The mission of the Ocean Census is to accelerate the discovery of ocean life to advance fundamental science, empower conservation and fuel innovation to sustain and advance life on Earth.
The Census is jointly undertaken by the Ocean Census Alliance – uniting national and philanthropic marine institutes, museums and universities, backed by governments, philanthropy, business and civil society partners.
The Ocean Census Alliance is a growing network of scientists, governments, marine institutes, museums, philanthropy, technology, media and civil society partners working together to accelerate species discovery.
The Ocean Census Secretariat coordinates Alliance activities, managing and funding core programmes including expeditions, the Science Network, Species Discovery Workshops and Awards and the Biodiversity Data Platform.
This FAQ section answers common questions about the Ocean Census, our research, expeditions, and the impact of species discovery. If you don’t find what you're looking for, feel free to get in touch.
Be part of the world’s largest effort to discover and document ocean life. At the Ocean Census, we bring together scientists, explorers, technologists, and communicators to accelerate species discovery and expand global biodiversity knowledge.
For general inquiries, partnership opportunities, or media requests, contact us, and a member of our team will get back to you.
Join the Ocean Census and reimagine discovery - fast, open, collaborative, equitable and at scale.
Uniting scientists from over 500 marine institutes to power the Census and scale species discovery – through expeditions, Species Discovery Workshops and Awards and give voice to the Census.
Enabling the Census to operate at scale – leading and participating in expeditions, workshops, unlocking legacy collections, data publishing, advancing related biodiversity research, and policy and public engagement.
Drawing on Ocean Census species data to underpin national and international climate, biodiversity, and development strategies and commitments – whilst helping to scale the Census through directing national research institutes, resources and capacity to participate in and contribute to the global programme.
Underpinning the Census, scaling species discovery in priority areas and advancing science, capacity development, policy implementation, innovation and ocean protection at national and global scales.
From data to sequencing, from marine operations to imaging, from finance to media, businesses deploy their skills, resources and brand power – serving to speed up, scale up and increase the impact of our mission – to discover ocean life.
Turning scientific discoveries from the Census into planetary action – and galvanise national and international programs to protect biodiversity, strengthen capacity and inspire public and policy engagement and action.
The Ocean Census Science Network is a worldwide community of marine biologists, taxonomists, geneticists, ecologists, and conservationists working together to accelerate species discovery and expand our knowledge of ocean life.
Gain access to expeditions, Discovery Workshops, research funding, training, and a global community of scientists working to uncover the ocean’s hidden biodiversity.
Supporting exceptional taxonomists, biodiversity, and community scientists in marine species discovery. These awards focus on advancing research, particularly from legacy collections, to uncover new marine species from specimens stored in museums and research institutes.
Uniting taxonomists, geneticists, marine biologists, and ecologists to identify, classify, and describe new marine species. Using high-resolution imaging, genetic barcoding, and sequencing, these workshops accelerate discovery while sharing knowledge and co-developing scalable techniques across the programme.
Register an ocean species with the Ocean Census to ensure your discovery is documented and contributes to global marine biodiversity records.
The Ocean Census Resources Hub provides access to scientific publications, expedition reports, scientific data handling guidelines, and policy insights.
The Ocean Census Expeditions are unlocking the secrets of marine biodiversity, travelling to some of the most unexplored and biologically rich regions of the ocean.
The 20-day JAMSTEC Shinkai expedition explores Japan's deep-sea ecosystems to discover new marine species, led by JAMSTEC and The Ocean Census team.
Our expeditions are made possible through global partnerships with scientists, research institutions, governments, and funders. Explore all expeditions as we work together to accelerate marine species discovery.
The Ocean Census Expedition Awards provide support to taxonomists, biodiversity and community scientists who wish to take part in an existing expedition onboard a research vessel.
Explore some of the remarkable species uncovered by the Ocean Census Science Network, and access the full database of discoveries through the Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform.
Register an ocean species with the Ocean Census to ensure your discovery is documented and contributes to global marine biodiversity records.
Our hub for the latest discoveries, stories, and insights from the Ocean Census. Explore our latest news, in-depth features, videos, press releases, and exclusive media content showcasing our groundbreaking research and expeditions. Stay informed and inspired as we uncover the unknown depths of our ocean.
Stay up to date with the newest discoveries, breakthroughs, and updates from the world’s largest mission to explore ocean life. Explore press releases, announcements, and key developments as we accelerate the discovery and documentation of marine species worldwide.
Dive into our latest expedition updates and behind-the-scenes insights into how the Ocean Census is accelerating marine species discovery. Explore exclusive footage, expert interviews, and in-depth features showcasing the technology, science, and people driving our mission.
Explore our latest scientific reports, research papers, and expert insights on marine species discovery. Dive into in-depth analyses, expedition findings, and groundbreaking studies that advance our understanding of ocean life.
We invite journalists, filmmakers, and media professionals to cover our discoveries and collaborate on storytelling. Opportunities include exclusive interviews with scientists, joining an expedition, early access to discoveries, high-resolution media assets, and collaboration on science-focused projects.
The mission of the Ocean Census is to accelerate the discovery of ocean life to advance fundamental science, empower conservation and fuel innovation to sustain and advance life on Earth.
The Census is jointly undertaken by the Ocean Census Alliance – uniting national and philanthropic marine institutes, museums and universities, backed by governments, philanthropy, business and civil society partners.
The Ocean Census Alliance is a growing network of scientists, governments, marine institutes, museums, philanthropy, technology, media and civil society partners working together to accelerate species discovery.
The Ocean Census Secretariat coordinates Alliance activities, managing and funding core programmes including expeditions, the Science Network, Species Discovery Workshops and Awards and the Biodiversity Data Platform.
This FAQ section answers common questions about the Ocean Census, our research, expeditions, and the impact of species discovery. If you don’t find what you're looking for, feel free to get in touch.
Be part of the world’s largest effort to discover and document ocean life. At the Ocean Census, we bring together scientists, explorers, technologists, and communicators to accelerate species discovery and expand global biodiversity knowledge.
For general inquiries, partnership opportunities, or media requests, contact us, and a member of our team will get back to you.
Join the Ocean Census and reimagine discovery - fast, open, collaborative, equitable and at scale.
Uniting scientists from over 500 marine institutes to power the Census and scale species discovery – through expeditions, Species Discovery Workshops and Awards and give voice to the Census.
Enabling the Census to operate at scale – leading and participating in expeditions, workshops, unlocking legacy collections, data publishing, advancing related biodiversity research, and policy and public engagement.
Drawing on Ocean Census species data to underpin national and international climate, biodiversity, and development strategies and commitments – whilst helping to scale the Census through directing national research institutes, resources and capacity to participate in and contribute to the global programme.
Underpinning the Census, scaling species discovery in priority areas and advancing science, capacity development, policy implementation, innovation and ocean protection at national and global scales.
From data to sequencing, from marine operations to imaging, from finance to media, businesses deploy their skills, resources and brand power – serving to speed up, scale up and increase the impact of our mission – to discover ocean life.
Turning scientific discoveries from the Census into planetary action – and galvanise national and international programs to protect biodiversity, strengthen capacity and inspire public and policy engagement and action.
The Ocean Census Science Network is a worldwide community of marine biologists, taxonomists, geneticists, ecologists, and conservationists working together to accelerate species discovery and expand our knowledge of ocean life.
Gain access to expeditions, Discovery Workshops, research funding, training, and a global community of scientists working to uncover the ocean’s hidden biodiversity.
Supporting exceptional taxonomists, biodiversity, and community scientists in marine species discovery. These awards focus on advancing research, particularly from legacy collections, to uncover new marine species from specimens stored in museums and research institutes.
Uniting taxonomists, geneticists, marine biologists, and ecologists to identify, classify, and describe new marine species. Using high-resolution imaging, genetic barcoding, and sequencing, these workshops accelerate discovery while sharing knowledge and co-developing scalable techniques across the programme.
Register an ocean species with the Ocean Census to ensure your discovery is documented and contributes to global marine biodiversity records.
The Ocean Census Resources Hub provides access to scientific publications, expedition reports, scientific data handling guidelines, and policy insights.
The Ocean Census Expeditions are unlocking the secrets of marine biodiversity, travelling to some of the most unexplored and biologically rich regions of the ocean.
The 20-day JAMSTEC Shinkai expedition explores Japan's deep-sea ecosystems to discover new marine species, led by JAMSTEC and The Ocean Census team.
Our expeditions are made possible through global partnerships with scientists, research institutions, governments, and funders. Explore all expeditions as we work together to accelerate marine species discovery.
The Ocean Census Expedition Awards provide support to taxonomists, biodiversity and community scientists who wish to take part in an existing expedition onboard a research vessel.
Explore some of the remarkable species uncovered by the Ocean Census Science Network, and access the full database of discoveries through the Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform.
Register an ocean species with the Ocean Census to ensure your discovery is documented and contributes to global marine biodiversity records.
Our hub for the latest discoveries, stories, and insights from the Ocean Census. Explore our latest news, in-depth features, videos, press releases, and exclusive media content showcasing our groundbreaking research and expeditions. Stay informed and inspired as we uncover the unknown depths of our ocean.
Stay up to date with the newest discoveries, breakthroughs, and updates from the world’s largest mission to explore ocean life. Explore press releases, announcements, and key developments as we accelerate the discovery and documentation of marine species worldwide.
Dive into our latest expedition updates and behind-the-scenes insights into how the Ocean Census is accelerating marine species discovery. Explore exclusive footage, expert interviews, and in-depth features showcasing the technology, science, and people driving our mission.
Explore our latest scientific reports, research papers, and expert insights on marine species discovery. Dive into in-depth analyses, expedition findings, and groundbreaking studies that advance our understanding of ocean life.
We invite journalists, filmmakers, and media professionals to cover our discoveries and collaborate on storytelling. Opportunities include exclusive interviews with scientists, joining an expedition, early access to discoveries, high-resolution media assets, and collaboration on science-focused projects.
The Ocean Census is a global mission to discover, document and share the diversity of life in our ocean — before it’s lost.
We are an Alliance of scientists, governments, marine research institutes, museums, philanthropy, technology, media and civil society partners.
Join scientists from institutions worldwide who are pioneering a new era of marine research. The Ocean Census is accelerating species discovery through global collaboration, advanced technology, and open-access data.
Together, we are tackling one of the greatest scientific challenges of our time—discovering and documenting the life that makes our planet possible.
Analyse specimens, participate in Discovery Workshops, or help classify newly collected marine species.
To participate in expeditions, advance species discovery from legacy collections and promote discoveries at science, ocean or public events.
The Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform supports the scientific publication and open access of species discovery data for policy, science, civil society and the public. Image credit: Parson Kings.
Connect with leading marine biologists, taxonomists, and research institutions worldwide to collaborate on species discovery initiatives.
Contribute your discoveries to the Census and become part of the global scientific record, supporting conservation and biodiversity strategies.
Help amplify the mission by presenting research, sharing discoveries, and engaging with the global scientific community.
Gain priority access to cutting-edge biodiversity research and partner with leading scientists, taxonomists and institutions
Apply for Species Discovery Awards to support taxonomy, field research, and species descriptions.
Expedite the species description process, with open-access data supporting conservation and global policy.
The Ocean Census Species Discovery Awards provide direct funding to taxonomists and marine researchers to support species identification, classification, and description. These awards aim to:
“Receiving a Species Discovery Award has provided the opportunity to work with a broad range of Solenogastres collected from different environments and depths, building a robust dataset. This baseline data will help us better understand species distribution and diversity.”
The beta version, developed in partnership with the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, is now accessible to researchers and the public alike. The platform is still in development and more features will be added including visualisation and data analysis tools. We invite you to test the beta version and send feedback to science@oceancensus.org.
Access peer-reviewed studies, taxonomic descriptions, and species discovery reports from Ocean Census and its global network of researchers.
Get the latest research updates, discoveries, and funding opportunities. To access exclusive content, join the Science Network.
Learn how species discoveries contribute to marine protection, climate resilience, and global biodiversity policies.
The Ocean Census collects and manages scientific data through standardised protocols to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and global collaboration in marine biodiversity research.
Explore findings from Ocean Census expeditions, featuring newly discovered species, ecological insights, and research methodologies.
Explore findings from Ocean Census workshops, featuring newly discovered species, ecological insights, and research methodologies.
An Alliance of scientists, governments, marine research institutes, museums, philanthropy, technology, media and civil society partners.
