How NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries engages the public in the ocean through the science and management of maritime heritage

Abstract

The US Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has a robust Maritime Heritage Program (MHP), now 13 years old. MHP is a carefully created and managed part of an overall strategy to encourage ocean conservation and the creation of marine protected areas. MHP utilizes a variety of strategies to engage the public, work collaboratively, and use the power of ‘people stories’ to connect a wide audience with the ocean. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.