Ocean and Coastal Highlights

Living shorelines help stabilize estuarine coasts, bays and tributaries. The benefit our coastal areas by increasing habitat for fish and wildlife and safeguarding shores from wave impacts. These vegetated buffers help makes coasts more resilient to storms and erosion.

Combined conditions of recent deglaciation, relatively frequent earthquakes, steep rocky slopes, and narrow inlets make Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve susceptible to potential landslides that could generate large tsunami waves. Learn about how the USGS, NPS and partners are addressing public safety and preparedness.

Take a journey across our Nation’s coastlines through a series of interactive geonarratives that help describe how coastal change happens. USGS brings together research, applications, and communications to deliver information and tools to help reduce natural hazard risks along our coasts.

The 2019 USFWS Coastal Program’s Accomplishments report highlights projects, ecosystems, and partners that leveraged $22 for every $1 funded by the USFWS for habitat conservation and management.

As one of the charter members of the Civil Applications Committee, DOI and other interagency committee members are using geospatial applications to monitor and enforce illegal, unlicensed and unreported fishing (IUUF) activities at the global scale.

Stewardship of birds, particularly shorebirds, is an important mission for DOI. This sandpiper chick benefits from programs that focus on addressing a 37-percent decline in shorebird species over the last four decades. Learn more about how DOI works to conserve and protect shorebirds and other migratory bird species.

DOI is a proud partner for exploring, characterizing and managing the deep sea resources. DOI is one of several agencies that contributed to planning documents outlining a national strategy for mapping, exploring, and characterizing the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. A collection of articles describes recent activities exploring and mapping these deep sea areas, some for the first time. These expeditions improve not only our understanding of the ocean but provide greater understanding of our planet overall.

DOI brings together expertise and partners to fulfill the stewardship mission for sea turtles that spans the Gulf of Mexico. Read about new science discoveries, tracking technology, managing and protecting these endangered and threatened species, public education, international partnership and the dedicated staff that make it all happen.

Interior has diverse roles and responsibilities that support and influence healthy American fisheries. Interior works cooperatively to manage, restore and protect critical and productive coastal wetland habitats that serve as nurseries and feeding areas for fish and other species that rely on healthy ecosystems.

NPS scientist Donna Shaver is one of 27 national finalists for the prestigious Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal in the category of Science and the Environment. She was also one of five finalists for the People’s Choice Award.