Unsupported Browser Detected

Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. For the best experience, please use a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

Marsh Madness

March 21, 2025

While players duel it out on the court, we’re keeping score of all the ways marsh habitat plays an important role in the protection and restoration work we do for communities, fish, and wildlife.

Coastal marsh within the Sandy Hook Bay estuary. Coastal marsh within the Sandy Hook Bay estuary. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Jessie Murray

Through early April, NOAA is taking a court-side look at how we protect and restore marsh habitat to sustain fisheries, recover protected species, and maintain resilient coastal ecosystems and communities. Take a look at our marsh habitat features and follow #MarshMadness on @NOAAHabitat!

Largest Salt Marsh Restoration in the Northeast to Bring Back Cape Cod River Herring

After decades of planning, NOAA and our partners are helping river herring safely reach their historic spawning grounds by restoring a degraded estuary in Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

Watch video about river herring and how marsh restoration helps them reach their spawning grounds

Image
River herring migrating up a Cape Cod stream (Photo: Danielle Weissman/NOAA)
River herring migrating up a Cape Cod stream (Photo: Danielle Weissman/NOAA)

Nearly $37 Million Will Support the North Delacroix Marsh Creation and Terracing Project in Coastal Louisiana

The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act Program has approved funding for the NOAA-sponsored North Delacroix Marsh Creation and Terracing Project in coastal Louisiana.

Learn more about the project that will restore coastal marsh habitat in St. Bernard Parish

Image
Green marsh with pockets of blue water to be restored.
Aerial photo taken of the marsh restoration project site in North Delacroix, Louisiana from Highway 300 facing east at the Wood Lake community. This broken marsh area will be restored. Jack’s Canal can be seen along with the pump station and tidal protection levee. (Credit: Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority).

Coastal Marsh Restoration in the Mid-Atlantic: Aligning Habitat Objectives to Maximize Project Benefits

In collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries has developed a guidance document to support the development of coastal marsh restoration projects in the mid-Atlantic region.

Read more the guidance document and restoration technique using a holistic approach

Image
Aerial view of a tidal marsh showing the intricate water channels and greenery.
Tidal marshes, such as those seen in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland, present a mosaic of productive habitats including tidal creeks, low marsh, and high marsh. Credit: Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program.

Middle Peninsula’s Marshes and Living Shorelines Generate More than $6.4 Million Annually in Economic Value

Living shorelines and marshes in Virginia’s Middle Peninsula Habitat Focus Area support more than $6.4 million each year in economic value from recreational fishing. That’s more than three and a half times the value generated by hardened shorelines in the area.

Recent study of 1,500 anglers finds they fish near marshes and living shorelines more frequently than other areas

Image
 Marshes, living shorelines, and hardened shorelines are some of the types of shorelines found along the Middle Peninsula of Virginia.
Marshes, living shorelines, and hardened shorelines are some of the types of shorelines found along the Middle Peninsula of Virginia.

Coastal Wetlands - Too Valuable to Lose

Wetlands are a pivotal part of the natural system, providing tremendous benefits for coastal ecosystems and communities. They provide us with clean water, flood protection, abundant fisheries, and more.

Learn more about the value of coastal wetlands and marshes

Image
a marsh is shown with 3 boats going down a river with a wake behind them
Healthy habitats are vital to our nation’s fisheries and protected species—and to our vibrant coastal economies. (Credit: State of Louisiana)