Frequently Asked Questions

Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) is the nation’s premier ocean and Great Lakes policy conference hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation that convenes policymakers, scientists, managers, business leaders, conservationists, educators, students, and members of the public to engage in dialogue and debate on significant issues that impact our ocean and Great Lakes and to propose innovative policies and partnerships to address these issues.

Each year, thousands of people who have a stake in the future of our waters and our planet converge at CHOW to hear from the preeminent voices—and future leaders—in our industry, glimpse the future of marine technology, and meet the policymakers eliciting change on the local, state, national and global levels. The topics discussed at CHOW become the mainstream headlines about our ocean, coasts and Great Lakes, and all are welcome to the dialogue. And we need your voice too.

CHOW 2026’s theme is “Voyages and Breakthroughs.” America’s history is maritime history. Our nation’s story is shaped by the ocean and the Great Lakes – rooted in exploration, innovation, and our evolving commitment to environmental stewardship. 

Today, coastal communities are the anchors of America, serving as engines of opportunity and preserving our shared waters. As we sail into the future, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation honors the earliest stewards of our waters and charts the course for the next generation of wavemakers.  

Capitol Hill Ocean Week celebrates 25 years as the Nation celebrates its 250th anniversary. Join us in this moment to launch bold breakthroughs, ignite discovery and secure waters for all. 

CHOW is planned, convened and programmed by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in collaboration with partners such as NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, sponsors, a CHOW Advisory Committee, and others across the ocean space.

The Foundation is the official non-profit partner of our national marine sanctuaries, and a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, working with communities to conserve and strengthen those special places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. For more information on the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, visit marinesanctuary.org.

Anyone interested in supporting CHOW can donate HERE.

Your donation to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation helps us keep Capitol Hill Ocean Week free and open to the public. It also supports our efforts to conserve and expand national marine sanctuaries for a healthy ocean, coasts and Great Lakes.

The conference takes place on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 through Wednesday, June 4, 2026.

It is hosted at the Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC.  All plenary sessions are held in the main amphitheater.

Check back soon for the 2026 conference agenda!

Registration is required for anyone attending as guests during CHOW Conference days, and it is highly recommended that attendees register online in advance of the conference so you will only need to check-in onsite. There will be on-site registration for those who still need to do so.

CHOW registration is free and open to the public. Anyone interested in attending as a guest can register HERE or onsite at the check-in desk upon arrival.

No, it is not necessary for you to register staff or volunteers who will be manning your company or organization’s exhibit booth at the Conference. Booth staffers will simply need to check-in at the registration booth upon arrival and are required to always wear their CHOW name badges in a visible manner while staffing an exhibit booth.

For attendees located across the country and the world, the Capitol Hill Ocean Week plenary sessions are broadcast on a virtual conference platform that is accessible via a web platform and mobile app.  Registration is required to access the virtual conference site and mobile app.

The Ronald Reagan Building’s food court is a short indoor walk from the conference site.

We are grateful to our CHOW Advisory Committee, sponsors, and partners who represent organizations from across the diversity of the marine community that all help contribute to our conference agenda. The goal of CHOW is to build bridges and convene different perspectives in an open forum.  All speakers are encouraged to speak openly about the panel’s topics, share their expertise and leadership, and their comments are not pre-vetted in any way.