Founded in 2001, Oceana is the largest international organization focused 100 percent on ocean conservation. We win policy changes by conducting focused, strategic campaigns based upon sound science. Our campaigns are designed to achieve identifiable policy changes and results in a relatively short timeframe (roughly 3-5 years). Our teams of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates can be found around the globe, with regional offices in North America, South America, and Europe.

Large-scale industrial fishing takes too much ocean wildlife from the water and destroys critical ocean habitat; land-based industries, meanwhile, put too many pollutants back in and the laws meant to check this destruction and degradation are ignored or selectively enforced. The result: declining fisheries, destruction of marine habitat, pollution of coastal waters, and poisoning of seafood are threatening the Earth''s largest and most important natural system, as well as nearly one billion people around the globe who depend on the sea for livelihood and sustenance.

With the help of nearly 300,000 WaveMakers worldwide we have begun to turn the tide on ocean destruction. Since our inception we have had tremendous victories including protecting more than one million square miles of ocean habitat from destructive bottom trawling. To get involved in the fight to save our oceans, visit oceana.org.

Oceana conducts programs that deal directly with fisheries subsidies, global climate change, offshore drilling, destructive trawling, bycatch, seafood contamination and aquaculture. Oceana has also sought specific protections for sea turtles and sharks. In 2006, Oceana spent nearly $8.4 million on direct program expenses.

Founded in 2001, Oceana is the world’s preeminent non-profit organization that advocates solely for the preservation of our oceans. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., our outreach spans the globe. Our team of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates win definitive and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and to prevent the irreversible collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life. More than 300,000 members and E-activists in over 150 countries have already joined Oceana.

To the naked eye, our oceans are beautiful. However, a 2006 report in the journal Science tells us that 29 percent of our fisheries have already collapsed. In addition, the scientists’ projection of current trends shows all of the world's current fisheries collapsing by 2048. But we can keep this projection from coming true — we can change how we manage them. Indeed, we really have less than 40 years to act — if we fail to act in the next two decades, we could see the trends become irreversible.

Oceans cover 71 percent of the globe and its creatures provide a major source of protein for one billion people. Pollution, habitat degradation, overfishing and global warming are threatening this wonderful resource. At risk is not just a food supply, but also a wealth of magnificent species, a refuge for millions of sailors, divers and travelers - and the prime controller of our climate.

Oceana is the largest international group focused solely on ocean conservation. Our worldwide team of scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates work together with governments, corporations and fishermen around the world to create and enforce laws and policies that will help restore the health of our oceans. We need your help.

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