Stories
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 …
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 …
New Release: Threats to Our Ocean Heritage – Deep Sea Mining
The First Comprehensive Look at What We Stand to Lose Beneath the Waves The race to mine the deep seabed has begun. But as international attention turns to this emerging …
The Lighthouses of Maine
Steadfast, serene, immovable, the sameYear after year, through all the silent night -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Lighthouses have their own enduring attraction. For those who come from the sea, it is …
Getting in Rhythm with Summer
June is Ocean Month and is the first full month of summer in the northern hemisphere. Usually, that is a hectic time for anyone in ocean conservation as gatherings are …
New Report: Tackling the Global Risk of Polluting Shipwrecks
We’re pleased to share the release of a new report from Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Project Tangaroa. Project Tangaroa is a global initiative focused on the urgent issue of potentially …
