Ocean Alive
Think Human Fund
Mission & History
Ocean Alive is a Portuguese NGO founded in 2015, dedicated to the conservation and restoration of marine forests. The organization focuses on transforming behaviors to restore these critical marine habitats, engaging the local community, science and decision-makers. The strategy inherent in their projects comprises the elimination of the threats to the seagrass meadows, and the creation of new professions for local fisherwomen (fondly called the Keepers of the Sea), as marine educators, awareness agents and scientific work collaborators, providing them with a supplementary income to fishing activity.
The developed work and activities of Ocean Alive encompasses 5 areas: 1) marine education aimed at elevating literacy concerning the seagrass meadows, 2) awareness-raising campaigns that actively engage the local fishing community in changing bad practices to alternative good solutions to restore and safeguard these key habitats, 3) mapping and restoration of the seagrass meadows, 4) advocacy to influence and impact national policies, and 5) a development program, involving small collaborations with ONGs in Portuguese-speaking African (PALOP) countries, aiming at empowering women and fostering education on blue forests
Country Information
The project is located in the Soltróia seagrass meadow, part of the Natura 2000 Sado estuary site, in Portugal. This relic meadow, covering 19.68 hectares, hosts the three seagrass species present in the estuary and plays a vital ecological role by supporting emblematic fauna like bottlenose dolphins and serving crucial socioeconomic functions. It contributes substantially to local fisheries, tourism, and biodiversity, making its conservation vital.
The Need
Seagrass meadows globally are experiencing a steep decline due to human activity, among which poor navigation and anchoring practices, which have been identified as a primary cause of degradation in the Soltróia seagrass meadow. The need for the project is to halt the loss of these habitats and the vital ecosystem services they provide, including carbon sequestration and serving as nurseries for marine species.
The Project We Fund in 2026
Through interventions like the installation of eco-friendly mooring floats, Ocean Alive’s project aims to mitigate the adverse effects of illegal moorings within the Soltróia seagrass meadow, intending to restore and maintain these environments. The project engages local communities, enhances scientific understanding, and seeks to influence policy to sustainably manage these habitats.
The Result
Ocean Alive has made a significant impact by directly impacting an area of 537.13 m², of which 204.18 m² are showing positive signs of restoration, while engaging over 550 volunteers, students, teachers, boat owners, beachgoers, community members and Keepers of the Sea. Their impact extends further through local and national advocacy efforts that aim to achieve the permanent relocation of the anchorages to an adjacent area outside the seagrass meadow, while preventing the expansion or emergence of additional anchorages, and advocating for seagrass conservation at a national scale.
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The Project We Fund in 2024
The project will focus on maintaining the restored area: ensuring that ECM floats prevent further loss. Raising community awareness by educating the local community about the importance of seagrass meadows and working with enforcement bodies by collaborating with authorities to secure long-term protection by removing anchorage moorings.
The Result
Impact tracking will include restored area by measuring the size of the restored seagrass area. Seagrass density and canopy height by counting seagrass shoots per square meter and measuring canopy height to gauge successful growth. Sustainability by evaluating the health and stability of the restored meadow over one year using scientific methods. Engagement and regulation by monitoring the involvement of seagrass community users and enforcement bodies and tracking the implementation of local regulations to protect the Soltróia seagrass meadow.
2025 Annual Report
The project directly benefits 600 people and indirectly impacts 13,497 individuals. The impact is substantial, safeguarding an essential ecosystem that supports local fishing communities by maintaining healthy seagrass meadows, which serve as nurseries and feeding grounds for commercially significant species. This project not only ensures the sustainability of fishing activities but also provides economic benefits through tourism, which contributes to the local economy, and offers significant social and educational impacts by engaging students, volunteers, and decision-makers.
Testimonies
“In a world decaying with pollution, environmental changes, and greed for resources, it’s actions and projects like Ocean Alives’ restore seagrass meadows program that can make a change. Besides the major focus on the conservation of these meadows in the Sado estuary (and by consequence, all the biodiversity that depends on them), Ocean alive also provides education actions for all those that want to learn more about these magnificent habitats. Merging conservation and education activities it’s a brilliant way to relief stress off of these ecosystems while also providing knowledge to the masses. I am thrilled to have witnessed the work that Ocean Alive organises and all the effort that they (the team) do to grab our attention, to explain, to teach and to marvel us with in situ exploration, while always keeping a smile on their faces and a brilliant energy. I can only hope to keep on learning with them and to grow with their cause. Brilliant work!” –Júlio Pronto, 25 years, young people who found a job after the training-
“For me, I think that the work done on the Soltróia meadow has been excellent, particularly with the friendly buoys, which don’t damage the marine meadow and I can see that the whole team is very keen to keep them clean and maintained. I can see a very significant change in this meadow due to the work that has been done. What’s more, I really like the whole team and feel very happy to contribute to something so important!” -Minda Neto, 67 years, fisherwoman, member of the fishing community and user of the Soltroia boat mooring-
“The volunteer activity provided excellent integration for the participants through a patient, assertive, and engaging conversation! This theoretical part heightened my awareness of the importance of marine buoys and their function. Combined with the practical part, it made me appreciate the value of seagrass meadows and their significance for the rest of the ecosystem, as well as the efforts that must be made to maintain this balance. Throughout the entire process, the staff involved were incredibly friendly, and the experience left a lasting positive impression on me!” -Eduardo Santana Ferreira, 20 years, volunteer-
