Who We Are

Mediterranean Conservation Society aims to be an important part of the global conservation action and supports other current activities. It is not likely that one single organization can save the world so Mediterranean Conservation Society places a lot of importance on any kind of constructive cooperation heading the same vision with AKD Mediterranean Conservation Society, sets ‘number and area of marine protected areas’ as one of its main action areas. The ratio of no take zones in Mediterranean is currently less than 1%. AKD believes that this ratio should be 20% overall Mediterranean to restore the sustainable biological richness of Mediterranean.

Founded in 1989 by two crewmembers of the Greenpeace ship Sirius, Alnitak has run the Mediterranean Top Pelagics Monitoring Programme (MEDTOP) for nearly four decades. This long-running dataset has been critical for tracking IUU fishing and abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) — including the detection of alarming spikes in illegal driftnetting activity. They are currently coordinating project LIFE OASIS across a ten-institution consortium to tackle ALDFG at a basin-wide level.

“Archipelagos – Institute of Marine Conservation” is a Greek non-profit, non-governmental organization combining multidisciplinary scientific research and efficient conservation work with the active participation of local communities since 1998.

Founded in 1996 and based in Al Hoceima, AZIR is a pioneering environmental organization in Morocco’s Rif region. With a mission rooted in ecological, humanitarian, sociological, and cultural values, AZIR works to protect groundwater, rivers, marine ecosystems, and forests while addressing waste management and illegal fishing practices. The organization also promotes environmental education, the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and sustainable development by integrating local knowledge, traditions, and technical expertise. Through strong partnerships with local, administrative, and scientific entities, AZIR fosters community involvement to ensure the sustainability of its initiatives

BLOOM is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 that works to preserve the marine environment and species from unnecessary destruction and to increase social benefits in the fishing sector. BLOOM wages awareness and advocacy campaigns in order to accelerate the adoption of concrete solutions for the ocean, humans and the climate. BLOOM carries out scientific research projects, independent studies and evaluations that highlight crucial and unaddressed issues such as the financing mechanisms of the fishing sector. BLOOM’s actions are meant for the general public as well as policy-makers and economic stakeholders.

Blue Marine Foundation is a charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health by addressing overfishing, one of the world’s biggest environmental problems.

The ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink: by combatting overfishing, we can help life in the ocean perform its vital function of stabilising the Earth’s climate.

ClientEarth is one of the world’s most ambitious environmental organisations. We work in partnership across borders, systems and sectors, using the law to protect life on earth.

We believe that a future in which people and planet thrive together isn’t just possible: it’s essential. We use the power of the law to change the system – informing, implementing and enforcing the law, advising decision-makers on policy and training legal and judicial professionals.

Ecologistas en Acción es una confederación de más de 300 grupos ecologistas distribuidos por pueblos y ciudades. Forma parte del llamado ecologismo social, que entiende que los problemas medioambientales tienen su origen en un modelo de producción y consumo cada vez más globalizado, del que derivan también otros problemas sociales, y que hay que transformar si se quiere evitar la crisis ecológica.

Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation established in 2009 and based in Cyprus dedicated to the protection and sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems in the Eastern Mediterranean. Through interdisciplinary research, policy advocacy, education, and community engagement, the organisation works to promote science-based conservation solutions and support sustainable livelihoods connected to the marine environment.

Since its establishment, Enalia Physis has developed extensive expertise in marine conservation, fisheries management, marine litter, and stakeholder engagement with coastal communities. The organisation collaborates closely with national authorities, universities, fishers, and international organisations to advance evidence-based policy and practical conservation actions. Particular emphasis is placed on supporting the sustainability and resilience of small-scale fisheries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Through its work, Enalia Physis contributes to regional and European policy discussions on fisheries governance, marine conservation, and the sustainable use of marine resources, ensuring that scientific knowledge and the perspectives of coastal communities inform policy processes.

‍

FishAct is a conservation movement of volunteers from all over Europe with the aim of preserving healthy oceans full of life.

The voluntary fisheries observers, the Citizen Inspectors, go on undercover missions documenting and exposing illegal fishing activities in European fishing ports, markets and coastal areas. Over the years FishAct has run various investigations into illegal fishing activities in both the Baltic and Mediterranean Sea. Field research included e.g. monitoring of illegal bluefin tuna fishing in Croatia, tracking of illegal driftnet use in the Tyrrhenian Sea, dynamite fishing off Tunisia and deep-sea shark fishing and finning in Morocco.

Our purpose is to create and publicly share knowledge about human activity at sea to enable fair and sustainable use of our ocean.

We use cutting-edge technology to turn big data into actionable information. We believe human activity at sea should be common knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean for the good of all.

IndyACT is a campaigning organization working on a number of environmental and social issues, including climate change, green economy, circular economy, marine protected areas, and biodiversity conservation. Since its establishment in 2007, IndyACT has campaigned on the establishment of MPA networks. In 2023, it initiated the 30x30 MPA Network campaign, to mainstream the concept of no-take zones as a fisheries management tool in the Middle East and North Africa, with the aim to fully protect 30% of the marine areas in the region.

iSea is an Environmental Organisation founded in 2016 in Thessaloniki, Greece, for the preservation of the aquatic ecosystems. Our vision is a healthy Mediterranean Sea supporting sustainable development and resilience of local coastal communities, based on the values of collaboration, transparency, scientificity and equity. Through scientific research, advocacy, awareness raising, Citizen Science and innovation it implements actions in 4 pillars: 1) Aquatic litter, 2) Human & aquatic ecosystems, 3) Marine Protected Areas and 4) Vulnerable species

Marevivo is a non-profit environmental association (ONLUS) that protects the sea and its resources from over 35 years. In particular we focus on biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, enhancement and promotion of marine protected areas, pollution and illegal fishing. We promote education in schools and universities.

Committed to the future of the Balearics

We are a foundation dedicated to the conservation of the Balearic Sea and coast and we believe that healthy marine ecosystems can be reconciled with economic prosperity. Our core costs are covered by Adessium Foundation so every euro donated to Marilles supports live projects directly linked to the conservation of the Balearics.

We are a group of senior marine campaigners and NGOs  that  jointly  worked to promote an ambitious reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). We  coordinated the coalition OCEAN2012 in Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy and Spain (ocean2012.eu), which helped securing the CFP main objective of  stopping overfishing by 2020.

As part of this effort we activated and led national NGOs platforms, joining forces with those who were not part of OCEAN2012, such as Greenpeace and WWF.

MEDSEA (Mediterranean Sea and Coast Foundation), based in Cagliari, is a non-profit foundation focused on protecting and restoring Mediterranean marine and coastal ecosystems. Accredited by UNEP, it works to halt biodiversity loss, drive ecological transition, and support climate adaptation through nature-based solutions.

The foundation leads and contributes to multiple EU-funded projects across the Mediterranean, alongside large-scale campaigns such as “A Sea Forest to Save the Planet,” focused on seagrass restoration. Its work also includes circular economy initiatives from the sea and governance actions for wetlands to address climate change.

Since its founding, MEDSEA has partnered with hundreds of organizations in over 12 Mediterranean countries on coastal management, wetland protection, biodiversity conservation, and circular economy initiatives.

‍

Notre Grand Bleu is an NGO established in 2012 and based in Monastir, Tunisia. Its vision is to protect the marine environment by raising awareness among schoolchildren and high school students about the importance of safeguarding biodiversity.

Oceana was established by a group of leading foundations — The Pew Charitable Trusts, Oak Foundation, Marisla Foundation (formerly Homeland Foundation), Sandler Foundation, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund — after a 1999 study they commissioned discovered that less than 0.5 percent of all resources spent by environmental nonprofit groups in the United States went to ocean advocacy.

PADI AWARE Foundation is a publicly funded non-profit with three registered charities across the globe. Our mission is to drive local action for global ocean conservation. We advance our mission through citizen science, public policy and community grants. With PADI® – the world’s leading scuba diver training organization – we drive towards our collective vision to achieve balance between humanity and the ocean.

Our team of experienced marine scientists and divers work closely with local authorities and stakeholders to create an effectively managed network of Marine Protected Areas around the Balearic Islands, allowing marine ecosystems to recover and thrive together with prospering local communities and industries.

Seas At Risk is an association of environmental organisations from across Europe, working together to ensure that life in our seas and oceans is abundant, diverse, climate resilient, and not threatened by human activities. Its mission is to promote ambitious policies for marine protection at European and international level. With over 30 members representing the majority of European countries, Seas At Risk speaks for millions of citizens that care deeply about the health and well-being of seas and oceans.

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.

Founded in the U.S. through grassroots action in 1951, The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and over 400 scientists, we impact conservation in 72 countries and territories: 38 by direct conservation impact and 34 through partners.

Worldrise is a non-profit organization that has been working for over a decade to effectively conserve the Italian seas.

A team of Ocean Positive People, fostering positive change that (re)connects people to the sea, raises awareness about the ocean’s importance, and translates into collective commitment to its preservation.

Worldrise protects biodiversity by creating Seaty, local marine conservation areas, and by amplifying the action of Marine Protected Areas. The NGO uses art as a powerful communication tool and empowers the future stewards of the Mediterranean’s natural heritage. Through many different projects and supporters, Worldrise promotes the effective protection of at least 30% of the Italian seas by 2030.