Ocean Conservancy, which was originally called The Delta Corporation, is a nonprofit organization that works to support causes in Washington, D.C., United States. The group aims to help keep oceans healthy and full of different life, stop pollution in the ocean, fight climate change, and work against activities that harm the ocean and people.

History

The Ocean Conservancy was created in 1972 by Bill Kardash as the Delta Organization. It began by opposing commercial whaling and started its first project in 1978. This project, called the Whale Protection Fund, gathered 500,000 signed petitions and shared them at the International Whaling Commission’s meeting in London.

In 1975, the group changed its name to the Center for Environmental Education (CEE). This shift focused on teaching people about environmental and marine life issues. The organization worked to create laws that would protect ocean health and prevent dangers to ocean and human life.

During the 1980s, the CEE expanded its goals to include protecting ocean wildlife. This happened around the same time as a major event in 1982, when the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling. Inspired by this, the CEE began supporting the protection of many marine species and their homes. To help its mission, the CEE started the Marine Sanctuary Program in 1986 and held the first International Coastal Cleanup in 1986. This effort aimed to push for the creation of protected areas to save important marine ecosystems.

In 1989, the CEE became the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) and focused on issues like overfishing, pollution, habitat loss, and harmful coastal development. In 2001, the organization was officially named the Ocean Conservancy. Its main goal was to help American fisheries become sustainable and protect wildlife from harm caused by humans.

With the help of more than 17 million volunteers and workers, the organization has started new projects and goals. These include supporting strong ocean laws, doing scientific research, working with others, and helping communities protect and restore the health of oceans and coastal areas.

Name changes:
• Delta Corporation (1972–1975)
• Center for Environmental Education (CEE) (1975–1989)
• Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) (1989–2001)
• Ocean Conservancy (2001–present)

Initiatives

In 1996, the Ocean Conservancy helped change a law passed by Congress called the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This law is still the main rule for managing fisheries in the United States. Before 1996, the law did not include rules to stop overfishing or require rebuilding fish populations. It also did not ban bycatch, which is when fish and other animals are caught accidentally by fishing equipment. Additionally, there were no rules to protect fish habitats. The Ocean Conservancy worked to close these gaps and create better fishing practices.

The Ocean Conservancy focuses on protecting marine mammals and their homes. In 1979, the organization started the Seal Rescue Fund to stop the use of seals for commercial purposes. Its work helped the International Whaling Commission pass a rule in 1982 to stop commercial whaling worldwide. In 1984, the organization worked to stop a U.S. plan to hunt fur seals in the Pribilof Islands by blocking the renewal of a treaty. It also helped protect dolphins from harm caused by the tuna industry and supported the creation of a program that labels tuna as "dolphin-safe."

The Ocean Conservancy’s efforts to save sea turtles from being caught accidentally in fishing nets led to rules requiring the use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in shrimp fishing gear. These devices help save thousands of turtles each year. The organization’s Sea Turtle Rescue Fund encouraged shrimp fishermen to take action to prevent turtles from drowning in their nets.

The Ocean Conservancy helped stop plans to restart trade in products made from sea turtles and ended Japan’s import of hawksbill sea turtle shells.

One of the organization’s goals is to organize ocean cleanups where volunteers remove trash from local waters. Its largest event is the International Coastal Cleanup, where people in over 150 countries work together to clean beaches and oceans. This event began in 1986 when Linda Maraniss and Kathy O'Hara organized a local cleanup.

Since the first cleanup, more than 17 million volunteers have collected over 300 million pounds of trash from oceans. Scientists have found that about 8 million metric tons of plastic enter oceans each year, which led to the expansion of the International Coastal Cleanup. To track trash collected, the organization created an app called Clean Swell in 2015. Users can take photos of trash and send the information to Ocean Conservancy’s global database. This data is shared freely, such as for studying plastic waste in different countries. A new goal aims to stop all new plastic from entering oceans by 2030.

• International Coastal Cleanup on the beaches of Hawaii, 2005
• Cleanup group returns from Morro Bay, 2009
• Group of volunteers cleaning up beaches, 2010
• Barking Sands, Hawaii cleanup, 2011
• Marine debris removed during a cleanup, 2012
• Anacostia River cleanup in Washington, D.C., 2012

Partnerships

Over the years, the number of ships traveling to the northern Arctic region has increased greatly because the ice is melting and shipping routes are free of ice for longer periods each year. This increase in ship traffic raises the risk of oil spills. The Alaska Chadux̂ Network (ACN) has worked continuously to develop and improve methods to reduce the chance of marine oil spills. To protect the marine wildlife living in this untouched marine and coastal environment from a possible oil spill, Ocean Conservancy, ACN, and the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) have created a program to respond to oil spills affecting marine mammals, such as sea otters, seals, and sea lions, in Western Alaska, the U.S. Arctic, and Prince William Sound. The agreement includes funding from ACN, an Alaska-based oil spill response organization, to help ASLC improve protocols for caring for oiled marine mammals and obtain specialized tools. The program also includes training and practice opportunities with ACN responders, including local community partners, and support for remote ASLC veterinarians and technicians during oil spill responses.

In addition to its partnership with the Alaska SeaLife Center, ACN has a long-term partnership with International Bird Rescue (IBR). IBR helped ACN design a special trailer for quickly transporting and caring for injured birds and small mammals. Like ASLC, IBR also provides trained bird care workers and equipment to help rehabilitate oiled wildlife.

Ocean Conservancy is working to restore coral reefs through coral tree nurseries and research as part of a plan with NOAA. Coral is affected by changes in water temperature and quality caused by global warming, which often lead to reef disease and death. The organization shares information about the challenges facing coral reefs and other marine ecosystems through its website and magazine. A team of senior scientists and policy experts encourages lawmakers to support policies that reduce harm from activities like using carbon-based fuels.

The Trash Free Seas Alliance was created by Ocean Conservancy in 2012, with the involvement of major companies such as The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, and Amcor, as well as non-profit groups like the World Wildlife Fund and the Project AWARE Foundation. The alliance’s main goal is to reduce ocean trash through research, policy changes, and public education. The alliance focuses on identifying the causes and effects of marine debris, creating solutions, and promoting policies to reduce plastic waste and prevent it from entering the ocean.

In 1988, a database about marine debris was created and split between two main offices in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. The goal was to provide important information about marine plastics to scientists, policymakers, teachers, students, and the public. Because of this alliance, the California Marine Debris Action Plan has been in place since 1994, offering a complete strategy to address marine debris. The Oceans Act was also passed by President Clinton in 2000, creating an Oceans Commission to review and update policies related to ocean and coastal protection.

Legislative victories

• In 1996, Congress revised the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
• In 2020, federal legislation passed, the Save Our Seas Act 2.0, which provides funding to help prevent marine debris through partnerships with NOAA.
• In June 2022, California passed SB54, also known as the Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act. This law reduced the use of single-use plastic by 25%.

Notable achievements

• In 2020, the organization became the first national ocean partner for a Super Bowl, which led to the removal of 2.7 million single-use plastic cups (replaced with aluminum cups that can be reused).
• In 2022, Ocean Conservancy joined global representatives at COP27 to promise to work together again to reduce global warming and changes in the Earth's climate.
• As of May 2023, Ocean Conservancy has removed over 341 million pounds of trash from the oceans.

Awards

• Received the highest level of transparency award from GuideStar.
• Earned the highest rating among environmental non-profits by Charity Navigator in 2021.

Criticism

In 2015, more than 200 environmental leaders and groups sent an open letter and a detailed criticism of the Ocean Conservancy's "Stemming the Tide" report, which was also released in 2015. The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) pointed out that the report supported burning plastic waste, which can lead to harmful effects. The letter also mentioned the possible negative impact on Asian cities where waste might be stored and noted that the report did not challenge the need for plastics.

In July 2022, the Ocean Conservancy officially apologized. They admitted they did not properly address the causes of plastic waste, did not consider how waste affects communities, and did not support efforts to create a circular economy.