,” said Ellen Brody, Great Lakes regional coordinator for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

How to Comment

NOAA is soliciting public comment on the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary to inform its selection of a preferred alternative. NOAA is also seeking comments on the sanctuary’s proposed management plan, which is included in the DEIS. 

Comments will be accepted until September 10, 2021.

If you cannot participate in the virtual meeting, there are several other options for submitting comments.

Online:

Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, search for docket number NOAA-NOS-2021-0050.

Mail:

Ellen Brody
Great Lakes Regional Coordinator
4840 South State Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-9719

Rachel Plunkett is the writer/editor for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Learn more about NOAA at: http://www.noaa.gov