50 Years of Ocean and Coastal Conservation

The Past, Present, and Future of Marine Conservation in America

NOAA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Marine Mammal Commission

December 15, 2021

Clouds hover over a long shoreline of grassy cliffs and offshore rocks.

A montage of photos show students cleaning up a beach in the 1970s and now; people in a visitor center in the 1970s and now, children on a field trip in the 1970s and now, and a dad and child at a beach in the 1970s and now. — Then (top row) and Now: Cleaning up marine debris, dropping by a visitor center, enjoying a field trip, and having family time at the beach.

Our ocean and coasts are great places to live, work, and recreate, and drive our nation’s economy. They support a wealth of biodiversity, which is part of our national heritage and character. Fifty years ago, Congress took action to protect the nation’s ocean and coasts, when it passed a set of powerful laws that help form the foundation for the nation’s marine stewardship today: the Clean Water Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.

50 Ways to love your Ocean and Coasts

These laws made a tremendous difference. The clean water we enjoy today, the species that have recovered from historically low population levels, the preserved public access to beaches and coastal waters, the two networks of protected areas that provide conservation, recreation, and economic opportunities to their communities: these are only some of the benefits we can trace back to these historic laws.

But even greater challenges lie ahead. Our special aquatic places and species, and communities need you now more than ever to ensure that our legislative authorities and priorities remain relevant and adaptive to an increasingly dynamic natural and human environment. Visit www.noaa.gov/50-years-ocean-coastal-conservation to learn more. And scroll down to find out just how far we've come...and how far we still have to go.

An illustration shows whaling ships in the Arctic with ice floes and hunters in small boats hunting for whales.

A mother humpback whale and her calf hover just under the surface of the ocean.

A sea otter lies on its back at the surface of the water, with all four paws extended upward.

A beach with many hotels and seawalls from the 1950s is shown.

An aerial view shows the port of Portland, Maine, including a small boat marina and a bridge in the distance.

A fenced path between to areas of grassy sand dunes leads down to the beach.

A park ranger at Acadia National Park in the 1960s speaks to a group of park visitors at an intertidal zone.

A paddle boarder pauses to look as shipwreck in clear water beneath her.

Two children run along a beach as the sun sets.

There are no limits to what we can accomplish when we come together for the sake of our ocean future! Visit www.noaa.gov/50-years-ocean-coastal-conservation to find out how you can become involved.