** Volunteers are crucial to safeguarding America’s underwater parks through a variety of engaging and impactful projects.
📍 ** United States - West Coast, Northeast Pacific, California
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April 22, 2026, marks a time to celebrate the power of community involvement, and the National Marine Sanctuary System is highlighting the vital role volunteers play in protecting its valuable underwater resources. Across the system, citizens are contributing their time, skills, and passion to protect America's marine parks through stewardship, scientific research, and public engagement. In 2025, over 6,806 volunteers dedicated 36,748 hours to citizen science projects, demonstrating a widespread commitment to preserving these unique ecosystems.
Several exciting opportunities are currently available for those wanting to get involved. The West Coast Region offers a diverse range of activities, including the Washington Coast Cleanup on April 25, 2026, where volunteers can remove marine debris from beaches along the Pacific Coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca – supported by Washington CoastSavers and a Makah Reservation cleanup. Further north, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) provides a citizen science program focused on monitoring beaches for seabirds, marine debris, and coastal changes. Participants conduct monthly surveys, contributing to long-term data collection for ecosystem monitoring.
Beyond these regional efforts, opportunities exist nationwide. California National Marine Sanctuaries are actively tracking invasive marine species, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary hosts Snapshot Day on May 2, 2026, for hands-on water quality data collection. Additionally, “Wanted Alive: Finding Hal” invites divers and ocean users to report sightings of white abalone throughout May through October.
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Original Source: Link
** #MarineSanctuaries #CitizenScience #VolunteerOpportunities #OceanConservation #CoastalCleanup #MarineDebris #EcosystemMonitoring #NationalMarineSanctuaries