The Ocean Solutions Fund supports experiments that seek to better understand and/or improve the health of our world's ocean.
Science Leads: Katy Croff Bell, David Lang, Eric Stackpole
Humpback whales were once wrongly considered solitary. However, recent research has shown that they can...
In a first for the island, a locally-led initiative will survey Montserrat's marine environment, to identify...
Since 2014, more than 96% of bull kelp in Northern California has been lost due to a combination of stressors...
How significant an impact do keystone shark species have on fisheries? We’re still in the dark because we...
The best sensor is the one you’re already wearing. Smartwatches contain sensors already used by scientists...
We are launching a multi-year expedition to film a colossal squid in the deep sea for the first time off...
The deep sea is recognized as a hotspot for microplastic accumulation. While we are beginning to understand...
Protecting the ocean's biodiversity is essential for the health of the planet and communities. Marine Protected...
Koh Phangan is situated in the Surat Thani Environmental Protected Area, a region of diverse marine wildlife...
The Manta Bowl is a seamount located within the second largest protected seascape in the Philippines. Due...
The deep sea is enriched with metals and amazing life forms. Electroactive microbes can get energy from...
Corals Reefs are threatened by warming oceans and acidification, both of which are direct consequences of...
Direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 is a technology for low-cost and scalable carbon dioxide removal (CDR...
Oysters are critical members of our coast, but today they live in more acidic environs thanks to increasing...
Costa Rica lacks extended time series of oceanographic data. To address this issue, our goal is to deploy...
Information about Haiti’s sea turtle nesting is limited as sea turtles are targeted along the entire coastline...
Measuring carbon dioxide parameters in seawater is crucial for understanding the impacts carbon dioxide...
Shallow volcanic seamounts can be hotspots for thriving marine ecosystems. Sabrina volcano, Azores, is a...
Cape Cormorants and Cape Gannets are Endangered seabirds that primarily feed on sardine and anchovy . Although...
A new molecular tool that identifies marine species from genetic material in water—“environmental DNA...
Many research and conservation efforts are dedicated to managing species like salmon, and these often try...
The timing when corals release their eggs and sperm to reproduce is an extremely complex topic. However...
This study examines the effects of consuming only algae as a dietary source for a month. The subject, a...
The urgency of climate change and record-high diesel fuel prices are motivating commercial fishermen to...
Following the discovery of extensive deep-water marine forests made up of rare tropical kelp species in...
Many fish produce sounds that could be used to monitor them non-intrusively over long periods of time...
Marine biodiversity protection credits have the potential to contribute to conserving 30% of the world's...
Blue sharks (Prionace glauca) are the most commonly caught species of shark globally. They are usually caught...
Yellow tang are vital to Hawaii’s reef ecosystems, but wild populations have been drastically declining...
Austria’s Lake Altaussee is a remote Alpine lake. A long duration heat budget study here will evaluate physical...
HAB (harmful algal bloom/red tide) is a public health concern. Here, we are interested in the interaction...
Plastics have revolutionized material science engineering. However, the use of plastic has had unintended...
Native mullets (ʻamaʻama) are vital to Hawaiian aquaculture. In Kāne‘ohe Bay, yearly recruit abundance is...
The Critically Endangered Largetooth Sawfish is one of the most threatened of all marine fishes. They have...
It has been suggested that diatoms and other ocean biologics are transported to the atmosphere when waves...
Trinidad and Tobago is home to many species of skates and rays but exactly how many and their locations...
Great hammerhead sharks were recently assessed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Our research...
At Orcasound, we use underwater microphones (hydrophones) to monitor and conserve the endangered orcas that...
We aim to provide the first report of microplastic presence (or absence) in deepwater corals. Deepwater...
Our team is developing a microplastic removal machine to filter and strain contaminated sand effectively...
Sharks use solutes, such as urea, to prevent cellular water loss. While the mechanisms of urea retention...
Urgent action is needed to protect coral reefs in the face of a changing climate. In Hawaiʻi, outflow from...
Nearshore deepwater fisheries are expanding in the Caribbean as coastal fisheries decline. Because deepwater...
Seals are important indicators for the health of our oceans, but it is often difficult to monitor their...
This project combines AI, high-resolution cameras, and existing manta behavior research to test a program...
During Somalia’s 30-year-long civil war, my country lost many of our marine scientists. Now, Somalia lacks...
The deep sea makes up more than 90% of our ocean yet receives little attention due to poor access to technology...
Corals reefs are a major cornerstone of marine life and the economy. They are declining rapidly and scientists...
Agricultural soils in The Gambia, West Africa, are highly acidic, which greatly reduces plant growth and...
Microplastic analysis is a very time-consuming procedure while smaller-sized plastics (<300 microns...
All 5 sea turtle species in T&T are considered globally Threatened by the IUCN. Effective conservation...
Natural Oyster abundance in Rhode Island has been declining and is in need of a restoration plan. In collaboration...
Halophila hawaiiana is a Native Hawaiian seagrass that creates a habitat relied on by many organisms. H...
Marine phytoplankton activity is abundant at a global scale and play a major role in the carbon cycle. However...
In response to the climate crisis and fears of food insecurity, regenerative kelp farming is emerging as...
The coast of Santa Catarina represents 7% of the Brazilian coast and contains 6 areas relevant to conservation...
Seagrass meadows are vital for the health of the ocean because of their ability to absorb carbon from the...
Edible seaweeds provide a sustainable source of healthy food and ecosystem services, including habitat for...
A message from David Lang and Eric Stackpole:
Ten years ago, in the early days of our OpenROV project, we were two people with an ambitious idea to transform ocean exploration with an open-source, low-cost remotely-operated vehicle (ROV). Many experts told us it couldn't be done — we were being too optimistic and idealistic. Luckily we found support through an engaged community and a crowdfunding project that helped jumpstart the project. We also were incredibly fortunate to get a small grant that nudged us up to the starting line. Now we want to pay that forward.
A message from Dr. Katy Croff Bell:
I founded Ocean Discovery League on the premise that we need to engage the entire world in ocean exploration if we’re going to accelerate discoveries beyond the very small percentage that we’ve actually seen. We will need innovative and creative solutions from all across the globe. Our mission is to accelerate ocean exploration by developing accessible systems to broaden the community of those who explore and understand the deep sea. The deep-sea covers two-thirds of our planet, yet over 99% remains unexplored because present-day ocean exploration is exclusive, expensive, and slow. We aim to create equity in ocean exploration by co-designing accessible, low-cost opportunities and systems for ocean explorers worldwide. This will dramatically increase and accelerate our ability to observe, manage, and protect the ocean, resulting in humankind thriving on earth now and in the future.
We’re looking for proposals for innovative and creative solutions for low-cost, easy-to-use ocean data collection systems, data analysis, deployment, and other replicable solutions.
We will back each project up to $10,000/project (you can raise more from the crowd, too). The funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The sooner you fill out a project application the better (use the "start a project" link below).
Bold ideas and questions are encouraged to apply. We're biased towards projects that come from genuine curiosity and passion, less by projects that are seeking citations and status. Reach out if you have any questions. Better yet: start and submit your project!