Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary protects 3,188 square miles of Pacific Ocean along Washington's rugged coastline. This marine wilderness hosts one of North America's most productive ecosystems where nutrient-rich upwelling supports extraordinary biodiversity from microscopic plankton to gray whales. Sea stacks and rocky islands provide nesting habitat for millions of seabirds while tide pools reveal colorful anemones, sea stars, and hermit crabs. Gray whales migrate past on the world's longest mammal journey while orcas hunt salmon in nearshore waters. Giant Pacific octopuses hide in rocky crevices as sea otters slowly recover from near extinction. The sanctuary co-manages with four coastal Treaty Tribes who've stewarded these waters for millennia. Traditional knowledge informs modern conservation while sustainable harvest rights maintain cultural practices. Maritime heritage includes over 180 historic shipwrecks. Research programs monitor ocean acidification impacts on shellfish. This sanctuary demonstrates successful integration of indigenous rights, marine conservation, and sustainable use while protecting one of America's last wild coasts.

Water Features

Pacific Ocean, sea stacks, kelp forests

Ecosystem

This destination features a coastal & marine ecosystem.