NOAA's Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Hold still...you’ve got something in your eye, let me get it for you! See that blue patch on the throat? That’s how you can tell it's the breeding season for adult Brandt's Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus), usually from March to August. These shorebirds can often be seen in Moss Landing and Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve as their food of choice comes from the seasonal upwelled waters of the Central Coast, including juvenile rockfishes, Pacific herri...ng, squid, shrimp, and crabs. #EarthIsBlue (Photo: Meg McWhinney. Image description: One black seabird grooming another while perched.)

Happy 32nd anniversary to NOAA's Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary!

Swan pose? Is this Guadalupe fur seal practicing morning yoga, or just trying to warm up its flippers? An uncommon sight in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Guadalupe fur seals (Arctocephalus townsendi) can be distinguished from northern fur seals by their pointed, flattened, elongated snouts -- and are smaller size than adult California sea lions. Their breeding grounds are almost entirely on Guadalupe Island, off the Pacific coast of Mexico, but they have been seen a...s far north as Washington State. Commercial sealers once heavily hunted Guadalupe fur seals in the 1700s to the 1800s until they were thought to be extinct in the early 1900s, but the population has continued to increase from the small remnant group on Guadalupe Island due to protection by the Mexican Government. However, Guadalupe fur seals are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries and its partners are dedicated to conserving and promoting the recovery of the Guadalupe fur seal population. Researchers use innovative techniques to study and protect this species. For example, they use satellite telemetry to assess movement patterns and foraging activities, interactions between Guadalupe fur seals and fisheries, and their vulnerability to oil spills. This work helps reduce harm from human activities (e.g., fishing) through management based on sound science, public input, and outreach and education. Learn more: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/guadalupe-fur-seal #EndangeredSpeciesDay (Photo: Douglas Croft Images. Image description: A seal resting on the sea surface.)

Orange you glad it's time for another nudibranch? This blood-spot dorid thinks so! This nudibranch species (Aldisa sanguinea) is likely to feed on a red sponge, and can be seen in the sanctuary by observant scuba divers. #EarthIsBlue... (Photo: Robin Agarwal. Image description: A small sea slug with orange coloration.) See more

Much like their shallow-water coral relatives, deep-sea corals are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and other harmful human-caused impacts. Once damaged, recolonization and regrowth of deep-sea corals may require centuries or longer. Studies conducted at Sur Ridge since 2013 by a team of scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and NOAA's Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary include detailed biological and ecological examination of deep-sea corals and how damaged corals can be restored at such depths. Read the full story: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov///saving-deep-sea-corals.html

With a face that everyone can love, the monkeyface prickleback (Cebidichthys violaceus) is a resident of the crevices in rocky reefs and kelp forests in the sanctuary. As juveniles, they live in shallow intertidal zones, where they are able to remain under rocks and breathe air for short periods of time during low tides. #EarthIsBlue (Photo: Chad King/NOAA. Image description: Close up of a large prickleback fish.)

Talk about a big commute! The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) is the champion of long distance migration of any animal on Earth. These record-breaking travelers migrate up to 60,000 miles each year to every ocean and in the vicinity of every continent, from the high Arctic to the Antarctic. Remarkably, Arctic Terns can live up to 30 years -- so if you add up the distance they travel in their lifetime, the total journey is equivalent to going to the moon and back more than three times! #WorldMigratoryBirdDay (Photo: Abe Borker. Image description: Terns resting on kelp floating on the sea surface.)

Feeling a little sluggish today? This dusky turban snail (Promartynia pulligo) knows just how you feel! If you look closely around the base of the shell, you can also see the epipodial tentacles on display around its striped foot, and the two cephalic tentacles above the head. These tentacles help the snail sense its environment as it crawls along kelp blades. #EarthIsBlue... (Photo: Pete Naylor/REEF. Image description: A marine snail crawling along a kelp blade.) See more

Spring time is in the air and that means it's harbor seal pupping season! Each year from March to May, hundreds of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) pups are born along beaches in the sanctuary, known as nurseries or rookeries. At birth, pups weigh about 24 pounds and are ready to swim within minutes. They nurse from their mom for 4 to 6 weeks -- and by this time, the pups may have doubled their weight from the mother's rich, fatty milk! If you see a pup alone on a beach, never ap...proach or touch these animals, as the mother is often foraging at sea only to return later to feed. If disturbed, the mother may never return and can abandon their pup. Be sure to maintain a safe distance and keep pets on leash when wildlife is near. #RecreateResponsibly #RespectWildlife (Photo: Hanna McWethy. Image description: A seal mom and pup resting on a beach.)

Take in a sanctuary view this weekend! #DYK that Point Lobos was the first marine reserve established in the U.S. in 1960? Here, you can experience one of the best places to scuba dive as it is rich in marine life under the surface! If you prefer drier activities, then Point Lobos State Natural Reserve provides moderate hikes with stunning scenic coastline, abundant wildlife, and an all-around great view point to visit the sanctuary. #EarthIsBlue #RecreateResponsibly... (Photo: Jody Parker. Image description: A sanctuary view from the coast.) See more

This kelp humpback shrimp is krillin' it on Wednesday hump day! Kelp humpback shrimp (Hippolyte clarki) are a striking bright green compared to the usual red coloration. This tiny species mainly feeds on algae and small crustaceans, living in eelgrass beds or in kelp forests of the sanctuary, where it is important food source for juvenile rockfish. #EarthIsBlue... (Photo: Jon Anderson. Image description: Small kelp humpback shrimp on a kelp blade.) See more

¡Hola señorita! By day, señorita fish (Oxyjulis californica) can be seen sheltering in the sanctuary's kelp forests where they offer "cleaning services" to pick external parasites and copepods from the skin of other fishes (a symbiotic relationship called mutualism). By night, señoritas dart to the seafloor to bury themselves in the sand for protection with only their heads exposed. #EarthIsBlue (Photo: Chad King/NOAA. Image description: A señorita fish swimming through a kelp forest.)

It's time for a nudibranch break! The sea clown triopha (Triopha catalinae) nudibranch is a soft-bodied, shell-less mollusk (sea slug) with their gills located on their back which is how they got their name (nudibranch = naked gills). Their head contains two rhinophores, used as scent receptors and to detect water currents. These mollusks are known to be exceptionally colorful and are found right here in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. #EarthIsBlue (Photo: Arial Bauman. Image description: Close up view of a colorful sea slug.)

Your Attention Please: For the health and safety of our guests, volunteers, and employees, and as a precautionary measure to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz and the Coastal Discovery Center in San Simeon WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. We understand this closure is an inconvenience for visitors, and we apologize. Our top priority is the health of our guests who come to learn about the National Marine Sanctuary System, as well as the staff and volunteers who support our visitor centers. We will continue to reassess the situation as to when we may be able to reopen to the public. Please continue to remain safe and vigilant during this time.

The early bird catches the...oyster? Black Oystercatchers are shorebirds with a bright orange bill, yellow eyes, and pink legs that dwell almost exclusively in the rocky intertidal zone of the sanctuary, eating everything from limpets and mussels to crabs, chitons and barnacles everything, that is, but oysters! Black Oystercatchers are quite shy but noisy, raven-sized birds that may be heard with a loud whistle before they are seen. If you are lucky enough to spot one, be su...re to give these shorebirds plenty of space as nesting oystercatchers that feel threatened by people or dogs might leave their eggs vulnerable to predators like gulls and crows. #NationalBirdDay (Photo: Jenni Peters. Image description: A black bird with an orange bill walking in the intertidal.)

Good things come in small packages! This red turban snail (Pomaulax gibberosus) is crawling down the stipe of kelp. The shell is made up of multiple layers, while the top is encrusted with red coralline alga. These grazers use a spiky ribbon of chitinous "teeth" called a radula that retracts from their mouth cavity to scrape kelp surfaces. #EarthIsBlue (Photo: Steve Lonhart/NOAA. Image description: A side view of a sea snail.)

Does your New Year’s resolution involve a few crunches? Make sure you work those mussels! Residing in shallow coastal waters, a sea otter’s diet consists of mostly sea urchins and abalone. However, mussels, clams, and even snails make their way into the mix. This diet is precisely what makes sea otters a keystone species as they play vital roles in structuring nearshore rocky communities. #EarthIsBlue... (Photo: NOAA. Image description: A sea otter grooming its fur.) See more

We'd like to announce the 2020 Volunteer of the Year for NOAA's Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary goes to Kim Akeman in her work as a Bay Net volunteer! Kim has devoted over 10 years to educating and informing coastal visitors about the marine life that inhabits Monterey Bay and keeps watch over the harbor seals that pup on Monterey Peninsula beaches by monitoring births, photographing moms and pups, and alerting local enforcement officials to issues concerning harbor se...als. Honoring Volunteers of the Year across your National Marine Sanctuary System is our way of saying thank you to these extraordinary people who take time out of their lives for the betterment of America’s underwater parks. Congratulations to all the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Volunteers of the Year for 2020! https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov//2020-volunteers-of-the-year. To learn more about Bay Net and the impact of volunteers, visit: https://montereybay.noaa.gov/getinvol/volunteer/baynet.html

Attack of the Clones! Anemones are rich in nematocysts (stinging cells) that are used to both feed, defend, and attack. As white-plumed anemones (Metridium farcimen) can clone themselves, forests of them often appear together. Along the fringes of these colonies, the anemones also possess "catch" tentacles, capable of stretching to explore their surroundings. Those tentacles are used to deter invaders by attacking any non-identical anemones nearby. Interestingly, although their structures may seem small, scientists believe that white-plumed anemones' broad plumes form small currents and eddies, which aid in feeding of drifting zooplankton. Talk about manipulation of their environment for survival! (Photo: Jon Anderson. Image description: A close up of a white-plummed anemone colony with jellies swimming in the background.)

Great Egrets are found right here in the sanctuary, and in particular are seen in Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. Great Egrets are an example of yet another conservation accomplishment. Hunted for their plumage (layer of feathers) in the 19th century, the Great Egret's population disappeared by about 95%. Fortunately, with protection, these birds have increased in numbers over time. Their diets consist mostly of fish but small animals like mice, which they... swallow whole, are subject to their pointy bill. Always view wildlife from a safe distance, so as not to disturb the Great Egrets' hunting process, which includes standing still for long periods of time, and to ensure conservation of them as a protected species. #EarthIsBlue (Photo: Robert Schwemmer/NOAA. Image description: A large white egret bird looking under it's wing.)

Thinking about where the weekend went? So is this northern elephant seal! Once on the verge of extinction, northern elephant seals began making a tremendous comeback in their populations in the early 1900's. While these seals may look like all they do is lounge on the beaches of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, adult seals actually spend up to 9 months of the year at sea, coming to land to breed and molt (shed their coat). With a migration recorded at up to 13,000 mile...s roundtrip, elephant seals are certainly champion long distance travelers! Learn more: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/speci/northern-elephant-seal #EarthIsBlue (Photo: Robert Schwemmer/NOAA. Image description: An elephant seal with its flipper on its chin.)

Mola molas, otherwise known as ocean sunfish, are avid sunbathers. In fact, that's how they got their name! These unique looking fish often swim at the ocean's surface, warming themselves in the sunshine. Sunfish can grow up to 11 feet and weigh up to a whopping 2.5 tons (5000 pounds), making them the heaviest bony fish in the world, holy mola! #FishFriday (Photo: NOAA/Point Blue/MapsForGood. Image description: A large flat fish on the sea surface.)

What's your favorite place to scuba dive? Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary spans nearly 300 miles of coastline and includes some of the best dive spots in northern and central California. Diverse sanctuary habitats allow for accessible exploration of the unique inhabitants that live in the underwater world. Kelp forests, deep rocky reefs, and sandy flats can all be seen relatively close to each other, making the diving experience diverse and abundant. It is essential to #RecreateResponsibly as diving safely takes planning, preparation, knowledge of ocean conditions, and skill! This will help ensure that both marine life and sensitive habitats are protected for future enjoyment. (Photo: Nathan Coy. Image description: Underwater scuba diver approaching the surface in a kelp forest.)