NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

It's ! 🐋

Researchers have found that baleen whales could be a potential way of monitoring “forever chemicals'' in the ocean. Some substances found in pollution break down very slowly and provide various problems for marine organisms in the food chain. These chemical substances are found to accumulate in the filter-feeding system of baleen whales, called “baleen”.

To follow our research, check out our website: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/notes/.

📸 A skim feeding North Atlantic right whale showing its baleen. Photo Credit: Liam Waters/NMFS Permit No. 27272-01

How will you ?

The annual Get Into Your Sanctuary photo contest is open now through September 2nd! 📸

Remember to when taking your photos. When photographing marine mammals and other protected species, always follow wildlife viewing guidelines to ensure that you are not disturbing these animals. Help us highlight wildlife photography best practices by indicating what kind of camera/lens you used and the approximate distance from which you took the photo. Animals need plenty of space to stay healthy and safe, so let's share our collective knowledge of responsible photography!

Submit your photos here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/photo-contest.html

Image: NOAA Sanctuaries

Happy !

Celebrate Habitat Month this July by checking out the incredible underwater habitats of NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary! As the sanctuary has many shipwrecks, these provide a home for countless species, especially for larval settlements and invertebrates. In fact, the sanctuary itself is home to a total of over 575 species. The process of upwelling brings nutrients to the surface for phytoplankton and then zooplankton growth, creating an incredible base for the sanctuary food web. What a wonderful home for our amazing sea animals!

Learn more here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/about/the-setting/

📸 Painting of the SBNMS setting. Courtesy of Peter J. Auster/UConn; Artist: M.J. Brush

HELP NEEDED TO LOCATE MISSING WHALE TAG

Sanctuary researchers are asking for the public's assistance in locating a missing non-invasive research "tag” used to study large whales. The approximately 6-inch-long units looks like a toy bug, with suction cup feet and antennae located on its "head." The tag was used this month to study humpbacks whales in local waters, where 16 whales were successfully tagged- help us find the last one! The tag could wash ashore anywhere along the Massachusetts coast.

If you find the tag, use the contact information on the unit or email [email protected]. The sanctuary staff and research partners appreciate your help in getting this tag back home.

It's ! 🐳

Summer is a busy time for Humpback whales in NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary! They are here feeding on lots of forage fish species including sand lance. If you're headed out on the water, be sure to give wildlife plenty of space and !

Check out the See a Spout program linked on our page here for more tips and tricks on safe boating around whales: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/protect/whales.html

📸: A Humpback whale breaching. Credit: NOAA/SBNMS

It's time for the Photo Contest!

Check out these pictures from last year’s winners! In celebration of , NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries invites you to share your photos of sanctuary views, sanctuary life, sanctuary recreation, sanctuaries at home, and sanctuaries worldwide. When taking your photos, follow wildlife viewing guidelines and responsibly capture these marine animals. For more information, check out this website: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/photo-contest.html

Thanks for participating and spreading the word!

📸: Image 1: 1st Place, Sanctuary Views: Bruce Sudweeks. A simultaneous view of the land and sea at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Surfgrass (Phyllospadix sp.) and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) can be seen under the surface of the ocean. Image 2: 1st Place, Sanctuary Recreation: Chuck Graham. Tranquil kayaking through Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Image 3: 1st Place, Sanctuary Life: Douglas Hoffman. Beautiful green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) floating elegantly in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Image 4: 1st Place, Sanctuaries at Home: Laurie Santoro. Mill Pond in Chatham, MA at sunset.

Today is and we're inviting you to learn about and listen to underwater sounds throughout the National Marine Sanctuary System. Grab some headphones, turn up the volume on your phone or computer, and dive in!

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/apr22/new-sanctsound-portal.html

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? 🐋

Join NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary at the Osterville Village Day event! We'll be hosting tours of Salt, the life-sized inflatable Humpback whale. Additionally, you can learn about whales through interactive games and music at the "Underwater Carnival" 🎡

Come visit us on Saturday, July 20th from 10 am - 1 pm. This event is free and open to the public!
Location: Osterville Baptist Church, 824 Main St., Osterville, MA 02655.

Learn more about Salt here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/education/salt.html

We hope to see you there!

📸: Image 1: Salt the Inflatable Whale at the New England Aquarium's World Ocean Day event 2024. Credit: Samantha Tolken/NOAA. Image 2: An inside look at Salt! Credit: Melinda Forist

: Scientists Study Whale Baleen to Monitor Synthetic "Forever Chemicals" in Ocean

Baleen whales use a filter-feeding system of fringed plates made from keratin, called "baleen," hanging from the roof of the mouth that strains the seawater for food. Not only does this baleen collect food particles, but researchers have found the baleen also accumulates synthetic chemical substances like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), providing a possible way to monitor the chemicals in the ocean.

Learn more about this research in NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/notes/

12 Shark Facts That May Surprise You Celebrate Shark Week by learning something new about sharks!

🌊 Support your National Marine Sanctuaries! 🐳

Ocean month just ended, but we can celebrate our ocean everyday! You can get involved with NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and other National Marine Sanctuaries! In fact, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has prepared a helpful, new resource just for you, providing ocean-lovers with engaging opportunities to learn, grow, and serve. From reading about the wonders of the deep to taking a summer trip to your local sanctuary, you can fill your summer with adventure by reading our web story, 8 Ways to Support Sanctuaries During Ocean Month

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/may24/eight-ways-to-support-marine-sanctuaries.html

Have a splash!

📷: Common dolphins. Credit: Elliott Hazen

Did you know July 1st is National U.S. Postage Stamp Day? 📬 It's the perfect time to showcase these beautiful stamps featuring our National Marine Sanctuaries, which are home to many coral reef inhabitants. 🪸🐠💌 NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/aug22/introducing-sanctuaries-forever-stamps.html

🌊 Celebrate Ocean Month with us! 🐠

We can't believe today is the last day of Ocean Month! June is a time to appreciate the beauty and diversity of our oceans. From vibrant coral reefs to the mysterious depths of trenches, each ocean contains a treasure trove of natural wonders. Let's celebrate this special month with 3 facts about these incredible ecosystems. Some of them might surprise you!

1. Did you know that more than 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans? They play a crucial role in regulating our climate and weather patterns.

2. Coral reefs, often referred to as the "rainforests of the sea," are home to over 25% of all marine species despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor.

3. NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary serves as a vital haven for endangered right whales, many bird species, and countless other creatures. As a result, this sanctuary helps maintain the health of our oceans and the creatures living within them.

📷: WHOI/NOAA (taken under NOAA Research Permit)

Our team at NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is out this week satellite tagging Great Shearwaters! Stay tuned this week with updates from the field. So far - 8 birds have been tagged and sampled, giving scientists valuable information about their migration and lifecycle! Photo: Liam Waters, Research Technician releasing a tagged bird. 📸 Photo Credit: Laura Howes, NOAA/SBNMS

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries would like to recognize the life of an amazing friend, conservationist, author, and creator of Blue Mind science. Dr. Wallace J. Nichols was an integral ocean champion who brought awareness to the ocean's impact on us, and our impact on the ocean.

In this photo, our Communications Division Chief, Kate Thompson, is with Dr. Wallace J. Nichols following a 2012 OceansLive interview at the Blue Ocean Film Festival in Monterey, California. The blue marbles they hold represent a Blue Mind global art initiative to show that everything we do on this blue planet matters. Blue marbles are passed along with a message of gratitude with the ultimate goal of passing a marble to everyone on the planet.

J was recently quoted in our partner, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation's blog, "When we take care of our sanctuaries, they can take care of us." J,- we will never forget your impact on our blue planet. Your memory lives in each blue marble passed on to others.

https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/benefits-of-a-blue-mind/

Do you have any ideas what these could be?

This summer, scientists and researchers at NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary are tagging seabirds! This video shows the bird tags enjoying some time in the sun while their GPS function calibrates. These transmitters are placed on the backs of shearwaters with a degradable thread. Small and lightweight, the tags do not interfere with flight, and are equipped with mini solar panels that provide the technology with long life. In recent years, several tags have survived well into the winter, giving the science team the bonus of being able to follow the birds’ migratory paths into the South Atlantic.

Why follow the birds’ movements? Sanctuary scientists believe that seabirds -- especially great shearwaters, one of the most common seabirds in the sanctuary -- are excellent indicators of ecosystem health, and may provide insights into impacts of climate change.

Learn more about shearwater tagging here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/science/shearwater-tagging-project/

📸: Shearwater tags calibrating their GPS functions outside our office. Credit: Caitlin Fitzmaurice/NOAA. A satellite tag with antenna sits on the back of a tagged great shearwater. Credit: Steve Broker

Today is World Hydrography Day!

Hydrography is the science that measures and describes the physical features in bodies of water. Hydrographers measure water depth and search for shoals, rocks and wrecks that could be hazards to navigation. They also measure water levels, tides, currents, temperature and salinity.

The 1635 map by John Smith depicts the New England coast and local waters. A ship and pile of fish heads in the present area of the sanctuary indicates a rich fishing ground.

Henry Stellwagen, a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy on loan to the U.S. Coast Survey working from the steamer Bibb, mapped the full length and breadth of the bank in 1854 and 1855. Stellwagen mapped the bank using a sounding device that he invented with a steel cup covered by leather valves that could bring up specimens of the sea bottom.

The U.S. Coast Survey issued a preliminary chart of Stellwagen Bank in 1855. The discovery of the bank was considered a significant achievement in aid of navigation.

Hydrography continues to be important today, providing us with more detailed information as mapping technology evolves.

📸: Image 1: Hydrography Infographic, Credit: NOAA, Image 2: 1635 map of New England coastal waters, John Smith. Image 3: Henry Stellwagen, courtesy of the US Navy. Image 4: Sounding device invented by Henry Stellwagen. Image 5: 1855 preliminary chart of Stellwagen Bank, US Coast Survey. Image 6: Modern map of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

Now that summer is up and running, spotting at sea can be a magical experience for a boater, but it can also mean dangerous accidental collisions. Check out and share these tips below!

See a Spout offers a free, virtual boater education course to help recreational boaters to stay safe at sea while around whales.

NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary partnered with NOAA Fisheries and Whale and Dolphin Conservation to develop the See a Spout program.
Learn more and join the course ⬇️
https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/protect/whales.html

Diving into !

Today, we celebrate seven species of beauty and resilience. From ancient Leatherbacks to ornate Hawksbills, each species displays fascinating characteristics---did you know that Leatherbacks can dive 30 times deeper than any scuba diver? Additionally, sea turtles fill vital niches in ocean ecosystems, such as controlling jellyfish populations and maintaining the health of seagrasses.

Yet despite their remarkable adaptations and importance, all seven species face countless threats, from ghost nets to oil spills. Marine sanctuaries such as NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary provide native species with crucial habitats and protection. Here's to protecting our oceans and our remarkable turtles!

📷: Two green sea turtles rest on the beach together. Photo taken by Mark Sullivan, winning honorable mention in the 2022 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest.

Happy ! 🐋

Check out this photo of a Humpback whale with its mouth wide open!

Do you see that brown furry stuff hanging inside the whale's mouth? Do you know what it is?

It's baleen! Humpback whales have plates of baleen instead of teeth, and they use this baleen to filter their food. Baleen is made of keratin, which is the same material that makes up our hair and fingernails. This whale is taking a big gulp of food and water, and as it closes its mouth the water will get pushed through the baleen while the small fish get trapped inside.

Learn more about baleen whales here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/science/baleen-whales.html

📸: Whale watch passengers observe a whale feeding nearby. Photo: Ari Friedlaender (NOAA Fisheries Permit #775-1875)

As summer approaches, you might be spending more time outside and viewing wildlife. Encountering wildlife can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! For their safety and yours, please follow these viewing guidelines.

Be sure to give wildlife plenty of space, be aware of local regulations and use your zoom lens or binoculars for that close-up view!

Learn more and take the pledge for wildlife here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/wildlife-viewing/

Happy World Ocean Day! 🌊

On Saturday, June 1st, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary staff and volunteers joined the New England Aquarium’s annual World Ocean Day event, leading tours of Salt the life-sized inflatable Humpback whale. This year’s event theme was “Connecting Communities, Empowering Action for Our Ocean. Salt was prominently on display on the front plaza outside the aquarium’s main entrance. Visitors enjoyed tours of Salt, learning about Humpback whale anatomy, Salt's huge family tree, and why humpback whales visit Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. We loved chatting with so many visitors and making new friends!

How are you celebrating World Ocean Day this year?

📸: Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary staff and volunteers chat with visitors at the New England Aquarium World Ocean Day event. Credit: Samantha Tolken/NOAA