Welcome to Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

We protect the wildlife and habitats of one of the most diverse and bountiful marine environments in the world, an area of 1,279 square miles off the northern and central California coast. Located just a few miles from San Francisco, the waters within Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary are part of a nationally significant marine ecosystem. Encompassing a diversity of highly productive marine habitats, the sanctuary supports an abundance of life, including many threatened or endangered species. Discover more about the sanctuary by diving into this website, or reading the hot topics below (also available in plain text).