Show the world what the ocean and Great Lakes mean to you.
Enter the National Marine Sanctuaries Photo Contest through September 2, 2024 (Labor Day weekend)!
In celebration of national Get Into Your Sanctuary activities (explained below), NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries holds a photo contest annually from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
NOAA is now accepting submissions in the following categories through September 2, 2024:
- Sanctuary Views: Share your photos of beautiful sunsets or scenic shots of your favorite national marine sanctuary.
- Sanctuary Life: Send us your best photos of sanctuary inhabitants like fish, birds, marine mammals, and other amazing ocean creatures.
- Sanctuary Recreation: Enter your best images of people responsibly enjoying national marine sanctuaries, whether they’re boating, kayaking, diving, swimming, or just hanging out on the beach.
- Sanctuaries at Home: Show us how you’re connecting to your National Marine Sanctuary System from home! Submissions to this category must follow the guidance of Sanctuary Recreation, Sanctuary Life, and Sanctuary Views but can also include photos of stewardship activities from your home or neighborhood, or sanctuary-related artwork (paintings, drawings, etc.).
- Sanctuaries Around the World: Ocean connection can happen anywhere, not just in the National Marine Sanctuary System. Following the guidance of Sanctuary Recreation, Sanctuary Life, and Sanctuary Views, show us where you connect to the ocean by submitting your photos, from anywhere in the world, to the “Sanctuaries Around the World” category of our photo contest. Submissions to this category can include photos taken in the United States, but outside of a national marine sanctuary, as well as photos taken outside of the United States. We recommend that these images consist of photos taken in the wild of marine life or bodies of water close to you. Submissions of photos from zoos, aquariums, or other indoor establishments are not encouraged.
Take the #WildSanctuaries pledge for safe wildlife viewing and get wildlife viewing guidelines HERE.
For more details, contest rules, photos from past winners and instructions on submitting your photo online, click HERE.
Where are the National Marine Sanctuary Locations?
Pacific Islands Region
West Coast Region
Eastern Region
Take a National Marine Sanctuary Virtual Dive!
Take a virtual dive at a National Marine Sanctuary HERE.
Get Into Your Sanctuary and Earn All the Badges!
Looking for fun and adventure? Get Into Your Sanctuary this summer!
- Follow National Marine Sanctuaries on Facebook, Instagram and X all summer to learn about different recreational activities throughout the National Marine Sanctuary System.
- Use social media to share your favorite activities in national marine sanctuaries using #ILoveMySanctuary and #RecreateResponsibly!
- Show off your own marine adventures by entering the national photo contest. There are five different categories, including Sanctuaries at Home, so no excuse not to participate!
- Earn a badge with the ParkPassport app for your virtual fun or in person activities!
- Take the pledge for wildlife! #WildSanctuaries
In collaboration with the National Park Trust and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, you can earn badges for your virtual Get Into Your Sanctuary visit and/or for outdoor recreational activities completed throughout the National Marine Sanctuary System!
Download the ParkPassport App to create an account, and then you are on your way to find local, regional, state, and national parks, now including your nation’s ocean parks.
Click HERE to see all the badges you can earn.