The Ocean Foundation

Last updated
The Ocean Foundation
Formation2002
FounderWolcott Henry
Type Non-profit environmental organization
71-0863908
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
President
Mark J. Spalding
Website https://oceanfdn.org/

The Ocean Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation, based in Washington, D.C. and established in 2002. [1] Its mission is "to support, strengthen, and promote those organizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world." [2]

Contents

About and history

The Ocean Foundation was founded by underwater photographer Wolcott Henry. [3] It began as the Coral Reef Foundation with "a group of like-minded coral conservation experts, venture capitalists and philanthropy colleagues...providing both expert advice about conservation projects and easy mechanisms for giving". [4] The Coral Reef Foundation then changed its mission in 2003 to support all ocean conservation efforts, and was renamed The Ocean Foundation. [5] 2022 marked The Ocean Foundation's 20th year in business. [6]

Under the community foundation model, The Ocean Foundation hosts donor-advised funds, pooled funds, and funders collaboratives as a grantmaking facility, [7] and receives grants through donors and corporations. [8] The Ocean Foundation partners with corporations and organizations for proceeds-of-sale [9] and ocean and marine initiatives, and holds a Fiscal Sponsorship Program for ocean and marine-related projects. [10] The organization also provides counseling services. [11]

Focus areas

Four initiatives have been launched at The Ocean Foundation to "fill gaps in conservation work" [12]

Fiscal sponsorship program

The Ocean Foundation hosts fiscally sponsored projects using themes such as ocean literacy, species protection, habitat conservation, and capacity building. [30]

A few hosted projects include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishery</span> Raising or harvesting fish

Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life or, more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place. Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both in freshwater waterbodies and the oceans. About 500 million people worldwide are economically dependent on fisheries. 171 million tonnes of fish were produced in 2016, but overfishing is an increasing problem, causing declines in some populations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine pollution</span> Pollution of oceans from substances discarded by humans

Marine pollution occurs when substances used or spread by humans, such as industrial, agricultural and residential waste, particles, noise, excess carbon dioxide or invasive organisms enter the ocean and cause harmful effects there. The majority of this waste (80%) comes from land-based activity, although marine transportation significantly contributes as well. It is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean. This pollution results in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic structures worldwide. Since most inputs come from land, either via the rivers, sewage or the atmosphere, it means that continental shelves are more vulnerable to pollution. Air pollution is also a contributing factor by carrying off iron, carbonic acid, nitrogen, silicon, sulfur, pesticides or dust particles into the ocean. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff, wind-blown debris, and dust. These nonpoint sources are largely due to runoff that enters the ocean through rivers, but wind-blown debris and dust can also play a role, as these pollutants can settle into waterways and oceans. Pathways of pollution include direct discharge, land runoff, ship pollution, bilge pollution, atmospheric pollution and, potentially, deep sea mining.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine conservation</span> Protection and preservation of saltwater ecosystems

Marine conservation, also known as ocean conservation, is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas through planned management in order to prevent the over-exploitation of these marine resources. Marine conservation is informed by the study of marine plants and animal resources and ecosystem functions and is driven by response to the manifested negative effects seen in the environment such as species loss, habitat degradation and changes in ecosystem functions and focuses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, restoring damaged marine ecosystems, and preserving vulnerable species and ecosystems of the marine life. Marine conservation is a relatively new discipline which has developed as a response to biological issues such as extinction and marine habitats change.

PADI AWARE Foundation is an environmental nonprofit organization with three registered charities in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. Their mission is to drive local initiatives contributing to global ocean conservation efforts, through engagement with the international community of professional and recreational scuba divers via the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine ecosystem</span> Ecosystem in saltwater environment

Marine ecosystems are the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems and exist in waters that have a high salt content. These systems contrast with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover more than 70% of the surface of the Earth and account for more than 97% of Earth's water supply and 90% of habitable space on Earth. Seawater has an average salinity of 35 parts per thousand of water. Actual salinity varies among different marine ecosystems. Marine ecosystems can be divided into many zones depending upon water depth and shoreline features. The oceanic zone is the vast open part of the ocean where animals such as whales, sharks, and tuna live. The benthic zone consists of substrates below water where many invertebrates live. The intertidal zone is the area between high and low tides. Other near-shore (neritic) zones can include mudflats, seagrass meadows, mangroves, rocky intertidal systems, salt marshes, coral reefs, lagoons. In the deep water, hydrothermal vents may occur where chemosynthetic sulfur bacteria form the base of the food web.

Oceana, inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ocean conservation organization focused on influencing specific policy decisions on the national level to preserve and restore the world's oceans. It is headquartered in Washington D.C., with offices in Juneau, Monterey, Fort Lauderdale, New York, Portland, Toronto, Mexico City, Madrid, Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, London, Manila, Belmopan, Brasilia, Santiago, and Lima, and it is the largest international advocacy group dedicated entirely to ocean conservation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean Conservancy</span> Nonprofit environmental advocacy group

Ocean Conservancy is a nonprofit environmental advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States. The organization seeks to promote healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems, prevent marine pollution, climate change and advocates against practices that threaten oceanic and human life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild fisheries</span> Area containing fish that are harvested commercially

A wild fishery is a natural body of water with a sizeable free-ranging fish or other aquatic animal population that can be harvested for its commercial value. Wild fisheries can be marine (saltwater) or lacustrine/riverine (freshwater), and rely heavily on the carrying capacity of the local aquatic ecosystem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean</span> Body of salt water covering the majority of Earth

The ocean is the body of salt water that covers ~70.8% of the Earth. In English, the term ocean also refers to any of the large bodies of water into which the world ocean is conventionally divided. Distinct names are used to identify five different areas of the ocean: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic/Southern, and Arctic. The ocean contains 97% of Earth's water and is the primary component of the Earth's hydrosphere, thus the ocean is essential to life on Earth. The ocean influences climate and weather patterns, the carbon cycle, and the water cycle by acting as a huge heat reservoir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coral Triangle</span> Ecoregion of Asia

The Coral Triangle (CT) is a roughly triangular area in the tropical waters around the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. This area contains at least 500 species of reef-building corals in each ecoregion. The Coral Triangle is located between the Pacific and Indian oceans and encompasses portions of two biogeographic regions: the Indonesian-Philippines Region, and the Far Southwestern Pacific Region. As one of eight major coral reef zones in the world, the Coral Triangle is recognized as a global centre of marine biodiversity and a global priority for conservation. Its biological resources make it a global hotspot of marine biodiversity. Known as the "Amazon of the seas", it covers 5.7 million square kilometres (2,200,000 sq mi) of ocean waters. It contains more than 76% of the world's shallow-water reef-building coral species, 37% of its reef fish species, 50% of its razor clam species, six out of seven of the world's sea turtle species, and the world's largest mangrove forest. In 2014, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) reported that the gross domestic product of the marine ecosystem in the Coral Triangle is roughly $1.2 trillion per year and provides food to over 120 million people. According to the Coral Triangle Knowledge Network, the region annually brings in about $3 billion in foreign exchange income from fisheries exports, and another $3 billion from coastal tourism revenues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change and fisheries</span>

Fisheries are affected by climate change in many ways: marine aquatic ecosystems are being affected by rising ocean temperatures, ocean acidification and ocean deoxygenation, while freshwater ecosystems are being impacted by changes in water temperature, water flow, and fish habitat loss. These effects vary in the context of each fishery. Climate change is modifying fish distributions and the productivity of marine and freshwater species. Climate change is expected to lead to significant changes in the availability and trade of fish products. The geopolitical and economic consequences will be significant, especially for the countries most dependent on the sector. The biggest decreases in maximum catch potential can be expected in the tropics, mostly in the South Pacific regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental issues with coral reefs</span> Factors which adversely affect tropical coral reefs

Human activities have substantial impact on coral reefs, contributing to their worldwide decline.[1] Damaging activities encompass coral mining, pollution, overfishing, blast fishing, as well as the excavation of canals and access points to islands and bays. Additional threats comprise disease, destructive fishing practices, and the warming of oceans.[2] Furthermore, the ocean's function as a carbon dioxide sink, alterations in the atmosphere, ultraviolet light, ocean acidification, viral infections, the repercussions of dust storms transporting agents to distant reefs, pollutants, and algal blooms represent some of the factors exerting influence on coral reefs. Importantly, the jeopardy faced by coral reefs extends far beyond coastal regions. The ramifications of climate change, notably global warming, induce an elevation in ocean temperatures that triggers coral bleaching—a potentially lethal phenomenon for coral ecosystems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic pollution</span> Accumulation of plastic in natural ecosystems

Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat. Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized by size into micro-, meso-, or macro debris. Plastics are inexpensive and durable, making them very adaptable for different uses; as a result, manufacturers choose to use plastic over other materials. However, the chemical structure of most plastics renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation and as a result they are slow to degrade. Together, these two factors allow large volumes of plastic to enter the environment as mismanaged waste which persists in the ecosystem and travels throughout food webs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue economy</span> Economy based on exploitation and preservation of the marine environment

Blue economy is a term in economics relating to the exploitation, preservation and regeneration of the marine environment. Its scope of interpretation varies among organizations. However, the term is generally used in the scope of international development when describing a sustainable development approach to coastal resources. This can include a wide range of economic sectors, from the more conventional fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, coastal, marine and maritime tourism, or other traditional uses, to more emergent activities such as coastal renewable energy, marine ecosystem services, seabed mining, and bioprospecting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate change in Puerto Rico</span> Climate change in the US territory of Puerto Rico

Climate change has had large impacts on the ecosystems and landscapes of the US territory Puerto Rico. According to a 2019 report by Germanwatch, Puerto Rico is the most affected by climate change. The territory's energy consumption is mainly derived from imported fossil fuels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human impact on marine life</span>

Human activities affect marine life and marine habitats through overfishing, habitat loss, the introduction of invasive species, ocean pollution, ocean acidification and ocean warming. These impact marine ecosystems and food webs and may result in consequences as yet unrecognised for the biodiversity and continuation of marine life forms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 14</span> 14th of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to conserve life below water

Sustainable Development Goal 14 is about "Life below water" and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording is to "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development". The Goal has ten targets to be achieved by 2030. Progress towards each target is being measured with one indicator each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea rewilding</span> Environmental conservation activity

Sea rewilding is an area of environmental conservation activity which focuses on rewilding, restoring ocean life and returning seas to a more natural state. Sea rewilding projects operate around the world, working to repopulate a wide range of organisms, including giant clams, sharks, skates, sea sturgeons, and many other species. Rewilding marine and coastal ecosystems offer potential ways to mitigate climate change and sequester carbon. Sea rewilding projects are currently less common than those focusing on rewilding land, and seas are under increasing stress from the blue economy – commercial activities which further stress the marine environment. Rewilding projects held near costal communities can economically benefit local businesses as well as individuals and communities a whole.

Marine restoration involves actions taken to restore the marine environment to its state prior to anthropogenic damage. This is particularly disastrous given that the ocean takes up the largest part of our planet and serves as the home to many organisms, including the algae that provides most. The ocean is currently suffering from the impacts of human damage including pollution, acidification, species loss, and more. This could prove particularly catastrophic given that the ocean takes up the largest part of the planet and serves as the home to many organisms, including the algae that provides around half of the oxygen on Earth. Efforts have been made by various agencies to help alleviate these issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic pollution in the Mediterranean sea</span>

The Mediterranean Sea has been defined as one of the seas most affected by marine plastic pollution.

References

  1. ↑ "Charity Navigator - Rating for The Ocean Foundation". www.charitynavigator.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  2. ↑ "Ocean Foundation - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  3. ↑ "Philanthropic 50: Wolcott Henry". Washington Life Magazine. 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  4. ↑ "The Ocean Foundation (TOF)". Union of International Associations. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  5. ↑ "Our Visa Card Will Be Made From Ocean-Bound Plastic. Here's Why". Unifimoney. 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  6. ↑ Smith, Mike (2022-12-22). "Ocean plastic pollution gets senate hearing". Coastal Point. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  7. ↑ "The Ocean Foundation discusses why we need to protect our oceans". Innovation News Network. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  8. ↑ Foster, Brooke (2008-04-01). "Green Power: 30 People Changing the Environment in Washington". Washingtonian. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  9. ↑ Wolfe, Maria Hunt, Alyssa Lapid, Lauren Joseph, Isiah Magsino and Rachel. "For Home and Interior Design, Holiday Gift Ideas That Solve Problems Affordably—and Prettily". WSJ. Retrieved 2023-03-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "The Ocean Foundation | Fiscal Sponsor Directory". FiscalSponsorshipDirectory.org. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  11. ↑ "Ocean Foundation/The - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  12. ↑ "Ocean Conservation Initiatives". The Ocean Foundation. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  13. ↑ Quah, Michelle (2022-10-10). "Cutting carbon: Benefits must flow to communities, not just businesses, panellists say". The Business Times. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Blue carbon will be the next frontier of carbon crediting | Greenbiz". www.greenbiz.com. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  15. ↑ Fromm, Jeff. "A Sustainable Partnership: Philadelphia Eagles And The Ocean Conservancy Score A Win-Win For The Planet". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  16. ↑ "The Ocean Foundation's Blue Resilience Initiative (BRI) commits to investing US $8M over three years (2022-25) to support coastal habitat restoration, conservation, and agroforestry in the Wider Caribbean Region | Department of Economic and Social Affairs". sdgs.un.org. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  17. ↑ "ECO ECO SI Rising Sea 2021 Page 8". digital.ecomagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  18. ↑ "12 blue carbon mangrove projects to watch". thefishsite.com. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  19. ↑ Climático, Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio. "Adaptación Basada en Ecosistemas Costeros, cuenca baja del municipio de Tuxpan, Veracruz y Celestún, Yucatán". gob.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  20. ↑ "Deep Dive into Blue Bonds with Mark Spalding". Amazon Music. PGIM Fixed Income. 2022-07-26. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  21. ↑ "Restauran el cayo "Matita redonda" en Salinas". Telemundo Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  22. ↑ Day, World Ocean. "ANNOUNCEMENT: Introducing the Community Ocean Engagement Global Initiative". World Ocean Day. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  23. ↑ Lowder, Kaitlyn (2023). "Career profiles—Options and insights". Oceanography. 36 (1): 79–80. doi: 10.5670/oceanog.2023.109 .
  24. ↑ L, VanderZwaag, David; Nilüfer, Oral; Tim, Stephens (2021-10-19). Research Handbook on Ocean Acidification Law and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN   978-1-78990-014-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ↑ Dobson, K L; Newton, J A; Widdicombe, S; Schoo, K L; Acquafredda, M P; Kitch, G; Bantelman, A; Lowder, K; Valauri-Orton, A; Soapi, K; Azetsu-Scott, K; Isensee, K (March 2023). "Ocean acidification research for sustainability: co-designing global action on local scales". ICES Journal of Marine Science. 80 (2): 362–366. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsac158 – via Oxford Academic.
  26. ↑ Belén, Suheily López, ¿Cómo nos afecta la acidificación de los océanos en Puerto Rico? (in Spanish), retrieved 2023-04-18
  27. ↑ "Beauty Accelerate Recommits to The Ocean Foundation's Redesigning Plastics Initiative". Cosmetics & Toiletries. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  28. ↑ "The Global Plastics Treaty is a Go – Now What?". Waste360. 2022-08-16. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  29. ↑ Boudreau, Catherine. "Norway and Rwanda are leading a coalition working to eliminate plastic pollution. The US isn't a part — for now". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  30. ↑ "Ocean Foundation". Terra Viva Grants. 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  31. ↑ "International Fisheries Conservation Program". The Ocean Foundation. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  32. ↑ Leschin-Hoar, Clare (October 4, 2019). "We're Pulling Tuna Out Of The Ocean At Unprecedented — And Unsustainable — Rates". NPR.org.
  33. ↑ "Fisheries Managers Should Promote Solutions That Ease Debates Over Harvest Limits". pew.org. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  34. ↑ "2019 Go Blue Awards - Blue Ambassador - Loggerhead Marinelife Center" . Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  35. ↑ "About". SEVENSEAS Media. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  36. ↑ "About shark Advocates International | SAI". sharkadvocates.org. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  37. ↑ "Extinction: 'Time is running out' to save sharks and rays". BBC News. 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
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