50th anniversary of National Marine Sanctuary System

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Marine Sanctuary System, the U.S. Postal Service released this past Friday a new series of stamps that depict the abundant wildlife and diverse ecosystems that can be found in the waters of America’s national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments.

Pictured is a colorful coral reef with bright blue damselfish and a faisua photographed by Wendy Cover who lived in American Samoa at the time.

The stamp represents the territory’s unique coral reef ecosystem in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument. The photo itself was taken within the Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge on a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expedition.