Given the cascading disasters the ocean faces from industrial overfishing, pollution, coastal sprawl and climate change there’s been some surprisingly good news in the United States this year. Here are ten stories – both good and bad – that impacted the blue in our red, white and blue.

1. Pacific Monument Expanded

President Obama expanded the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument established by his predecessor George W. Bush from 87,000 square miles to close to half a million square miles. This makes it the largest fully protected ocean wilderness park on our blue planet, about the size of California and Texas combined. While few of us may ever sail to Palmyra Atoll or Kingman Reef its nice to know America still has vast frontier seas full of sharks, turtles, whales and healthy coral reefs.

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