OceansWatch

Description

OceansWatch is an international not-for-profit that works with sailors, divers and scientists to help Pacific Island communities protect their marine and coastal environments.

It was established in 2007 and was registered as a New Zealand charitable trust in 2008, later gaining non-profit status in the United States. It assists small island nations with marine and terrestrial ecosystem management, sustainable livelihood projects, environmental education and building resilience to climate change. It only works with communities that request its support, and does what those communities ask.

Its activities include establishing and monitoring marine protected areas, training local communities, and supporting sustainable income sources such as coconut oil and local arts. It has also helped with school access, solar power projects, and protecting forests. A current project, the Sikaiana Community Development Initiative, works on coastal protection, food security and community resilience in the face of climate change.

Members and volunteers, including yacht owners who host projects and visiting volunteers, carry out much of the organisation’s work. It has run expedition projects in the Pacific and Atlantic focused on environmental and humanitarian issues in rural coastal communities.