Our Projects

Discover → Connect → Protect

Our Approach

Community-Driven Conservation in Action

Each ConnectOcean project follows our Discover → Connect → Protect framework — showing how communities move from awareness to action to long-term stewardship.

Ocean to Table

Fishery Improvement Project

Discover: Fishermen explore the importance of sustainable fishing through citizen science and conservation mentorship.

Connect: Local restaurants, guesthouses, and hotels are linked directly with artisanal fishers, shortening the supply chain so fishers can earn more while catching less.

Protect: Fishermen are integrated into the Ocean to Table Fishery Improvement Program. A regenerative tourism experience allows visitors to fish with locals using hand lines. Science officers onboard ensure only sustainable species are harvested, while vulnerable species are released. Families then prepare the catch using indigenous recipes.

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Location: Northern Pacific, Costa Rica

Partners: Conservation International, artisanal fishing communities, local restaurants and hotels

Impact:

  • Regenerated post-pandemic income for artisanal fishers
  • Direct market connections reducing overfishing pressure
  • Tourism supporting conservation and local culture
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Location: Limón, Costa Rica

Partners: Local youth collective, ConnectOcean, Embajadores Del Mar

Impact:

  • Sustainable income alternatives for at-risk youth
  • Cultural heritage preserved and shared
  • Empowerment in a region facing social challenges
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Embajadores del Mar

Afro-Caribbean Youth Empowerment

Discover: Youth learn about maritime history and underwater heritage while exploring two 17th-century slave trade wrecks.

Connect: Training programs produced 7 Divemasters and 3 PADI Instructors, creating sustainable livelihoods through regenerative tourism. Communities and visitors connect through cultural storytelling and diving experiences.

Protect: A new Regenerative Tourism Experience highlights the shipwrecks while protecting this underwater heritage site. Visitors volunteer with Embajadores Del Mar to safeguard the ecosystem.

Swim Safe Costa Rica

Water Safety & Drowning Prevention

Discover: Communities learn about water safety and drowning prevention, tackling a critical public health issue.

Connect: Lifesaving Clubs and Community Protection Groups are established and trained as lifeguards.

Protect: These groups provide lifeguard services on beaches, especially during high-risk days, and expand programs like Learn to Swim, Lifeguard Training, and Nipper Surf Lifesaving.

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Location: Costa Rica (nationwide)

Partners: SWIM SAFE Costa Rica NGO, local communities, National Assembly

Impact:

  • Addressing Costa Rica’s high drowning rates (second-leading cause of accidental death)
  • Training communities as first responders
  • Building a culture of water safety and ocean stewardship
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Location: Costa Rica

Partners: Local rehabilitation organizations, ConnectOcean volunteers

Impact:

  • Empowerment and rehabilitation through zero-gravity movement
  • Social bonds and community inclusion
  • Expanding access to ocean experiences for all abilities
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Sin Límites

Adaptive Diving Program

Discover: Individuals with physical disabilities or amputations discover the ocean’s freedom through adaptive diving.

Connect: Training builds skills, confidence, and community integration, supported by volunteers and dive professionals.

Protect: Participants become advocates for ocean conservation, using their voice and visibility to strengthen inclusive stewardship.

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