Ocean
Along some of the world’s most bountiful coastlines, WCS works to safeguard 11 priority seascapes where the last of our ocean giants, coral reefs, and great colonies of sea birds thrive. These vast areas—where barrier reefs may protect shorelines, fishery stocks sustain human and wildlife communities, and migratory species like sea turtles and whales come to rear their young—are integral to both people and nature. Addressing the complex relationships between the ecosystems of the sea, coast, and areas inland, WCS links marine and land management initiatives in comprehensive conservation strategies. These strategies are the backbone of such WCS projects as the Sea & Sky initiative to protect Argentina’s Southwest Atlantic, and our work in the coastal forests and shallow waters of Madagascar’s Antongil Bay.
Featured Seascapes
Antongil Bay is one of the most important breeding grounds for humpback whales. Thirteen species of shark swim its waters.
Located in the middle of the Java Sea, Karimunjawa National Park was re-zoned to accommodate the needs of wildlife and local people.
Local communities manage this seascape in the Coral Triangle through traditional ownership rights to land and sea.
This wild, remote expanse provides critical feeding and breeding habitat for penguins, elephant seals, and southern right whales.
Thriving schools of fish, sharks, and turtles swim Fiji’s vibrant reefs. As coastal populations grow, Fiji is finding new ways to conserve marine resources.
Located at the heart of the largest coral reef system in the Western Hemisphere, this seascape nurtures rays, turtles, and sharks. Nassau grouper gather here in massive numbers to spawn.