Manitowoc Area Visitor & Convention Bureau

For more than 40 years our national marine sanctuaries have worked to protect places of historic/cultural, ecological, and natural importance in America’s ocean and the Great Lakes.

We are pleased to be working with communities along our Wisconsin coast to apply for the establishment of a national marine sanctuary to preserve shipwrecks in our mid-Lake Michigan region. Watch for updates on this effort. To learn more about NOAA and National Marine Sanctuaries, visit sanctuaries.noaa.gov Click here to view the Lake Michigan Marine Sanctuary Proposal.

The 962-square-mile Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary will protect 36 shipwrecks that possess exceptional historic, archaeological, and recreational value. Historical research suggests that nearly 60 shipwrecks are yet to be discovered in the sanctuary.

Co-managed with the state of Wisconsin, the sanctuary will expand on the state’s 30-year stewardship of these historic sites, bringing new opportunities for research, resource protection, educational programming, and community engagement. In partnership with local communities, the sanctuary will provide a national stage for promoting heritage tourism and recreation.