National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa

The sanctuary extends across 13,581 square miles of ocean, protecting coral reefs, deep-water habitats, and diverse marine species between Hawaii and New Zealand.

Established in 1986 as Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the protected area expanded in 2012 to include Rose Atoll Marine National Monument and five additional zones.

The sanctuary maintains strong connections with the 3,000-year-old Samoan culture through community involvement and traditional marine resource management practices.

Research teams conduct annual surveys of humpback whale populations and monitor 150 coral species alongside 1,400 different invertebrates throughout the protected waters.

The sanctuary contains Big Momma, a 21-foot-tall Porites coral formation with a 134-foot circumference, recognized as the largest known coral structure on Earth.

Operator: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;American Samoa Department of Commerce

Website: https://americansamoa.noaa.gov

GPS coordinates: -14.54265,-167.71330

Latest update: March 5, 2025 03:55