National Marine Sanctuary
Media Resources

Are you a journalist looking for an expert on ocean noise? Or a filmmaker in need of raw footage for a video project?

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries manages a vibrant network of 16 national marine sanctuaries and two marine national monuments that protect some of our nation's most treasured seascapes, wildlife, and maritime heritage resources.

National marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments connect people and communities through science, education, recreation, and stewardship. They also work with and connect to other networks of marine protected areas throughout the U.S. and around the world. Set aside for both protection and enjoyment, decisions about how to best manage these special places are made using the best available science, as well as extensive public input.

National marine sanctuaries and monuments support coastal communities and drive local economies by providing jobs and opportunities for people to discover, recreate, and form lifelong bonds with these spectacular places. The successes across the National Marine Sanctuary System show that conservation, economic prosperity, and human well being not only go well together, but they are deeply woven together in our national character.

Need an expert, an image, or a compelling marine or Great Lakes science story idea, our team of local public affairs specialists is here to help. We work with news producers, digital and print reporters, photojournalists, videographers, filmmakers, bloggers, authors, students and other content producers to engage the public in the conservation and protection of America’s ocean parks.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Multimedia Resources

Photographs and Videos
Most photographs and videos on the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries website are public domain, produced by NOAA employees, as part of their official duties, or other government agencies and institutions. Public domain photos and videos are publicly owned and available for free for news media and non-commercial scientific and educational uses. If you use an image or video from the website, or on our Flickr page, please include the citation provided on the image page.

Other images and videos may have been obtained from non-governmental organizations and private photographers with their permission to use them on our website, such as in the Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest. This may include protected intellectual property used with the right holder's permission. Before considering using an image or video that is not credited to NOAA or another U.S. government agency, you should investigate whether this image is, in fact, in the public domain because we cannot warrant or guarantee the legal status of these images. Permission to use these images should be obtained directly from the photographer or those organizations.

Any photos or videos that contain a NOAA permit number must show that permit number in usage, either within the image, in a caption, or in closing credits. This usually refers to any images of wildlife that may have been taken under a specific NOAA Fisheries permit.

Videos and Footage Requests
To request video footage from us, please contact:
[email protected]

Commercial Filming & Photography
The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries manages commercial filming activities that have the potential to impact sanctuary resources and disrupt visitors beyond what occurs from normal visitor use, Examples of this type of filming are productions that use airplanes, boats, drones, and film in locations that would create conflicts with other visitors, disturb marine animals, harm sensitive resources, or disrupt scientific research and monitoring activities.

Federal law requires the national marine sanctuary system to recover its administrative costs for commercial filming and still photography activities that require a permit. Cost recovery includes an application fee, processing your request, and monitoring the permitted activities. This amount will vary depending on the sanctuary and the size and complexity of the permitted activities. The application fee must be submitted with your application.

Interested parties should be aware that you will need to obtain a Commercial or Educational Photography Permit from NOAA Fisheries if you intend to film marine animals that are not listed as threatened or endangered.

For information on permitting and other requirements to film within national marine sanctuaries, please contact:
Vernon Smith
Sarah Marquis

For Editors and Freelance Journalists

If you are an editor interested in reprinting an article from our website or if you are a journalist interested in writing a story about national marine sanctuaries, please contact us for information and images that you can use. We also have a list of topics we would be happy to share with interested journalists looking for good story ideas.

Rachel Plunkett, Content Manager
Vernon Smith, National Media Coordinator

ONMS Media Contacts

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Headquarters in Silver Spring, MD

For interviews with ONMS leadership and information on policy issues, research, budget, education and filming in sanctuaries:

Vernon Smith, National Media Coordinator
Sarah Marquis, West Coast/Pacific Islands Media Coordinator

Other Media Links and Resources