Deadline: Ongoing
Nominations for the Blue Marine Foundation Ocean Awards 2023 are now open. The Ocean Awards recognise individuals, community groups, organisations and businesses that have made significant contributions to the health of the marine environment, to the sustainable management of marine resources, or to public engagement with the oceans and seas during the qualifying period.
Awards are made in the following categories:
- Local Hero: This award recognises the individual or (grassroots / community-based / local) group that has had the most positive impact on the marine environment within their local community this year. The winner will be a recognised leader on marine conservation issues within their community. Special attention will be paid to those working in an unfavourable environment or circumstances.
- Science: This award recognises the individual or research team that has made an original scientific contribution about the ocean this year.
- Innovation: This award recognises the individual, company or group that has this year publicly introduced innovative measures for reducing stress on the oceans or for improving ocean health; such measures might include business operations which are not undertaken at the expense of the marine environment or development of promising new technologies that benefit the marine environment.
- Public Awareness: This award recognises the individual or group that has done the most this year to advance marine conservation objectives, including public literacy about marine conservation issues, be it through campaigning and advocacy, the mainstream media, art forms, or educational programmes.
- Lifetime Achievement: This award recognises an individual that has taken the lead on globally significant actions, such as policy or advocacy initiatives, for the benefit of ocean health, over an extended period of time. The winner of this award will have shown consistent leadership and vision on ocean issues, going above and beyond others in their commitment to protecting marine life.
- Young Initiative: This award celebrates and recognises an individual between the ages of 18 and 30 who is at the beginning of their career. He or she will have shown commitment and action within ocean conservation. The winner of this award will have demonstrated promising leadership and vision on ocean issues, be it through campaigning and advocacy, the mainstream media, art forms, or educational programmes.
Benefits
- Press opportunities: The Ocean Awards have attracted some great press coverage over the years and are a fantastic opportunity for the winners to receive exposure for their achievements towards improving the health of the ocean.
- Industry exposure: The Ocean Award judges are a combination of business and conservation experts.
- Professional film: Each of the winners will have a professional film about their achievements made for them by Blue Marine’s expert Media Team.
- Social media exposure: Combined, BOAT and Blue Marine have a large social media following (Instagram: 283,000, Facebook Likes: 97,000 Twitter: 44,000). Each winner will be announced across these social media platforms furthering their exposure.
Eligibility
- Nominees for the Local Hero Award must have initiated a promising effort for the benefit of the ocean within their community, or significantly improved, advanced, or revived an existing effort towards new achievements.
- Nominees for the Science Award must have significantly contributed towards a peer-reviewed publication or study that is directly useful for the benefit of global marine conservation or ocean health.
- Nominees for the Innovation Award must have undertaken activities or commitments to significantly develop or implement products, services, processes, or measures that have – or are likely to have – a positive impact on the health of the marine environment.
- Nominees for the Public Awareness Award must have this year initiated or significantly advanced activities with a demonstrable impact on ocean management or the public understanding or public visibility of an important ocean issue (or issues).
- Nominees for the Lifetime Achievement must have a demonstrable track record of leadership on marine issues. They must either have initiated or taken a lead in influencing a globally significant effort for the benefit of the ocean or seen a significant milestone in a previously initiated effort.
- Nominees for the Young Initiative must have this year shown hard work and determination in their commitment to ocean conservation with a demonstrable impact. They must be able to illustrate how they have shown leadership and implemented their ideas through either a voluntary or professional position.
- The project must have been completed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.
Nomination
Do you know of an individual or organisation that is that is deserved of winning an ocean award? Make sure you recognise their work by nominating them.
For more information, visit Ocean Awards.