December 22, 2025 — This year proved, once again, that the ocean is truly a fascinating place. In 2025, our features ran the gamut from creatures of the deep and newly discovered species to killer whales and restoring American seafood competitiveness. Check out the list below and see if your favorite made the list!
Top Features
Stories on how ocean health is affecting marine life, how we’re working to enforce laws to protect marine mammals, and how our scientists discover brand new species were among the most widely read.
Early Bloom of Toxic Algae off Southern California Sickens Hundreds of Sea Lions and Dolphins
Rescue teams face hard decisions over which animals to save.
Responders received more than 100 calls a day reporting sick sea lions and dolphins
New Kids on the Block: Species Discovered by Our Scientists
Over the years, NOAA Fisheries scientists have discovered dozens of species. Learn more about these species and what we’ve learned about them.
We’ve discovered fish, marine mammals, and invertebrates
Diving into Creatures of the Deep
Dive in and learn about creatures of the deep. These mysterious species live way below the surface of the ocean.
Creatures that live in the deep ocean—from corals, to jellyfish, to octopus, and more