Oceanic Society
Oceanic Society works to improve ocean health by deepening the connections between people and nature to address the root cause of its decline: human behavior.
As America’s oldest non-profit organization dedicated to ocean conservation, Oceanic Society has worked for more than 50 years to inspire and empower people worldwide to take part in building a healthy future for the world’s oceans.
Through our work we are:
🌊 Bringing the ocean into our daily lives with Blue Habits—a science-based effort to motivate simple, daily choices that lead to healthier oceans.
🌍 Supporting efforts worldwide that engage coastal communities in protecting threatened marine species and their habitats.
🐋 Leading expeditions that give people life-changing experiences in nature, support ocean research and conservation, and shape the travel industry.
Together, these strategies move the needle in ways that measurably improve ocean health and reduce the hazards that humans pose to oceans over time.
As part of Oceanic Society’s global ocean cleanup efforts, communities around the world are taking action to protect coastlines, wildlife, and livelihoods. In Ghar el-Melh, Tunisia, local residents, youth, and fishers came together to restore a coastline that serves as both a community gathering place and a critical sea turtle nesting habitat. Volunteers removed abandoned fishing nets, plastic waste, and medical debris—and even rescued a juvenile sea turtle entangled in discarded material—underscoring the immediate, life-saving impact of cleanup work.
Oceanic Society’s approach goes beyond debris removal. By pairing cleanups with data collection, community dialogue, and local storytelling, these efforts build a deeper understanding of how pollution affects marine ecosystems and coastal economies alike. In Tunisia, this model helped turn a single cleanup into the foundation for long-term, community-led stewardship.
“The ocean is our home. We protect it not because it’s a distant cause, but because it’s a part of who we are.”
Financials
Programs
Global Ocean Cleanup
Held annually since 2022, the Global Ocean Cleanup is a behavior science-based campaign to fight ocean plastic pollution through online and offline action. Together with hundreds of partners worldwide, we are combining art, storytelling, and community-based action to tackle the plastic pollution crisis.
State of the World's Sea Turtles
Oceanic Society leads the only globally focused sea turtle conservation program, fulfilling a need in sea turtle conservation that was previously unmet. We partner with and support thousands of individuals and institutions to improve sea turtle science, set priorities for research and conservation, and provide needed resources to conservation projects globally.
Conservation Scholars Program
Oceanic Society’s Conservation Scholars Program aims to give life-changing ocean experiences to underserved students and communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.We are providing free-of-charge boat trips to student groups who otherwise would not have the means to participate in such an activity, combined with educational programming that seamlessly integrates those experiences into educators' curricula in new and engaging ways.
Conservation Travel
For more than 55 years, Oceanic Society nature expeditions have brought people face-to-face with some of the world's most extraordinary places and wildlife—not just to observe, but to actively support in their protection.
We are pioneers in naturalist-guided experiential travel for nature lovers, offering eco-tours, snorkeling trips, wildlife tours, whale watching, and more. We believe experiences are richer when shared with others, which is why we specialize in small-group trips for travelers eager to connect with nature and support conservation.