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Fisher in seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) Sanur, Bali, Indonesia. © Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

Fisher in seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) Sanur, Bali, Indonesia. © Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank

Safeguarding our ocean

The world’s marine and coastal habitats are among the most important natural systems on Earth. They support a vast diversity of wildlife and play a critical role in regulating our climate. They provide food and income to over three billion people and sustain local and national economies. However, their resilience is being pushed to breaking point by a perfect storm of destructive fishing, pollution, habitat destruction and climate change.

Marine ecosystems are worth an estimated US$3 trillion worldwide every year and provide food and livelihoods to over a billion people.

To tackle the myriad threats to our ocean, Fauna & Flora draws on a wealth of expertise both from within our organisation and from the network of partners and communities with whom we work.

We focus our efforts in areas where we have the most impact.

Securing important areas to safeguard ocean wildlife and habitats

Marine protected areas can be a powerful way to restore ocean wildlife and habitats, providing economic benefits for coastal communities and mitigating climate change by increasing the amount of carbon locked up.

However, both evidence and our own experience show that it is crucial to involve local communities (including fishers) in the design and management of these marine protected areas.

Our experts work closely with communities and other partners, including government agencies, to design locally appropriate and equitable ways of sustainably managing marine and coastal areas. We also support local partners to ensure that existing marine protected areas are managed effectively so that marine wildlife and habitats can recover and thrive.

We work directly at over 70 marine sites, ranging from state protected areas to community-based locally managed marine areas.

We start small, developing effective models that are adapted to local contexts and address the threats and needs at the sites where we work. Where appropriate, we then support the scaling-up of site-based management, helping to link adjacent communities and create both ecological and social networks that maintain connectivity between individual sites.

Fishers in Koh Rong Marine National Park, Cambodia.

Informing and influencing policies and practice affecting the marine environment

Protected areas will not, on their own, solve the problems our ocean faces. Wider threats, such as pollution, sedimentation, coastal development and destructive fishing also need to be addressed. To achieve this, we need to see major policy shifts to halt unsustainable practices and ensure that ocean health is prioritised in decisions.

Our experts work with partners to engage with local and national governments to advocate for the sustainable management of coastal waters and ensure that the voices of local communities are heard.

Where we have direct experience and evidence we can draw on, we also engage in wider international debates around policy issues that affect the ocean, such as microplastic pollution and deep-sea mining.

Maio People from morrinho and Cascabulho cleaning beach of Praia Real, Cape Verde. © Jeff Wilson / Fauna & Flora

Maio People from morrinho and Cascabulho cleaning beach of Praia Real, Cape Verde. © Jeff Wilson / Fauna & Flora

Clearing marine litter from a beach in Maio, Cabo Verde.

The Global Plastics Treaty
Coastal & marine plastic pollution in Koh Rong & Koh S’dach archipelagos, Cambodia. © Bianca Roberts / Fauna & Flora
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The Global Plastics Treaty

As negotiations for a global agreement on plastics move forward, Fauna & Flora wants to ensure that the treaty text is s...

Supporting key national and local institutions to help them deliver effective marine conservation

There is no shortage of ocean champions – be they individual leaders, community-based organisations, local NGOs, academic institutions or government agency staff. We seek out these outstanding individuals and organisations, and help them reach their full potential.

Kayak competition between ICAPO and Fauna & Flora teams in Estero Padre Ramos. © Alam Ramírez / Fauna & Flora

Kayak competition between ICAPO and Fauna & Flora teams in Estero Padre Ramos. © Alam Ramírez / Fauna & Flora

Kayak competition between ICAPO and Fauna & Flora teams in Estero Padre Ramos.

Nearly 50%

of commercial fish stocks are at the point of collapse.

8 million

tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean each year.

Over 90%

of the heat and about 40% of the CO2 generated by greenhouse gas emissions has been absorbed by the ocean.

    Nearly 50%

    of commercial fish stocks are at the point of collapse.

    8 million

    tonnes of plastic leak into the ocean each year.

    Over 90%

    of the heat and about 40% of the CO2 generated by greenhouse gas emissions has been absorbed by the ocean.

Utila Cays, Honduras. © KAPhotography / Adobe Stock

Saving nature, together

You can help fund work like this.

If you represent a charitable trust or foundation and would like to talk to a member of our team, contact [email protected].

If you would like to support us immediately, consider donating today.

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Utila Cays, Honduras. © KAPhotography / Adobe Stock