Wild Oceans
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Our Mission

Our mission is to keep the oceans wild to achieve a vibrant future for fishing by building coalitions and engaging in marine fisheries management using science, law, and ecosystem-based solutions.

Wild Oceans, formerly the National Coalition for Marine Conservation (NCMC), was founded by anglers in 1973. Like the sportsmen who pioneered wildlife conservation on land, we are passionate protectors of fish and the wild world we share.

We bring conservation-minded fishermen and other ocean advocates together to promote an ecosystems approach to fisheries management, one that reflects our expanding concern for all marine life and the future of fishing.

Our programs focus on the ocean’s top predators, the billfish, swordfish, tunas, and sharks that are the lions, tigers and wolves of the sea. We also work to preserve the healthy food webs and critical habitats that all fish, marine mammals, and seabirds need to survive.

So much of what we love about the sea, and about fishing, is in its wildness. That wild world, and the future of fishing, now hangs in the balance. Every decision we make must be guided by a clear vision of the future we want for our oceans, and of how the fishing public and responsible consumers fit into it.

“Conservation is a gift to my children and theirs.”Tim Choate
A small fishing boat at anchor at sunrise, with seabirds along the shore

Our Vision

Keeping the oceans wild for the future of fishing

Core Values

The “Wild Oceans Way” has been honed for over five decades. These values guide our day-to-day decisions and how we engage with others.

  • A school of snapper swimming in blue water

    Science-Based

    Sound science is the basis of all our input and every initiative we pursue.

  • A sailfish swimming just below the surface

    Integrity

    With allies and adversaries alike, we act with the utmost integrity and hold to strong moral and ethical principles.

  • Volunteers releasing sea turtle hatchlings onto a beach

    Perseverance

    Many of the challenges we take on are complex and can take years to resolve. We stick with an issue until we see it through.

  • An angler casting from a beach

    Passion & Respect

    Our passion and respect for the oceans and their inhabitants fuel everything we do.