Ocean Conservation
US Ocean Health 2026: Marine Protected Areas & America's Blue Economy
America's oceans — Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and Arctic — are under pressure. But a wave of conservation is pushing back.
26%
Of US ocean waters now designated as Marine Protected Areas — toward the 30x30 global conservation goal
Source: NOAA 2026
Pacific Sanctuary
Pacific Remote Islands: World's Largest Marine Reserve Expanded Again
The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument — protecting an area larger than Alaska — was expanded in 2024, shielding critical habitat for sea turtles, sharks, and migratory seabirds.
2.1°F
Warming of US coastal waters since 1970 — driving coral bleaching, fish migration, and intensifying hurricanes
Source: NOAA 2026
Blue Economy
$397 Billion: America's Ocean Economy Depends on a Healthy Sea
Tourism, fisheries, shipping, and coastal real estate — the US ocean economy employs 3.3 million Americans. Protecting ocean health isn't just ecology, it's economics.
50%
Fish populations in US MPAs have recovered vs. adjacent unprotected zones — no-take zones work
Source: PNAS 2026
30x30
America's Goal: Protect 30% of All Oceans by 2030
The US 30x30 commitment is driving the largest expansion of ocean protection in history. Healthy oceans absorb 25% of CO₂ — they are our most powerful climate ally.