Press and Calendar Releases

November 28, 2018 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on December 6, at 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at UNC Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese, North Carolina. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting will include updates for the council members, and the public on the state of the sanctuary, artifact conservation, and expansion. Call-in information is provided for those who cannot attend in person.

October 30, 2018 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to fill nine seats on its advisory council: citizen-at-large, conservation, heritage tourism, maritime archaeological research, ocean sports, recreational/commercial fishing, recreational diving (2 seats), and student seat (non-voting). The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

April 17, 2018 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on March 26, at 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm in Newport News, Virginia, in the sanctuary's office. The meeting will include updates for the council members, and the public on the state of the sanctuary, artifact conservation, and expansion.

November 30, 2017 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on November 30 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Monitor NMS's office in Newport News, Va.  The meeting will include updates for council members and the public on the state of the sanctuary, artifact conservation, and expansion.

June 16, 2017 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on June 23 at the University of North Carolina's Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese, North Carolina. The meeting will include updates for council members and the public on the state of the sanctuary, artifact conservation and upcoming fieldwork.

May 1, 2017 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to fill two seats, Recreational/Commerical Fishing and Youth, on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

March 24, 2017 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on April 6, 2017, at the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary office in Newport News, Virginia. The meeting is open to the public.

February 27, 2017 - A traveling exhibit, Treasures of NOAA's Ark, is coming to The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Va. The exhibit will be on display from March 3 until December 31, 2017.

February 24, 2017 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, along with the City of Newport News and The Mariners' Museum will dedicate three Monitor Trail signs that honor the Civil War's Battle of Hampton Roads that took place in 1862 off the shores of Newport News, Virginia.

January 5, 2017 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on January 18, 2017, at the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary headquarters office in Newport News, Virginia. The meeting is open to the public.

December 12, 2016 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary announced eight new primary members to serve on its advisory council.

November 1, 2016 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to fill the Economic Development seat on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

August 22, 2016 - NOAA, partners to take first look at two shipwrecks from WWII Battle of the Atlantic German U-boat, Nicaraguan freighter discovered off Cape Hatteras in 2014.

August 1, 2016 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to fill the commercial/recreational fishing and heritage tourism seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

May 10, 2016 - The Sanctuary Advisory Council for NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary will meet on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 in Newport News, Virginia. The meeting is open to the public.

May 4, 2016 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary invites photographers to submit photos that celebrate North Carolina's rich and diverse maritime heritage during its inaugural shipwreck photography competition.

May 2, 2016 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on May 10 at the sanctuary's office in Newport News, Va. The meeting will include updates for council members and the public on the state of the sanctuary, artifact conservation and expansion.

May 2, 2016 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to fill a number of seats on its advisory council including maritime archaeological research, conservation, recreational diving (2), heritage tourism, ocean sports, recreational/commercial fishing and citizen-at-large. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

February 3, 2016 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on Feb. 8 at the University of North Carolina's Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese, North Carolina. The meeting will include updates for council members and the public on the state of the sanctuary, artifact conservation and expansion.

January 8, 2016 - Following several years of scientific and archaeological assessment, and in coordination with the public, NOAA today announced plans to consider possible expansion of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary off the North Carolina coast. Public comments will be accepted through March 18.

October 1, 2015 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on Oct. 1 at the University of North Carolina's Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese, North Carolina. The meeting will include updates for council members and the public on the state of the sanctuary, artifact conservation and outreach initiatives.

August 31, 2015 - On Sunday, August 30, teams from NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, began a survey of the historic wreck of Diamond Shoal Lightship No. 71, the only American lightship to be sunk by enemy action during World War I.

August 14, 2015 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to fill the commercial/recreational fishing seat on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

July 13, 2015 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will host free, public tours of the NOAA research vessel, SRVx Sand Tiger on July 18 in Ocean City, Maryland.

May 15, 2015 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for one primary seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

Feb. 27, 2015 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on March 5 at the sanctuary office in Newport News, Virginia. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting will include updates for council members and the public on the state of the sanctuary, budgets, personnel changes; and Monitor conservation.

Feb. 13, 2015 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for two primary seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent. The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following primary seats: education and recreational/commercial fishing.

Nov. 24, 2014 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary's advisory council will meet on Dec. 3 at the sanctuary office in Newport News, Virginia. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting will include updates for council members and the public on the recent discovery of WWII vessels, U-576 and Bluefields; potential for sanctuary expansion; and Monitor conservation.

Nov. 17, 2014 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for three primary seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent. The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following primary seats: education, recreational/commercial fishing and youth.

Oct. 21, 2014 - A team of researchers led by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries have discovered two significant vessels from World War II's Battle of the Atlantic. The German U-boat 576 and the tanker Bluefields were found approximately 30 miles off the coast of North Carolina.

Oct. 7, 2014 - NOAA, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, will manage the historic wreck of Diamond Shoal Lightship No. 71, the only American lightship to be sunk by enemy action during World War I. The two agencies signed a formal agreement between NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Coast Guard's Historian's Office last month.

Aug. 15, 2014 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for three primary seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent. The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following seats: recreational/commercial fishing (two) and youth.

May 28, 2014 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary will hold a meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council on June 5 at UNC Coastal Studies Institute located in Wanchese, N.C. The meeting is open to the public.

May 15, 2014 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is accepting applications for the advisory council seats representing Economic Development and Youth. One primary member will be selected for each seat.

Feb. 19, 2014 - NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries will host a live tweet chat with David Alberg, superintendent of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. Responding to questions in real time, Alberg will discuss the history of the USS Monitor and the upcoming burial of the remains of two USS Monitor sailors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Feb. 9, 2014 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for four primary seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

Dec. 6, 2013 - Monitor National Marine Sanctuary will hold a meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council on December 10 in Newport News, Va. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the sanctuary's office.

Oct. 24, 2013 - With the touch of a finger, communities in North Carolina and Virginia can now learn about Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and its cultural and natural marine resources, as well as obtain real-time information about area weather and ocean conditions.

Sept 23, 2013 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary recently launched a citizen science initiative targeting recreational divers in coastal North Carolina. The initiative, "Bringing Shipwrecks to Life," is intended to help divers better appreciate the state's shipwrecks as cultural treasures and as artificial reefs that harbor diverse communities of marine life.

Sept. 20, 2013 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for three primary seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

Sept. 11, 2013 - The NOAA data buoy located inside the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is back online and broadcasting real-time data. Information such as wind speed, water temperature, and wave height can be accessed 24 hours a day.

Aug. 19, 2013 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for three primary seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

Aug. 16, 2013 - On August 27, NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary will dedicate the first of five USS Monitor Trail signs in Beaufort, N.C. The trail will eventually extend to New York. This sign honors the 40th anniversary of USS Monitor discovery resting in approximately 230 feet of water, and the team that located it 111 years after it sunk 16 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

Apr. 12, 2013 - The winners of the first annual One Ocean Student Film Festival will be honored on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, N.C. Films promoting ocean conservation were submitted by middle and high schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The film festival is free and open to the public.

Mar. 8, 2013 - The remains of two unknown USS Monitor sailors, recovered by NOAA and the U.S. Navy in 2002 from the ship's gun turret, were buried today, with full military honors, at Arlington National Cemetery. USS Monitor sank in a New Year's Eve storm just over 150 years ago, carrying 16 crew members to their deaths.

Feb. 15, 2013 - Based on several years of scientific assessment and public involvement, today NOAA released the final management plan and environmental assessment for Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. The plan outlines how the sanctuary will operate over the next five to 10 years.

Nov. 1, 2012 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is accepting applications for the advisory council seats representing Recreational/ Commercial Fishing and Education. One primary member will be selected for each seat.

Mar. 9, 2011 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is accepting applications for the advisory council seats representing Citizen-at-Large, Recreational/ Commercial Fishing (2), Heritage Tourism, and Economic Development. One primary member will be selected for each seat.

Oct. 26-27, 2009 - The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will hold a public meeting October 26, 2009, at the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary office in Newport News, Va. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. with a public comment period at 11:00 a.m. NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries manages the sanctuary.

Apr. 30, 2009 - The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will hold a public meeting May 19, 2009, at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, N.C. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a public comment period at 11:30 a.m. NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries manages the sanctuary.

Mar. 20, 2009 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking people between 14 and 17 years of age to provide input to its advisory council and superintendent on ocean conservation issues and how this next generation views ocean issues.

Mar. 5, 2009 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is accepting applications for the advisory council seat representing North Carolina maritime museums. One primary member will be selected for the seat.

Feb. 13, 2009 - The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will hold a public advisory council meeting February 13, 2009, at the NOAA office on the property of The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Va. The meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a public comment period at 11:30 a.m. The sanctuary is managed by the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program.

Aug. 15, 2008 - NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill one seat and one alternate position on its advisory council, which ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

July 7, 2008 - NOAA will lead a research expedition July 7-26 to study the wrecks of three German submarines sunk by U.S. forces in 1942 off the coast of North Carolina during the Battle of the Atlantic.

Nov. 1, 2007 - The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will hold a public advisory council meeting November 9, 2007 at The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a public comment period at 11:45 a.m.

Sept. 20, 2007 - The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill Recreational Diving, Conservation, Maritime Archaeological Research, Heritage Tourism and Citizen-at-Large vacancies on its sanctuary advisory council. Applicants will be chosen based upon a variety of criteria. Applications are due November 9, 2007.

May 18, 2007 - The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill the education seat on its sanctuary advisory council. Applicants will be chosen based upon a variety of criteria. Applications are due June 30, 2007.

Apr. 17, 2007 - The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will hold a public advisory council meeting April 27, 2007 at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, N.C. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a public comment period from 11:30 a.m. to noon.

Apr. 11, 2007 - Underwater robots built by 15 high school teams from Virginia, North Carolina, Delaware and Maryland will be put to the test at the Langley Air Force Base swimming pool on Saturday, April 21, during the second Mid-Atlantic regional remotely operated vehicle (ROV) competition.

Ma. 9, 2007 - Exactly 145 years after the historic clash between the Civil War ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia at the Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862, The Mariners' Museum and NOAA today opened the doors to one of America's premier maritime Civil War attractions, the new USS Monitor Center.

Mar. 8, 2007 - Last summer's expedition to the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and the resulting video documentary are among the major accomplishments highlighted in the 2006 State of the Sanctuaries Report.