Things might look a little different around here... Welcome to Conservation International’s new digital presence.

Oceans

There would be no life
on earth without the ocean.

Oceans generate the oxygen we breathe, nourish billions of people, cool down the atmosphere and add trillions of dollars to the global economy. But overfishing, pollution and climate change have pushed our oceans to the brink. We must begin repairing the damage.

Marine Protected Areas

We help establish and finance large-scale marine protected areas. We are a founding member of the Blue Nature Alliance, a nonprofit consortium that oversees 160+ conservation projects across 23.4 million square kilometers of ocean.

Coastal Conservation

We protect and restore near-shore ecosystems, particularly mangroves. These forests remove vast amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, protect coastal communities from flooding, and supply food and livelihoods for millions of people around the world.

Responsible Seafood

We integrate the principles of conservation into the seafood industry, which employs 600 million people and provides protein for 3 billion people. Our strategies can reduce the environmental impact of fishing without compromising the global food supply.

As a founding member of the Blue Nature Alliance, we are accelerating large-scale ocean conservation worldwide by expanding and strengthening Marine Protected Areas. Since 2020, our partnerships have brought 3,540,000 km² of ocean under new or expanded protection, safeguarding critical marine ecosystems and ensuring thriving oceans for people and wildlife alike.

Protecting the ocean

The Blue Nature Alliance supports projects focused on the creation, expansion or improved management of ocean conservation areas — from coastal ecosystems to broader open ocean areas — to help the world achieve 30 percent ocean conservation by 2030.

Be the First to Know

Join Our Community

We'd love to share stories from the field, our latest scientific breakthroughs and other special messages from our team. By subscribing, you agree to our terms of service.

Square kilometers of ocean protected since 20191.1 million

A Closer Look

We work in more than 100 countries, putting science into practice, bringing big ideas to life and securing the ocean's bounties for future generations. Check out these clips from the front lines of blue conservation.

In Mexico, we are tackling one of the ocean’s silent threats: ghost nets. We provide training and support to the Sirenas de Mexico – women from fishing communities who are removing ghost nets and restoring marine habitats. By building local capacity, we are helping communities protect coastlines and marine life.

Mangroves are carbon-storing superstars, but once lost, they are difficult to restore. In Costa Rica’s Gulf of Nicoya, we are leading efforts to rehabilitate these critical mangrove ecosystems, sequestering carbon, protecting biodiversity, and supporting coastal communities. By doing so, we are strengthening coastal resilience and safeguarding marine habitats.

Around the world, surf breaks overlap with vital ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds. Across Indonesia, Fiji, Costa Rica, Peru, and Brazil, we protect these coastal habitats through Surf Protected Areas, supporting local livelihoods and empowering communities to safeguard both waves and marine ecosystems.

Voices from Field

Hear Ashleigh McGovern share her perspective on the oceans’ essential role in our lives. Recounting her time among thriving mangroves, she uncovers the carbon-rich soil beneath and highlights how we work tirelessly to protect vast oceans and coastal ecosystems. Her message is clear: hope is found in action.

--:--

Ashleigh McGovern, Senior Vice President, Conservation International Center for Oceans
Ashleigh McGovern, Senior Vice President, Conservation International Center for Oceans

Let’s write the future together

I donated because we get life from the ocean, and if we want to keep living, we must honor, support and keep our ocean pristine for marine life.”

Elise, Texas, USA, donor

Every gift — no matter the amount — makes a difference for nature, climate, and communities. We can't do this work without grassroots supporters: Your contribution will help us incubate big ideas, seize urgent opportunities, and adapt to new challenges.

Our ocean is one-of-a-kind.
Together, we can protect ourBLUE PLANET

Invest in nature

Every private donation helps unlock additional funding from governments, foundations, companies and other global institutions. We can multiply your impact by up to 300%.

The Current

The Current is a growing community of monthly donors, providing the steady support we need to plan ahead and provide support to our field teams.

The Emerald Circle

The Emerald Circle is a community of major donors who help us stay nimble and seize exciting new opportunities.

The Azure Circle

The Azure Circle is the engine behind some of the world's most remarkable conservation efforts.

Multiply Your Impact

Now viewing: One-time donation

One-time donation

Your gift funds urgent conservation work, helping us move quickly to protect the places that need it most.

Monthly recurring gift

Our community of monthly givers provides the steady support we need to plan ahead and deliver lasting conservation impact.

Giving Circles

Each year, our most engaged donors help power large-scale, long-term conservation efforts around the world.

Corporate partners

Help make business part of the solution - funding nature projects and better ways of doing business.

Grantmakers and Foundations

Support big-picture change - like national policies, climate plans and global partnerships.

Latest oceans news