ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the local non-profit partner and advocate for NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is one of 13 marine sanctuaries in the United States. Located off Washington’s outer coast, the sanctuary works with coastal communities to ensure healthy fisheries and shellfish populations by providing vital research and education on ocean issues.

Our Theory of Change:

The creation of a knowledgeable constituency will result in financial support, conservation success and effective defense of the sanctuary.

Our Mission:

To inspire the public to protect Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary through participation in and support of sanctuary programs, projects, and partnerships.

Our strategic goals:

The organizational strategic goals for the first years of the Chapter (August 2018-Jan 2019) and positioning the organization for increased impact are to:

  1. Bolster awareness of the sanctuary and increase support for its mission to protect the Olympic Coast’s natural, historical and cultural resources;
  2. Focus attention on science and research efforts within the sanctuary to increase partnerships and funding to preserve the sanctuary’s ecological integrity;
  3. Inspire action and advocacy of ocean issues so constituents make informed decisions and participate in solving environmental problems; and
  4. Ensure organizational capacity to increase the Chapter’s business operations to sustain the organization.

Areas of focus:

In the near-term, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation will focus on:

  1. Securing funding for public education, research and outreach programs focusing on marine debris and ocean acidification.
  2. Working closely with partners, Feiro Marine Life Center and NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, in a capital campaign for a new shared marine discovery center.
  3. Identifying funding options for vessel recapitalization to replace the R/V Tatoosh.

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary includes 3,188 square miles of marine waters off the rugged Olympic Peninsula coastline. The sanctuary extends 25 to 50 miles seaward, covering much of the continental shelf and several major submarine canyons. The sanctuary protects a productive upwelling zone – home to marine mammals and seabirds. Along its shores are thriving kelp and intertidal communities, teeming with fishes and other sea life. In the darkness of the seafloor, scattered communities of deep sea coral and sponges form habitats for fish and other important marine wildlife.