Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is a Federally protected marine area offshore of California's central coast.

Stretching from Rocky Point in Marin County, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, to the town of Cambria in San Luis Obispo County, the MBNMS encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles and 5,322 square miles of ocean surrounding Monterey Bay. Supporting one of the world’s most diverse marine ecosystems, it is home to numerous mammals, seabirds, fishes, invertebrates and plants in a remarkably productive coastal environment. The MBNMS was established in 1992 for the purpose of resource protection, research, education, and public use of this national treasure. The MBNMS is part of a system of 13 National Marine Sanctuaries administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.