09/24/2026
Alaska has always been shaped by the sea.
For World Maritime Day, we’re celebrating Alaska’s maritime heritage, coastal ecosystems, working waterfronts, island communities, and the public lands that help protect some of the richest marine environments on Earth.
From seabird colonies and kelp forests to glaciers, tidewater fjords, salmon streams, and historic navigation routes, Alaska’s coastal public lands tell stories of movement, connection, stewardship, and survival.
Places like Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, and the Tongass National Forest all help protect landscapes and seascapes where people, wildlife, and ocean systems remain deeply connected.
World Maritime Day is also a reminder to recreate responsibly on and near the water. Check weather and tide conditions, wear a life jacket, respect wildlife, and give seabird colonies and marine mammals plenty of space.
Here’s to Alaska’s coastlines, communities, and the waters that connect them.
Learn more about World Maritime Day:
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/alaska-maritime
