Protect Our Oceans

Science · Policy · Action

Restore abundance. Protect communities. Save the ocean.

A beautifully crafted resource for students, teachers, and activists — packed with data, deep-dive topics, visuals, and real-world actions you can take today.

📊

Data-driven

Visuals & charts
🛡️

Policy

Clear, actionable guidance
🤝

Community

Volunteer & donate

Featured in-depth topics

Case Study: Atlantic Cod Collapse

How technologically-driven overfishing, misplaced quotas, and policy failure drove a fishery to near collapse — and the slow road to partial recovery.

Read the full analysis →

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Evidence, design principles, and outcomes — what works, what doesn't, and how to scale protection effectively.

Why MPAs matter →

Bycatch & Gear Innovations

Technological solutions that dramatically reduce bycatch and habitat damage while keeping fisheries productive.

Innovations →

Community & Indigenous Fisheries

Local governance, traditional knowledge, and small-scale solutions that work for people and the sea.

Community actions →

Overfishing — Protect Our Oceans
← Back
Protect Our Oceans

Overfishing — causes, impacts & recovery pathways

A deep dive into industrial fishing, bycatch, and the solutions proven to rebuild populations.

Executive summary

Industrial fishing expanded rapidly in the 20th century with steam trawlers, refrigeration, and global markets. When combined with weak governance and large subsidies, too many fleets chase too few fish. The result: collapsed fisheries, ecological shifts, and economic harm.

Mechanisms of decline

  • Overcapacity: Too many boats for the available biomass.
  • Bycatch: Non-target species caught and discarded, harming turtles, seabirds and juvenile fish.
  • Destructive gear: Bottom trawling destroys seafloor habitat.
  • Illegal fishing: Enforcement gaps enable poaching in protected zones.

Ecological impacts

Overfishing alters food webs — removing predators or forage species can cascade through the ecosystem. Examples include range shifts of species, algal blooms where herbivores decline, and lowered resilience to climate stress.

Case study: Atlantic cod

Once the backbone of North Atlantic fisheries, cod stocks collapsed in the 1990s after decades of intense fishing. Management errors, slow response, and mixed socio-economic pressures prolonged recovery. The collapse forced community restructuring and remains a cautionary tale.

Recovery pressures & success stories

When strong limits, protected areas, and enforcement are combined, populations can rebound. Examples include well-managed tuna stocks and local recoveries within fully protected marine reserves.

Marine Habitats — Protect Our Oceans
← Back

Marine Habitats — Coral reefs, mangroves, kelp & deep sea

Habitats are the foundation of marine life. Protecting them protects the ocean's productivity.

Coral reefs

Corals are animals that build calcium-carbonate structures — they form the framework for reefs which support massive biodiversity.

Threats: warming, acidification, pollution, destructive fishing.

Mangroves & seagrass

Coastal habitats that protect shorelines, sequester carbon, and serve as nurseries for fish.

Deep sea

Cold, dark, and poorly studied. Deep-sea mining and trawling can cause long-lasting damage.

Restoration approaches

Solutions — Protect Our Oceans
← Back

Solutions — Policy, tech & community

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Design principles: size, connectivity, enforcement, and stakeholder buy-in. Well-designed MPAs boost biomass and spillover benefits to fisheries.

Smart enforcement

Satellite monitoring, automatic identification systems (AIS), and data-sharing reduce illegal fishing at scale.

Gear & bycatch solutions

Circle hooks, turtle excluder devices, and acoustic deterrents reduce non-target harm.

Consumer choices

Use seafood guides, prefer local small-scale fisheries with good management, and reduce demand for threatened species.

Get Involved — Protect Our Oceans
← Back

Get Involved

Practical ways to help — from individual choices to policy engagement.

Volunteer

Beach cleanups, data collection, and community monitoring all make a difference.

Advocate

Contact representatives, support marine protection laws, and back evidence-based management.

Educate

Use classroom resources, host a screening, or organize a workshop.

Donate

Support trusted conservation organizations and local restoration projects.

Tips for higher impact