As we approach the close of 2023, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our dedicated donors, enthusiastic travelers, and invaluable partners who have helped advance our work to deepen the connections between people and nature to build a more oceanic society.
Your support enabled us to achieve remarkable milestones in 2023. From combating plastic pollution and safeguarding sea turtles to studying whales and improving access to ocean experiences in San Francisco, together we have left a lasting impact on the health of our oceans.
As the end of the year approaches, we invite you to make a tax-deductible donation to sustain our critical ocean conservation programs in 2024 and beyond. Your generosity has the power to amplify the positive impact we can make together. And, thanks to the generosity of three of our long-time supporters, your donations will be matched 1:1 through December 31, 2023. Your end-of-year donation will go directly toward our ocean conservation programs.
Improving Access to Ocean Experiences
Our Critter Scholars Program provides free educational ocean experiences to students from underserved communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.
7 free educational cruises provided for 244 students
79% of students experienced the ocean from a boat for the first time
99% of students learned something new about the ocean and marine science
100% of participating teachers reported high satisfaction
100% of students made pledges to support environmental conservation in their communities
We provided 7 free educational cruises for 244 students through our Critter Scholars Program
The Critter Scholars Program was established in honor of Captain Roger Thomas, and borrows one of his famous catch phrases, ‘critters’, which he used to describe all the fantastic ocean wildlife we see on our trips. Through the program, we provide free boat trips to student groups that otherwise would not have the means to participate in such an activity, combined with educational programming that seamlessly integrates those experiences into educators’ curricula in new and engaging ways. In 2023, we led 7 boat cruises on the San Francisco bay for 244 students. For 79 percent of participants, this was their first time experiencing the ocean from a boat. We are excited to continue this program in 2024 with several more trips already funded and planned.
Sea Turtle Conservation
We support and strengthen local sea turtle conservation programs worldwide, because sea turtles are powerful flagships for ocean conservation.
SWOT Report vol. 18 published an distributed
18 grants awarded in 9 countries
321 satellite-tracked turtles mapped
$18,000 provided in small grant support
988 leatherback nesting sites mapped
48 new and improved regional management units developed and published
We published SWOT Report, vol. 18 including a multi-part feature on leatherback turtles with all new maps of nesting and satellite telemetry.. © Bryan Skerry
Our State of the World’s Sea Turtles (SWOT) Program is a global effort to study and protect sea turtles and their habitats, and to leverage the amazing charisma of sea turtles to drive ocean conservation action. In 2023 we published the 18th volume of the award-winning State of the World’s Sea Turtles Report and provided more than 2,000 copies to research and conservation programs worldwide. Within the report, we produced a special feature on leatherback turtles with all new maps of leatherback nesting and migration data, plus a range of articles about important sea turtle conservation topics.
In addition, the SWOT program provides small grants to field-based partners worldwide to accomplish high-priority research and conservation goals. We awarded 18 small grants this year. To date, 141 grants have been awarded to 116 applicants in more than 56 countries and territories.
Behavior Change for Ocean Conservation
We’re using cutting edge behavioral science to go beyond simply ‘raising awareness’ to motivate and sustain ocean-friendly behaviors that positively impact ocean health.
16+ million people reached online
$35,500 provided in grants to partners
50+ coastal cleanups facilitated
4,070 volunteers engaged
50 tons of marine debris removed from the environment
Through our Global Ocean Cleanup we facilitated more than 50 coastal cleanups and provided $35,500 in grants to partners. Together with more than 4,000 volunteers we removed 50 tons of marine debris from sensitive ocean habitats. © WasteHub
In 2023, our Blue Habits program reached and engaged millions of people worldwide in actions that support healthy oceans, from fighting plastic pollution to making sustainable seafood choices and reducing carbon footprint. We continued to grow and engage our Oceanic Society community through numerous events that brought together ocean-lovers to learn about our oceans and take action to protect them, like the Global Ocean Cleanup, a worldwide campaign to fight ocean plastic pollution. We teamed up with organizations around the world to clean some of Earth’s most important ocean habitats and create inspiring artwork from collected waste. We not only removed trash from our oceans and coasts, we also engaged audiences online and offline, provided funding to worthy organizations, and harnessed the power of behavioral science to build momentum for change.
Conservation Travel
We lead global nature travel programs and California whale watching tours that support ocean conservation through our unique non-profit model.
$469,689 generated for conservation
1,264 travelers served
229 whale flukes identified
90 educational trips provided
$15,790 awarded in small grant support
73,000 pounds of trash removed through our Plastic Pollution Offset Program
2,112 hours of volunteer work facilitated
Through our travel programs we facilitated 2,112 volunteer hours for ocean research and conservation, including by the volunteers seen here with a leatherback turtle in Trinidad. © Ashleigh Bandimere
Oceanic Society has been leading nature-based travel experiences since 1969, as one of the first groups to offer whale watching tours and international “ecotourism” experiences. Our founders knew that the best way to engage people in caring for the ocean was to connect them to the ocean through first-hand experiences.
Beyond engaging travelers, throughout our history we have seen how nature travel, when done properly, can drive conservation efforts and support sustainable local livelihoods. In many places that we visit, tourism has already helped bring species back from extinction and led to permanent protection of sensitive habitats, while also providing economic opportunities to local residents.
In 2023, our travel programs generated nearly half a million dollars for ocean conservation efforts worldwide. We als launched the industry’s first Traveler Plastic Pollution Offset Program, through which we fund the removal of 200 pounds of trash from the ocean for every traveler who joins one of our multi-day nature expeditions.
Thank You For A Great Year
We are grateful to all of our supporters, travelers, and community members for contributing to our success this year—thank you all!
You can help us keep our ocean conservation programs going strong in 2024 with an end of year donation! Thanks to the generosity of three of our long-time supporters, your donations will be matched 1:1 through December 31, 2023 up to $55,000 in honor of Oceanic Society’s 55th anniversary in 2024.
