Save Our Seas Foundation

Save Our Seas Foundation
Name	Save Our Seas Foundation
Type	Non-profit
Founded	2003
Founder	Pieter van der Walt
Headquarters	Cape Town, South Africa
Focus	Marine conservation, shark research, ocean education

Save Our Seas Foundation is an international charitable organization dedicated to the conservation of marine environments, with an emphasis on elasmobranchs such as sharks and rays. The foundation supports scientific research, field projects, education, and policy engagement across multiple continents, partnering with universities, aquaria, and governmental agencies. Activities span funding of expeditions, support for postgraduate research, public outreach, and collaborations with renowned institutions to influence marine management.

History

The foundation was established in 2003 by Pieter van der Walt and has since grown through associations with institutions such as University of Cape Town, Rhodes University, Stanford University, Princeton University, and University of Miami. Early collaborations included work with the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and the Wildlife Conservation Society to expand shark tagging and population assessment programs. Over time the foundation engaged with regional partners including South African National Parks, Department of Environmental Affairs (South Africa), University of Auckland, and James Cook University to broaden conservation scope. The organization’s milestones involved funding doctoral and postdoctoral research projects tied to initiatives like the Global Shark Trends Project, the IUCN Shark Specialist Group assessments, and coordinated efforts resembling the scale of multinational programs such as the Census of Marine Life.

Mission and Objectives

The foundation’s mission emphasizes protection of marine megafauna through targeted science, capacity building, and outreach. Core objectives mirror approaches used by entities like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora policy dialogues: (1) fund rigorous research at institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, (2) support conservation action influenced by findings from groups like BirdLife International and WWF International, and (3) educate stakeholders drawing on models from Smithsonian Institution and Natural History Museum, London public programs.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs encompass grant schemes for early-career scientists, expeditions, and community engagement initiatives modeled after global campaigns like Tagging of Pacific Predators and collaborations with networks including Global FinPrint and Shark Conservation Fund. The foundation funds expeditions akin to those by National Geographic Society, coordinates with marine observatories such as Plymouth Marine Laboratory and supports citizen science platforms similar to iNaturalist and eOceans. Initiatives also parallel capacity-building projects run by PADI AWARE Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts in areas including fisheries bycatch mitigation and marine protected area design supported by organizations like The Nature Conservancy.

Research and Conservation Projects

Projects funded range from telemetry and acoustic tagging comparable to work at Tagging of Pacific Predators to population genetics studies using techniques developed at labs like Wellcome Sanger Institute and Broad Institute. Field sites include locations with established research histories such as Galápagos Islands, Cocos Island, Western Indian Ocean, Great Barrier Reef, and Bazaruto Archipelago. Collaborations include research groups from University of California, Santa Cruz, Duke University, University of Queensland, and University of New South Wales. Outputs contribute to assessments by the IUCN Red List, inform listings under Convention on Migratory Species, and support fisheries management dialogues like those hosted by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and treaty fora such as Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

Education and Outreach

Education programs draw on interpretive models used by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, delivering school curricula, public talks, and media content. Outreach includes dive-industry training comparable to materials from Reef Check and collaborative film and photography projects with partners like BBC Natural History Unit, National Geographic Society, and acclaimed naturalists associated with David Attenborough productions. Community engagement involves working with local stakeholders, municipal authorities, and tourism boards such as Cape Town Tourism to promote sustainable practices in coastal communities.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding streams comprise philanthropic donations, grants, and sponsorships from private donors and foundations modeled after Ford Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and partnerships with corporate actors similar to arrangements undertaken by Patagonia (company) and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Institutional partnerships include universities, museums, aquaria, and NGOs such as Wildlife Conservation Network, Conservation International, and Ocean Conservancy. Project co-funders have included research councils like National Research Foundation (South Africa), international aid agencies such as USAID, and regional conservation trusts.

Governance and Organization

The foundation is governed by a board and advisory panels composed of scientists, conservationists, and business leaders with affiliations to organizations like IUCN, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and major universities listed above. Operational staff coordinate grant-making, project management, and communications, working with legal and financial frameworks comparable to non-profit governance norms found at institutions such as Charity Commission for England and Wales and South African Revenue Service non-profit registration systems. External scientific review involves peer reviewers from journals and societies including Marine Biology (journal), Journal of Fish Biology, and specialist groups like the Shark Research Institute.

Category:Marine conservation organizations Category:Shark conservation