U.S. #5713f
2022 60¢ National Marine Sanctuaries – Farallon Islands
Issue Date: August 5, 2022
First Day City: Santa Cruz, CA
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Pane of 16
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 38,000,000
Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS) is located to the northwest of San Francisco Bay, California. It encompasses 3,295 square miles and protects open ocean, nearshore tidal flats, rocky intertidal areas, estuarine wetlands, subtidal reefs, and coastal beaches. The sanctuary is also home to a number of historic shipwrecks, which act as artificial reefs and important habitats for marine life.
GFNMS is known worldwide as a very diverse and productive marine habitat. It is a breeding and feeding ground for many species. These include 25 endangered or threatened species, 36 marine mammal species, over 250,000 seabirds, and one of the most important white shark populations on Earth. It's also home to the United States' southernmost population of threatened Steller sea lions.
In addition to the bountiful marine life, GFNMS is home to over 400 ship and aircraft wrecks. The oldest of these is a Spanish Manila galleon named San Agustin which was blown ashore by a gale in 1595. While the ship's remains have been difficult to find, there is archaeological evidence of its cargo. There are also wrecks from the 1800s in addition to later iron- and steel-hulled ships. The sanctuary is responsible for ensuring its shipwrecks and ocean wildlife coexist and are kept safe for generations to come.