“To protect the world’s oceans.”
67 comments to the agencies, 73 cents of every dollar to the work.
The work
The largest international advocacy organization focused solely on ocean conservation.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “To advocate for policy changes by governments and corporations in order to preserve ocean life and return the oceans to their former abundance.” as filed.
Where the money went, FY2024
Our teams work with local communities to win policies that protect fisheries and livelihoods that depend on a healthy ocean.
Including $791,015 granted onward, the largest share ($90,625) to Center for Strategic and International Studies Inc.
INTERNATIONALIN THE OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE OCEANA OPERATES, OUR TEAMS WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO WIN POLICIES THAT PROTECT FISHERIES AND LIVELIHOODS THAT DEPEND ON A HEALTHY OCEAN. OUR CAMPAIGNS INCLUDE ESTABLISHING MARINE PROTECTED AREAS THAT SERVE AS SANCTUARIES FOR COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT FISH TO BREED AND GROW, REFORMING OUTDATED FISHERY LAWS TO REQUIRE SCIENCE-BASED CATCH LIMITS, TRACKING OF FISHING VESSELS, AND PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT PLANS, BANNING THE USE OF DAMAGING BOTTOM TRAWLS, PROTECTING MARINE RESOURCES FOR SMALL-SCALE FISHERS, REBUILDING THE POPULATIONS OF FORAGE FISH TO STRENGTHEN THE MARINE FOOD CHAIN, PROTECT "BLUE-CARBON" ECOSYSTEMS SUCH AS KELP FORESTS AND MANGROVES FROM POLLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, BAN NEW OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING, AND LIMIT THE USE OF THROWAWAY PLASTIC THAT ENDS UP IN THE OCEAN.CORPORATE PLASTICS CAMPAIGNOCEANA HAS SUCCESSFULLY PRESSURED AMAZON, THE WORLD'S LARGEST ONLINE RETAILER, TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PLASTIC THEY USE IN THEIR PACKAGING. WE ARE ALSO CAMPAIGNING FOR MAJOR BEVERAGE COMPANIES TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF REFILLABLE AND REUSABLE BOTTLES OFFERED TO CONSUMERS. WE ARE WORKING WITH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS AND VENUES TO SWAP THROWAWAY PLASTIC CUPS FOR REUSABLE CONTAINER, POTENTIALLY KEEPING MILLIONS OF PLASTIC CONTAINERS OUT OF WATERWAYS THAT LEAD TO THE OCEAN.SAILORS FOR THE SEA POWERED BY OCEANAOCEANA IS BUILDING A BASE OF ENGAGED OCEAN CONSERVATIONISTS WITHIN THE GLOBAL SAILING AND BOATING COMMUNITY. OUR GREEN BOATERS TAKE ACTION IN SUPPORT OF OCEANA'S CAMPAIGNS AND RAISE FUND WITH IN LOW-DOLLAR DONATIONS. OCEANA'S CLEAN REGATTAS PROGRAM IS THE WORLD'S LEADING SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION FOR WATER-BASED SPORTING EVENTS. OUR KIDS ENVIRONMENTAL LESSON PLANS (KELP) PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD TO EDUCATES AND INSPIRES THE NEXT GENERATION OF SAILORS TO BECOME OCEAN ADVOCATES.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Oceana is working on science-based policy campaigns to stop new offshore oil and gas development, reduce illegal fishing, protect marine habitat, save endangered species, reduce single-use plastics, and defend the…
Including $202,012 granted onward.
UNITED STATESIN THE UNITED STATES, OCEANA IS WORKING ON SCIENCE-BASED POLICY CAMPAIGNS TO STOP NEW OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT, REDUCE ILLEGAL FISHING, PROTECT MARINE HABITAT, SAVE ENDANGERED SPECIES, REDUCE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, AND DEFEND THE NATION'S CONSERVATION LAWS.IN 2024, OUR CAMPAIGN GOALS INCLUDED BANNING NEW OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING IN 625 MILLION ACRES OF FEDERAL WATERS, REBUILDING THE POPULATIONS OF PACIFIC SARDINES, THE BASIS OF THE FOOD CHAIN IN THE WATERS OFF THE US WEST COAST, SAVING ENDANGERED NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES FROM THE THREATS OF SHIP COLLISIONS AND ENTANGLEMENT IN FISHING GEAR, PROTECTING FRAGILE SEAFLOOR HABITAT IN ALASKA FROM DESTRUCTIVE BOTTOM TRAWLING, SUPPORTING THE USE OF TRAPS AND NETS THAT DO NOT INDISCRIMINATELY KILL THOUSANDS OF UN-TARGETED MARINE ANIMALS, ENACTING POLICIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT BAN UNNECESSARY SINGLE-USE PLASTICS, AND DEFENDING THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT, THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, AND THE MAGNUSON STEVENS CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT FROM ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN LEGISLATION OR DEFUND AGENCIES THAT ENFORCE THESE LAWS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
And communications department in 2024 are highlighted below:- Oceana’s grassroots base consisted of 6.3 million organizational supporters. - Oceana has 9 million supporters worldwide.
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSKEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF OCEANA'S MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IN 2024 ARE HIGHLIGHTED BELOW:- OCEANA'S GRASSROOTS BASE CONSISTED OF 6.3 MILLION ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORTERS. - OCEANA HAS 9 MILLION SUPPORTERS WORLDWIDE.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.
$33,193,063 programs, $7,108,441 management, $5,220,783 fundraising. Form 990, FY2024.
The backers
Backed on the record by David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Robertson Foundation, latest filing FY24.
The people
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. The FY2024 filing lists 3 people as counsel thru 7/24; ceo as of 7/24, James F Simon President Gen and Andrew F Sharpless and Pascale Moehrle, usually a handover inside the year. If it’s out of date, tell us. Work at Oceana? Claim this page.
Those 35,149 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If Oceana is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Find your way inThe filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at or tap the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $19,694,080 |
| 2012 | $15,226,982 |
| 2013 | $44,676,531 |
| 2014 | $20,639,382 |
| 2015 | $18,368,767 |
| 2016 | $24,741,722 |
| 2017 | $48,279,729 |
| 2018 | $51,896,477 |
| 2019 | $38,632,475 |
| 2020 | $36,350,526 |
| 2021 | $35,660,414 |
| 2022 | $43,967,787 |
| 2023 | $46,497,996 |
| 2024 | $34,668,686 |
From $19.7M in 2011 to $34.7M in FY24, with no missed filing in 14 years.
In court
Fights alongside Friends of the Earth (1 shared case), Natural Resources Defense Council (1 shared case), Sierra Club (1 shared case) and Surfrider Foundation (1 shared case). Same case, same side, on the federal docket. Their dockets on CourtListener.
On the Hill
Oceana has hired federal lobbyists: 22 filings from 2019 to 2026, naming 4 bills. The filings, at the Senate.
Most filed on the environment, wildlife and marine.
The record
67 comments on federal decisions since 2023, each filed under the group’s own name on regulations.gov. The latest on decisions we track:
Year by year
Green, a funder’s return. Hollow, a filing. Every row is a record we hold: 1 federal case with the group on the docket, 67 comments filed under its own name, 4 funders whose returns name it. Nothing here is written from memory.
Under threat right now
Open comment windows first, then live federal cases. Each opens the groups defending it.
Every place under threat, the fifty states and the wildlife, each with who’s on the record for it.
Oceana files 6 related organizations on its return: Oceana Action INC (501(c)(4)), Fundacion Oceana (N/A), Oceana Uk (N/A), Oceana in Belize (N/A), Friends of Oceana (N/A) and Oceana Brasil (N/A). A related organization shares people or purpose; it does not share the books.
Help complete this profile. If you work here, claim it and send us your current campaigns and the best way for supporters to get involved. An editor checks what you send before it goes up.
Ways in
Straight to their own donation page. Your dollar never passes through us.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
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