Earlier this summer, my daughter and I walked along the shores of Sitka, Alaska, to pick up plastic pollution with 35 other volunteers. We scanned the beach together with a single goal: to make a place we care about cleaner and safer for people and marine …
In early September, the House Committee on Appropriations passed its proposed budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as part of the larger Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies bill. The bill would be enormously …
It’s one of the best weeks of the year: Shark Week. As our finned friends get a lot of extra attention this week, I am reflecting on my love of sharks and the threats they’re facing. In fact, before I was an ocean plastics guy, I was a shark guy. And sadly …
This blog was written by Hannah De Frond. Hannah works with Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto Trash Team to manage the International Trash Trap Network (ITTN), a global network of local groups using trash traps to increase cleanup efforts, …
The administration released details earlier this month for the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) and what it would mean for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Unfortunately, if passed as-is, the proposed federal budget …
With Plastic Free July just around the corner, now is the perfect time to reflect on the progress we’ve seen across the United States in the fight against plastic pollution. While plastic pollution continues to flow into our ocean with a garbage truck’s …
The Sea and the Butterfly by Kim Kirim No one told him about the water’s depth. The white butterfly did not know how to fear the sea. Thinking it to be a field of blue radish leaves, he floated down. Young wings ended up pickled in the waves, Then he …
Offshore oil drilling is a dirty, risky endeavor. The Deepwater Horizon disaster is perhaps the most dramatic example of how offshore drilling can go wrong. Fifteen years ago this month, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded approximately 40 miles off …
The Indo-Pacific region has long been renowned for its abundant and biodiverse ecosystems. The waters of this part of the world provide a particularly ideal environment for many sharks, with more than 200 of an estimated 500 known species documented as …
Imagine yourself snorkeling through a lush kelp forest off the coast of Southern California. Sunlight filters through the dense canopy of the forest, casting shimmering patterns on the rocky seafloor below. The underwater world appears peaceful and still— …
Barbara ‘Wáahlaal Gidaak Blake is the Vice President for Ocean Conservancy, leading the Arctic & Northern Waters Program. A dedicated advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental stewardship, she has an extensive background in Alaska Native policy …
The United States has long recognized the link between our ocean and our economy. For nearly 50 years, bipartisan congressional leadership has designed and built a world-class science and management system with the goal of conserving our living marine …
I recently represented Ocean Conservancy at the National Working Waterfronts Network Conference in San Diego. The conference brought together maritime industry leaders, policymakers and community advocates, all working toward a shared vision for the future …
This blog was written by Hannah De Frond. Hannah works with Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto Trash Team to manage the International Trash Trap Network (ITTN), a global network of local groups using trash traps to increase cleanup efforts, …
On the first day of his second administration, January 20, 2025, President Trump undertook a flurry of executive actions, many of which jeopardize a healthy ocean and the health of the people and wildlife that rely on it. Presidents can direct the work of …
Over the past few years, misinformation about climate change and our ocean has been spreading across news and social media, and many believe it will only get worse. In my work towards ocean climate solutions, I have seen how misinformation can delay …
This blog was written by Hannah De Frond. Hannah works with Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto Trash Team to manage the International Trash Trap Network (ITTN), a global network of local groups using trash traps to increase cleanup efforts, …
This year, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree traveled for more than three weeks across 4,000 miles from the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska for display on the Capitol’s West Lawn in Washington D.C. The 80-foot Sitka spruce, nicknamed “Spruce …
Critical minerals are key components of clean-energy technologies, which are essential to replacing fossil fuels and stabilizing the climate. At present, the United States is highly dependent on critical minerals to support a growing electric vehicle …
This blog was written by Kassidy Troxell, Ph.D., a Research Assistant Professor at Florida international University’s Institute of Environment, and collaborator with Ocean Conservancy on our work to promote healthy Florida aquatic ecosystems. Dr. Troxell …
