NOAA and partners are conserving habitat to sustain fisheries, recover protected species, and maintain resilient coastal ecosystems and communities. To help celebrate our work, we asked the public and NOAA staff to submit their photos highlighting four categories of habitats, including coastal wetlands, estuaries and shallow coral reefs.
Thank you for submitting your wonderful photos! We received hundreds of compelling photographs to help celebrate NOAA Habitat Month. Here are the winners. We will be showcasing these as well as other entries throughout our website.
Category 1: Coastal Wetlands, Marshes, and Mangroves
Public Entry Winner: Hank Carter
Stand-up paddle boarders explore marsh around Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
NOAA Entry Winner: Dana Bethea
A young mangrove sprouting through the sandy substrate near Port of the Islands, Florida.
Category 2: Estuaries and Rivers
Public Entry Winner: Douglas Croft
The Little Sur River winds its way into the Pacific in Big Sur, California.
NOAA Entry Winner: Hansje Gold-Krueck
Morning mist in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.
Category 3: Underwater Habitats like Oyster Reefs, Coral Reefs, Deep Sea Coral, Grasses, and Kelp
Public Entry Winner: Laura Tesler
The kelp forest in California serves as a nursery for many species of fish, including these juvenile blacksmiths.
NOAA Entry Winner: Andrew Gray
A six-blotch hind fish peers out from the safety of a small cave at Maug Island, Northern Mariana Islands.
Category 4: Other Habitats
Public Entry Winner: Joshua Lord
Low tide at Cape Arago Lighthouse in Charleston, Oregon.
NOAA Entry Winner: Jan Willem Staman
A female green sea turtle, basking on Tern Island, Hawaii. She came back up later that night to lay her first nest of the 2018 season. Photos taken under NOAA and USFWS permits.
Thanks to everyone who participated this year!
