Before sunrise, the fishing boats slip quietly out on the ocean. By mid-morning, whale watching vessels follow the same waters, their decks lined with visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of breaching humpbacks. Beneath the surface, scuba divers photograph sea lions and anemones, and kelp forests shelter fisheries that support local livelihoods. Central to all of this is NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of the few places in America that seamlessly connects nature, community and the local economy.
Across the country, NOAA protects a network of underwater parks — 18 national marine sanctuaries and two marine national monuments spanning over 629,000 square miles. Together these places safeguard extraordinary natural, ecological, historical, and cultural resources while supporting the communities that depend upon them.
Like America’s national parks, national marine sanctuaries are major tourism destinations. Their visibility not only builds grassroots support for conservation, but also creates economic opportunities. Visitors may seek a hotel stay with a scenic ocean view, take in a spectacular whale watching tour, encounter a charismatic sea otter while kayaking, or even dine on seafood caught from local waters.
The economic benefits of a healthy marine sanctuary are unmistakable. Local businesses — from hotels and restaurants to tour boat operators, kayak outfitters and dive shops — can thrive because of clean waters, abundant fish populations and healthy kelp forests. Globally, a healthy ocean is recognized as key to food security, livelihoods and tourism. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s ecosystem generates millions of dollars each year through ocean-dependent activities.
A humpback whale breaches in the Monterey Bay in October 2023 during a Blue Ocean Whale Watch cruise. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
National marine sanctuaries also protect marine resources that provide ecosystem services, the benefits people get from nature. In the ocean, that includes clean water, protection from storms, opportunities for recreation (like fishing and diving) and climate regulation. National marine sanctuaries help secure these benefits by conserving and protecting the habitats and wildlife that make them possible. By limiting actions that threaten the marine environment, protecting kelp forest and deep-sea habitats, and supporting research and monitoring, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary helps ensure these benefits last well into the future.
Nowhere is the powerful connection between conservation and commerce more apparent than with sea otters in the sanctuary. A 2023 study by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Middlebury Institute of International Studies revealed that a single sea otter is incredibly valuable, generating over $5 million annually in direct and indirect economic impacts through ecotourism. Specifically in Elkhorn Slough, visitors drawn by the chance to see otters contribute roughly $3.2 million in direct spending and an additional $1.85 million in indirect gains. The presence of these keystone species can support over 300 jobs in tourism sectors, underpinning broader, multimillion-dollar ecosystem services with regional estimates reaching up to $53 million.
“Whales are another great example of resources that support economic activity,” said Danielle Schwarzmann, chief economist of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. “Tens of thousands of people pay to go whale watching every year on vessels that support small business operations.” NOAA collaborators at West Virginia University and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation are currently collecting data to determine how these amazing animals support local economies surrounding national marine sanctuaries.
The local organization, Save the Waves is also focused on the economic side of coastal recreation, specifically surfing. Through its “Surfonomics” research, the group is documenting the significant financial contributions surfing provides to local and regional economies. According to their recently released report, “surfing has an estimated economic value of at least $194.7 million per year in Santa Cruz, of which spending in the broader Santa Cruz surfing economy on equipment and services contributes approximately $150.2 million each year.”
Nik Strong-Cvetich, Save the Waves executive director, adds “By establishing the economic value of a wave and the sport of surfing in coastal communities, we can provide critical data that empowers decision-makers to make informed choices for protecting vital coastal resources and waves.”
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s mission is to balance marine ecosystem protection with responsible resource use through research and education, enhancing benefits to communities that depend on a healthy marine environment. By working with on-the-water businesses, scientists, and local communities through sanctuary programs, we can continue to protect this special place by fostering appreciation and stewardship of valuable marine species for future generations.
Lisa Uttal is the science outreach and media coordinator at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary