Port Angeles, WA - NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary(OCNMS) is marking the 10th anniversary of designation with a weekend of celebrations July 16-17. Events include a Friday evening public lecture by University of Washington researcher and professor Julia Parrish and the day-long Saturday CoastFest waterfront festival in Port Angeles, Washington. During Saturday’s activities, NOAA officials will be joined by Congressman Norm Dicks for the dedication of the new Olympic Coast Discovery Center at The Landings. The anniversary weekend is presented by NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and local sponsors including the Northwest Cruiseship Association.

“In our first ten years, we’ve seen some great accomplishments,” said OCNMS Superintendent Carol Bernthal, noting that there have been no oil spills in the sanctuary since designation. “Through our science and research, we’ve improved our understanding about the health of the ecosystem.”

“We’ve formed partnerships with historic and cultural organizations to improve appreciation of maritime heritage,” she said. “Our work with the maritime industry has demonstrated that commercial use in the sanctuary can continue while aggressively protecting marine resources. And we’ve engaged a growing number of citizen volunteers who educate the public and promote marine stewardship in the Olympic Coast.”

The noon Saturday dedication of Olympic Coast Discovery Center will mark another milestone in the sanctuary’s education and outreach programs.

“The Olympic Coast Discovery Center was developed by NOAA to introduce Port Angeles visitors and residents to Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, one of nation’s most significant marine ecosystems,” said Bob Steelquist, OCNMS Education and Outreach Coordinator.

The Olympic Coast Discovery Center is located in The Landing, next to an international point of entry and ferry terminal. "The Landing is a perfect location—it's the focal point of the Port Angeles waterfront and a major portal for visitors to the Olympic Peninsula," Steelquist said. Sanctuary staff expect 45,000 visits per year.

The 800-square-foot center will feature exhibits and interactive kiosks in four areas: visitor information, marine conservation, science and exploration and maritime heritage.

“With the Olympic Coast Discovery Center, the public will have a chance to learn what’s under the water off the Olympic Coast,” he said. “With the technologies available, we can change the center as we learn more about the sanctuary.”

The new center will become the showcase for sanctuary education programs as well as a base for a growing volunteer program. Thirty volunteers recently completed training to work as docents in the center.

The noon dedication of the Olympic Coast Discovery Center will be part of activities and events taking place all day on Saturday, July 17 at Port Angeles waterfront area.

Beginning at 9:00 am, Saturday’s CoastFest will include exhibits, children’s activities, tours of the sanctuary vessel Tatoosh, a sea kayak demonstration and concerts all afternoon on City Pier. Admission to the Arthur D. Fiero Marine Life Center is free for the day. The tall ship Lady Washington will be in port and open to visitors all day. Coast Guard Group/Air Station will perform a helicopter demonstration at 10:00 am, followed at 11:00 by a traditional cedar canoe welcome by Peninsula tribes on Hollywood Beach. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.olympiccoast.noaa.gov.

Designated in 1994, OCNMS is one of thirteen national marine sanctuaries and one coral reef reserve in NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program. OCNMS covers 3,310-square miles of marine waters off the rugged Olympic Peninsula coastline. The sanctuary provides habitat for one of the most diverse marine mammal faunas in North America and a critical link in the Pacific flyway. It boasts a rich mix of cultures, preserved in contemporary lives of members of Quinault, Hoh, Quileute, and Makah tribes. The Sanctuary is helped in its mission by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, which supports the outreach and education efforts of the National Marine Sanctuary System, part of the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.