We all need healthy coral reefs, productive fisheries and intact coastlines, but our growing demands on the ocean’s resources are too much for the ocean to handle.
Explore the ocean
The Center for Oceans develops global solutions to keep our oceans healthy and to inform global decision-making. Explore our solutions for advancing healthy and productive oceans.
Building on more than a decade of experience working with businesses, governments and communities, the Center for Oceans connects local action and global impact through sound strategies, alliances, learning communities and proven tools.
Our long-term goal: to conserve marine biodiversity and ecosystems to safeguard ecological, social and economic benefits for people and nature — because people need healthy oceans to thrive.
Blue Nature
Safeguard the Ocean Places Most Important for People
We work with governments, communities, civil society and businesses to manage large ocean areas in an integrated manner, balancing the ways that people interact with nature — from food production and resource extraction, to tourism and culture.
Connected Oceans
In 20 countries and hand-in-hand with communities and governments, we are advancing new models for place-based integrated ocean management, such as Seascapes and large-scale Marine Protected Areas.
Policy + Governance
We are developing and applying science-based tools, such as the Ocean Health Index, to embed conservation into public and private decisions at local, national, regional and international levels.
Blue Economies
We are unlocking economic benefits for people by catalyzing sustainable ocean enterprises, leveraging the power of ocean industries to influence change, and accounting for the value of the ocean “capital.”
Blue Production
Secure Foods and Livelihoods
Our fisheries and aquaculture experts are protecting biodiversity and improving community well-being by implementing solutions built on partnerships and ocean-to-plate investments.
Tuna Initiative
We are working in the world’s largest fishery, Pacific tuna, to eliminate illegal fishing, deliver increased returns to local communities, and ensure sustainability through better regulations.
Coastal Community Fisheries
We are scaling proven approaches across 25 often forgotten coastal fisheries in 13 countries to ensure they are environmentally sustainable and support local livelihoods.
Clean Aquaculture
We are transforming the development pathway for aquaculture, ensuring that this sector can grow sustainably.
Human Rights
We are transitioning the Monterey Framework for Socially Responsible Seafood into practice in critical industrial and small-scale fisheries supply chains — ensuring social safeguards to protect fishers' civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
Blue Climate
Mitigate Carbon Emissions and Adapt to Climate Change Impacts
To maximize the dual benefits of coastal ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaptation, we focus on integrated solutions that achieve multiple benefits, such as protecting coastlines from storms while safeguarding biodiversity.
Climate Adaptation
We are accelerating the adoption of ecosystem-based blue climate solutions and building the adaptive capacity in communities to climate change impacts.
Climate Mitigation
We are reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maximizing long-term carbon storage through protection, restoration and management of coastal habitats in countries with the biggest stores of blue carbon including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Indonesia, Liberia, and the Philippines.
Carbon Finance
We are providing functional examples of blue carbon-based finance, coastal management, and policy to unlock funding and finance through international and multilateral mechanisms for carbon financing, such as market offsets.
Our Experts
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Senior Vice President, Center for Oceans
Aulani Wilhelm is the senior vice president for Oceans at Conservation International. Her work bridges culture, community and science to drive innovations in ocean conservation.
Vice President, Marine, Asia-Pacific Field Division
Dr. Mark Erdmann’s work largely focuses on the management of marine protected areas, as well as research on reef fish and mantis shrimp biodiversity, satellite tracking of endangered sharks and rays, and genetic connectivity in MPA networks.
Vice President, Marine & Lead for Sustainable Landscapes and Seascapes, Field Delivery
Scott Henderson is a conservation and marine management practitioner with field experience as a researcher and consultant, primarily in Latin America. Scott founded the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape program and is responsible for developing multi-country marine strategies and building awareness of marine conservation issues.
Vice President, Ocean Science and Innovation
Dr. Emily Pidgeon works on developing solutions for coastal and marine adaptation to climate change and on marine based approaches for mitigation through “blue carbon.”
John N. (“Jack”) Kittinger, Ph.D.
Vice President, Global Fisheries and Aquaculture program
As the Vice President, Global Fisheries and Aquaculture program in Conservation International's Center for Oceans, Dr. Kittinger works to ensure a healthy ocean provides benefits to coastal communities.
Director, Marine Program, Conservation International-Brazil
Guilherme Dutra leads a series of initiatives to support the implementation and expansion of the Marine Protected Areas network in the Abrolhos region and other parts of Brazil. Dutra has coordinated efforts to increase the knowledge and recognition of the importance the Abrolhos coral reefs, as well as developing management solutions that influence marine conservation in the country.
Vice President, Oceans, Americas Field Division
Dr. Marco Quesada Alpizar specializes in marine conservation, marine policy, and fisheries policy and management. Marco has been involved in the creation of Costa Rica’s largest marine protected area through the Costa Rica program, as well as designing and implementing policies for Costa Rica’s National Maritime Enforcement Strategy.
