Ocean underwater marine life
Ocean Conservation

US Ocean Health 2026: Marine Protected Areas & America's Blue Economy

America's oceans Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and Arctic are under pressure.

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.

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.

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.

30×30 Goal

Marine Protected Areas: What 30×30 Means for US Oceans

The US 30×30 initiative commits to protecting 30% of ocean and coastal waters by 2030. With 26% designated, the final push targets Mid-Atlantic Canyons, Pacific Pelagic Waters, and Gulf of Mexico — covering critical fish spawning grounds and deep-sea carbon sinks worth $373 billion annually.

Blue Economy

US Blue Economy: America's Oceans Generate $373 Billion Annually

making conservation good business.

Ocean Threats

Ocean Acidification: The Invisible Crisis Threatening US Seafood

US ocean surface temperatures hit records in 2023 and 2024.

Ocean Policy

NOAA's Ocean Action Plan: Turning the Tide on Marine Decline

NOAA's 2025 Ocean Action Plan invests $775 million in marine research, restoration, and sustainable fisheries. With nations signing the High Seas Treaty in 2023, US ocean leadership could set international standards protecting the 50% of Earth's surface that belongs to everyone — and no one.