Silver Spring, MD – The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) congratulates the organizers of the BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit on today’s announcement of its relocation from Savannah, Georgia to Monterey, California.

On hand to offer comments was NMSF Board Chair, Bob Talbot, who is also on the Advisory Board of the Film Festival. He spoke about the importance of the BLUE Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit for global ocean conservation initiatives.

“Film is our most powerful medium to shed light on ocean issues,” said Talbot. “And no one brings ocean films to the public like BLUE.”

The NMSF is proud to be a sponsor of the five-day festival, which like the Foundation, strives to increase ocean awareness and increase ocean stewardship among the public. The connection between NMSF and BLUE runs deep. In addition to Bob Talbot, Dr. Sylvia Earle serves on the Advisory Board of the Film Festival as well as serving as Trustee Emeritus for the Foundation. NMSF is also partnering with BLUE in a number of ways, including special public service announcements highlighting America’s national marine sanctuaries that will run between films.

“This is wonderful news for BLUE and especially the people of Monterey, California,” said NMSF President and CEO, Jason Patlis. “With the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) serving as a backdrop, BLUE has the unique opportunity to raise public awareness about our network of national marine sanctuaries while tackling the broader range of ocean issues. We are committed to working with BLUE to make it a success on behalf of Monterey, on behalf of the sanctuary system, and on behalf of our ocean.”

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the private, non-profit partner to NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. The Foundation supports efforts to educate and motivate people on ways they can help preserve, protect and promote our nationwide network of marine sanctuaries for future generations to enjoy. The 14 sites within the National Marine Sanctuary System protect special places in the oceans and Great Lakes, from the Florida Keys to the Hawaiian Islands and from Lake Huron to the Gulf of Mexico. For more information, visit www.nmsfocean.org.