NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, MA Videos

Today we celebrate ADA Day, also known as National Disability Independence Day! Did you know that Salt, the life-sized inflatable Humpback whale, is ADA compliant? She is built with an air-lock system, allowing entrance for visitors of all different abilities. Just last weekend Salt was able to welcome her first wheelchair user for a visit! It was so special for everyone involved, and we were happy to learn just how easy it is to use Salt's accommodation features! Enjoy some highlights from the Osterville Village Day event! And click here to learn more about Salt: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/education/salt.html 🎥: Highlights from Osterville Village Day 2024. Credit: Caitlin Fitzmaurice/NOAA

On Monday, July 8th, scientists and researchers from NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary were out tagging more Great Shearwaters! Enjoy some highlights from our day and stay tuned for more updates as we follow the travel journeys of these amazing seabirds! Learn more here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/science/shearwater-tagging-project/ 🎥: Caitlin Fitzmaurice/NOAA

Happy #SharkWeek 🦈 Check out this footage from a fin-tastic day in 2021! While on a research mission to study basking sharks, scientists came across several shark species feeding on a Humpback whale carcass. Working with shark experts from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (Dr. Greg Skomal) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (Dr. Andy Danylchuk) the team tagged five white sharks. There are still lots of questions about the feeding behaviors of these apex predators, and this tag data will help us learn more about their life history. 🎥: Earth is Blue/NOAA Sanctuaries

Happy #WorldSeabirdDay! On this day, we appreciate all 312 seabird species! Most of these birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and some are endangered or threatened with protections under the Endangered Species Act. Like NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, National Marine Sanctuaries are making efforts to protect and learn from these species. Celebrate World Seabird Day with some highlights from Day 2 of shearwater tagging! We were able to tag 3 more birds, bringing the total up to 11 so far this season! Through tracking seabirds, like Great Shearwaters, we can study ecosystem health in the face of climate change. Learn more about shearwater tagging here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/science/shearwater-tagging-project/. 📸: Highlights from Day 2 of shearwater tagging 2024. Credit: Caitlin Fitzmaurice/NOAA #seabirds #seabirdday #worldseabirdday #birdtagging #seabirdtagging #science #research #stellwagenbank #stellwagenbanknationalmarinesanctuary #nationalmarinesanctuaries #NOAA #oceanconservation #boston #capecod #newengland

Marine Debris: Balloon Pickup
It’s #MarineDebrisMonday! While scientists and researchers from NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary are out on research missions, they stop to pick up marine debris such as balloons as often as possible. Balloons and other forms of marine debris can pose threats to wildlife. Animals can easily become entangled, hindering their ability to move or in some cases impact their ability to feed. Debris can also be ingested, or eaten, by animals, leading to blocked airways or a full stomach. You can help by reducing single use plastics in your daily life. Make sure to properly dispose of any trash and recycle whenever possible. Learn more about marine debris here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/wildlife-viewing/trash.html 📸: NOAA SBNMS Staff pick up balloons on board the R/V Auk during a research mission. Credit: NOAA/SBNMS

Sand Lance Animation
Happy #FishFriday! 🐟 Sand lance are a favorite food for many ocean predators at the sanctuary, including humpback whales, sharks, seals, and seabirds. Sand lance feast on phytoplankton and zooplankton. When they consume the energy and nutrients those plankton hold, they can then pass energy on to organisms like whales that eat sand lance. This makes them an extremely important species in our sanctuary food web! NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management partnered for groundbreaking research to understand the ecological and commercial value of sand habitat. Check out this video to learn more! 🎥: BOEM/NOAA SBNMS

Whales in Motion - Sound Explorations
Making marine science more accessible! Last month, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary staff and volunteers participated in Whales In Motion with Sound Explorations, a special interactive exhibit celebrating Massachusetts Right Whale Day at Boston’s Museum of Science. Blind and visually-impaired students and adults experienced the locomotion and foraging behavior of whales through 3D sculpture models with musicians performing live. As participants ran their hands across these sculpture models, musicians performed action-specific melodies that matched the same contour and shape of the model. It was truly incredible to experience the excitement of participants creating music from science! #accessibility #blind #LowVision #marinescience #soundexplorations #whalesinmotion #stellwagenbank #stellwagenbanknationalmarinesanctuary #marightwhaleday #rightwhaleday

On May 17th, NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary staff and scientists completed their Annual Safety Day Training. Led by Captains Amy Meloski and Dave Slocum, several safety drills were practiced. In this clip, you can see an emergency signaling drill, where expired smoke and handheld flares were used. This was followed by an abandon boat drill, which included donning immersion suits, stepping off the stern of the R/V Auk and then boarding a life raft. We ended the day with a man overboard drill, tossing a life ring into the water. This annual safety training allows us to practice using safety equipment, preparing the team with knowledge and experience in the case of an emergency. 📸: Caitlin Fitzmaurice/NOAA & Amy Meloski/NOAA

Sanctuary Advisory Council
Recruitment is now OPEN for NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Sanctuary Advisory Council! The Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) is a community-based body that advises the sanctuary superintendent on issues relevant to the effective implementation of the sanctuary management plan. The council is the formal organizational link to the sanctuary's user community and others interested in the management of this nationally significant area of the marine environment. The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following seats: Business Industry (Alternate) – 1 seat Education (Alternate) – 1 seat Fixed Gear Commercial Fishing (Alternate) – 1 seat Marine Transportation (Alternate) – 1 seat Research (Primary) – 1 seat Whale Watch (Primary) – 1 seat Youth non-voting (Alternate) – 1 seat The application period opens April 8, 2024 Completed applications are due by May 1, 2024. Please contact [email protected], or tel: 781-205-0354 with any questions about the Stellwagen Bank NMS Advisory Council and recruitment. Applications and more info can be found here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/management/sac/recruitment.html 🎥: NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries

Earth is Blue: Gray Seals
Happy #InternationalSealDay! 🦭💕 When exploring NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary on a whale watching trip, visitors may spot all sorts of different animals along the way, including seal species like #grayseals and #harborseals. If you encounter a seal, be sure to give it and yourself plenty of space. Learn more about wildlife viewing guidelines and take the pledge for wildlife here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/wildlife-viewing/ 🎥: NOAA/Earth is Blue

Mola Mola
Happy #FishFriday! Have you ever heard of the Mola mola, or ocean sunfish? 🐟 Mola mola's are the largest bony fish and they can be found here at NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Check out this video for some close up looks and lots of fun facts about these special creatures! Still not enough #FishFacts? Check out our Gallery of Fishes here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/visit/fishing-gallery.html 🎥: NOAA/Earth is Blue #stellwagenbank #stellwagenbanknationalmarinesanctuary #boston #capecod #newengland #fish #gulfofmaine #molamola #oceansunfish

Earth is Blue: North Atlantic Right Whales
There have been several reports of North Atlantic Right whales this month- some in NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and some in Cape Cod Bay. With these special creatures so close to home, we'd like to share a reminder to #RecreateResponsibly when you're out on the water. Check the #WhaleAlert App for up-to-date info on whale sightings, mandatory and voluntary speed zones, and to report your own sightings. For more info on protecting North Atlantic Right whales or the Whale Alert App, click here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/protect/whales.html Video: NOAA Sanctuaries/Earth is Blue. Video transcript available here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/earthisblue/wk234-north-atlantic-right-whales.html

S4 Christmas Bird Count
How are you spending the holidays? Each year, NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary partners with the Audubon Society for the #ChristmasBirdCount! Volunteers join us onboard the R/V Auk for a full day of surveying. This data helps us to learn more about #seabirds in the sanctuary and contributes to our S4 (Stellwagen Sanctuary Seabird Stewards) dataset. Learn more about S4 here: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/involved/s4.html Video: A look at the S4 Program in action! Credit: Earth is Blue/NOAA

CELEBRATE, DISCOVER, EXPLORE, ENJOY, SAVE! The National Marine Sanctuary System turns 50 TODAY -- October 23, 2022. Please join us as we celebrate the history, accomplishments, and beauty of these spectacular underwater parks across the United States! https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/50/ New England's only national marine sanctuary -- Stellwagen Bank -- is also celebrating its own milestone year. In a few weeks, we will mark our 30th anniversary by holding a special event at the New Bedford Whaling Museum with a live performance of an original musical composition. Join us at 6:30pm. The program is free but reservations are required. Register at: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov/30/

CELEBRATE, DISCOVER, EXPLORE, ENJOY, SAVE! The National Marine Sanctuary System turns 50 TODAY -- October 23, 2022. Please join us as we celebrate the history, accomplishments, and beauty of these spectacular underwater parks across the United States! https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/50/ New England's only national marine sanctuary -- Stellwagen Bank -- is also celebrating another milestone year. In a few weeks, we will mark our 30th anniversary by holding a special event at the New Bedford Whaling Museum with a live performance of an original musical composition. Join us at 6:30pm. The program is free but reservations are required. Register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC_PnQf49REGXivAntVvWtIIIm0ApY2Ac-jZXE09BQWdqAcw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

STUDENT SHARK ART To close out Shark Week we're showcasing some of the winning art from the 2017 Massachusetts Marine Educators Marine Art Contest. This slide show includes entries from each of the contest divisions -- Elementary School (grades K-4), Middle School (grades 5-8), High School (grades 9-12), Scientific Illustration (all grades) and Computer Graphics (all grades). The theme of the annual contest is "Exploring Marine Biodiversity at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary" and although this particular slide show is confined to sharks, the contest itself attracted creations that depicted marine life ranging from tiny diatoms and gelatinous zooplankton to high-flying seabirds and massive humpback whales. The sanctuary will be posting scans of all of the award-winning artwork and honorable mentions later this year. The 2018 contest (free and open to all K-12 students) will be announced in the fall.

Birders Unite and support Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary has been nominated in a USA Today poll to select the Best Places to See Aquatic Life. A link to the poll can be found at http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/ You can vote once a day, every day until March 28. Sanctuary seabirds are an integral part of the marine ecosystem, and the busy whale watch fleet provides easy access for viewing these avian species. And in celebration of Youth Art Month (March) we are posting some of the winning seabird art from past MA Marine Educators marine art contests for students in grades K-12. Enjoy! A copy of the rules for the 2016 contest can also be found on the sanctuary website.

Fish and invertebrates are a vital components of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary's biological diversity. There are over 80 species of fish that live within the Sanctuary due to its diverse seafloor topography and nutrient rich waters.

Stellwagen Float in Scituate St Patricks Day Parade 2012
25,000 spectators cheered as Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary staff, family and volunteers marched in the Scituate St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 18th, 2012. Scituate is called the “Irish Riviera” and was recently named the most Irish town in America. It also boasts the second largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the state of Massachusetts. Sanctuary staff festooned their whale tagging boat and pickup truck with St. Patrick’s green and NOAA blue, creating a festive 45-foot float complete with a Humpback fluke, miniature tagging pole and “D-tag,” and volunteers blowing “bubble nets” with soap bubbles. Humpback whale songs accompanied the 30 marchers including, students from Gates Intermediate School Ecology Club, as they made their way along the 2.3-mile route through Scituate.