The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation announced the award of nine grants ranging from $10,000 - $25,000 for projects totaling $150,000 from the Ernest F. Hollings Ocean Awareness Trust Fund. These projects will increase the public’s awareness of issues related to our ocean, including marine debris, human interaction with marine mammals, pollution and the connection between the ocean and human health.

“We are proud to announce our first grant recipients and are pleased to be able to assist in funding projects that will inspire people to become better stewards of our marine environment,” said National Marine Sanctuary Foundation President and CEO Lori Arguelles. “This trust fund seeks to continue the important work of Senator Ernest F. Hollings and his commitment to the awareness and preservation of the ocean by ensuring that all Americans understand and value our precious marine resources.”

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation established the Ernest F. Hollings Ocean Awareness Trust Fund in 2005 as a tribute to former U.S. Senator Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) and his longstanding commitment to promoting ocean stewardship. During his tenure of service to the nation, Senator Hollings championed many ocean related issues, including increasing human knowledge about the marine environment through research and education. The Ernest F. Hollings Ocean Awareness Trust Fund grant program strives to engage the public in ocean conservation by funding for projects that promote ocean awareness nationwide. NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service contributed additional funding for this grant program.

The complete list of Ocean Awareness Trust Fund recipients includes:

• The Ocean Conservancy:
$25,000 for the International Coastal Cleanup Promotional Plan informing the public on marine debris and its impact on ocean health, cleanup efforts and marine debris prevention throughout the summer “beach season” ending with the International Ocean Cleanup in September.

• Friends of the National Zoo:
$25,000 for the Sea Lions, Seals and Us project for an interpretive zoo exhibit on stewardship and recycling, marine debris and food that will focus on the top ten actions visitors can take in their daily lives to help protect oceans and ocean life.

• The California Coastal Conservancy:
$25,000 for the California Public Ocean Awareness Campaign in partnership with NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program and the Ocean Communicators Alliance to help raise ocean awareness in California.

• The Community Environment Council:
$20,000 for the From Land to Sea and Back Again: A Plastics and
Pharmaceuticals Awareness Campaign that will increase public awareness of the overuse of plastics and proper disposal of pharmaceuticals in Santa Barbara County.

• National Ocean Film Series:
$15,000 for a national network of organizations to collaborate on ocean film festivals enhancing ocean literacy and awareness through the marketing and distribution of a National Ocean Film Series, including The Ocean Channel, Inc., TRFF, Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute, Savannah School of Art and Design and the Gray’s Reef and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries.

• Oceanic Worldwide:
$11,350 for the National Marine Sanctuaries Hang Tags outreach and education campaign promoting our national marine sanctuaries and informing divers of opportunities to volunteer at sanctuary sites, ways to participate in fish counts and information about how to voice their support for ocean conservation and awareness.

• Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources:
$11,100 for the Steering Boaters Towards Whale Protection project to minimize vessel collision and reduce illegal interactions and disturbances with humpback whales in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

• Dr. Ellen Prager:
$10,000 for the Improving Ocean Awareness: A Creative Multi-Media Approach to Ocean Outreach campaign through innovative multimedia increasing the public’s ocean understanding, awareness and stewardship through the book, Adventure on Dolphin Island.

• National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium:
$10,000 for the Rivers to Sea Interactive project exploring the relationship between people and the ocean in over twenty museums and aquariums in the Mississippi River watershed.