Newstream
How Two Shipwrecks Connect the Present to the Emerging Global Market of Centuries Ago
The vast waters of the Pacific, while known to and sailed by Pacific Islanders for millennia, were not widely navigated by the rest of the world until half a millennium …
The National Academies Just Set the Record Straight on Ocean Observing
For the past two weeks, I have been writing, mostly on LinkedIn, about a decision I find genuinely hard to fathom: the United States is dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative …
Arab Maritime Heritage
Arab Maritime Heritage: Navigators of the Indian Ocean April has been recognized as Arab American Heritage Month. While it celebrates modern US communities, The Ocean Foundation would like to reflect …
TITANIC LAW AND POLICY: How a Shipwreck Changed International Law — and Why It Matters Today
On the night of April 14–15, 1912, more than 1,500 people died in the icy waters of the North Atlantic when the RMS Titanic slipped beneath the surface. The world …
Women Lighthouse Keepers of the U.S.
About Women’s History Month Women’s History Month originated from a local week-long celebration in California in 1978. The organizers chose the week of March 8th to correspond with International Women’s …
Honoring Black History Month: Richard Etheridge, Maritime Hero
Written by Mark J. Spalding (The Ocean Foundation) and Jordan Morgan (University of Maine School of Law) In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, we honor Richard …
The New NOAA Rule on Deep Seabed Mining: A Dangerous Shortcut That Undermines Ocean Stewardship
On 21 January 2026, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finalized a rule that could fundamentally alter the future of our global ocean—and not for the better. By consolidating exploration …
Statement on Environmental Risks from Shadow Fleet Operations in Caribbean Waters
Photo taken by Jeffry Surianto.
The Skipper Seizure: When Good Ships Get Caught in the Shadow Fleet Dragnet
The recent U.S. seizure of the Venezuelan oil tanker Skipper raises uncomfortable questions about how sanctions enforcement can inadvertently undermine the very maritime safety standards that protect our ocean. While …
COP30: A Turning Point for Ocean-Climate Action?
As the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change concludes in Belém, Brazil, the ocean community has reason for both cautious optimism and …
Boyd N. Lyon Scholarship 2026
The Ocean Foundation and The Boyd Lyon Sea Turtle Fund seek applicants for the Boyd N. Lyon Scholarship, for the year 2026. This Scholarship was created in honor of the …
