Life on Earth depends on our oceans, and they need your help. Our marine conservation projects provide the opportunity to experience the world beneath the waves while protecting and preserving our planet.
As an ocean conservation volunteer with Projects Abroad, you’ll play a vital role in the protection of our marine life. Whether you’re a turtle lover, shark enthusiast, or whale watcher, grab your diving gear and make a splash with our marine conservation projects.
You could:
- protect and monitor shark populations off the coast of Fiji
- care for and release turtle hatchlings in Mexico and Sri Lanka
- swim through and survey tropical coral reefs in Thailand
- census and watch whale (and puma) populations in Patagonia
If you’re more interested in life on land than below the waterline, take a look at our wildlife conservation volunteering opportunities instead!
Find out more about a marine conservation project
1-3 of 9 Projects
Diving & Coral Reef Protection in Thailand
See this project- Price: €2,840 for 2 weeks
- Extra Weeks: €765
- Start Date: Completely flexible dates
- Minimum Duration: 2 weeks
- Age: 16 or over
Shark Conservation Volunteering in Fiji
See this project- Price: €3,285 for 2 weeks
- Extra Weeks: €515
- Start Date: Completely flexible dates
- Minimum Duration: 2 weeks
- Age: 16 or over
Whale and Puma Conservation in Patagonia, Argentina
See this project- Price: €2,620 for 1 week
- Extra Weeks: €465
- Start Date: Completely flexible dates
- Minimum Duration: 1 week
- Age: 16 or over
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What does a marine conservation volunteer do?
You’ll work with and learn from marine biologists, environmental scientists, and local community leaders who are dedicated to saving our oceans. Take part in real research and carry out crucial tasks that have a real impact on your project.
You will also develop important skills which may be useful for your career. For example, many of our marine conservation volunteering projects include Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Diving Course training. Plus, every project will help you improve your soft skills, such as communication, time management, and independence.
Our job is to ensure you find the right project for you and your passion for marine conservation. Read more about our best marine conservation volunteering opportunities on our blog!
Who is this for?
Our marine conservation volunteering projects are ideal for you if you love marine life, swimming, or open-water diving. You’ll learn new skills and get your hands dirty (or should we say “wet”) while you contribute to real and impactful conservation efforts. You won’t need any previous experience, just enthusiasm and the ability to swim at least 200 metres without help.
Our marine conservation volunteer opportunities give you the chance to learn from local experts and pick up vital marine conservation skills. You’ll be making a positive impact for endangered marine animals, including sea turtles, sharks, or coral reefs, and more.
Looking to kickstart a career in Marine Conservation? Read our blog on Marine Conservation internships that'll give you practical experience above and below the waves. It'll give you the opportunity to stand out and get ahead of the competition.
"As a scientist-in-training I was most impressed with all of the science underlying the project and how willing the staff was to share their knowledge. I was able to see science in action as well as conservation efforts making their way up the chain to actually change environmental policy." — Christina C, Shark Conservation in Fiji
What will I gain from marine conservation volunteering abroad?
Besides having a positive impact on the environment and local community, you’ll also develop some of your own skills as a marine conservation volunteer.
These are some of the skills you will develop through ocean conservation:
- Soft skills like teamwork, communication, leadership, resilience, organisation, planning, and time management
- Work experience and knowledge of practical marine conservation and environmental sciences
- PADI Open Water and Scuba Diving certificates, including the chance to become a Divemaster on some projects
- Confidence from pushing past your comfort zone
All of the above will enhance your CV, university applications, and your personal development.
Get a Diploma in International Volunteering alongside your project
When you undertake volunteer work in marine conservation, you can also sign up for our Diploma in International Volunteering.
This offers a Marine Conservation specialisation that draws on your volunteer experience. Completing the diploma alongside volunteer work, you’ll gain academic credit to support your university application.
"We had some incredible days there, collecting data underwater, planting seaweed, doing beach clean-ups, and drinking lots of coconut water. We did several surveys on lobsters, conch shells, sea grass, and SPAGS diving and entered our data into the official databases, making it possible to track and observe the health of the reef.” — Michelle P, Marine Conservation volunteer
Why is marine conservation volunteering important?
Our oceans face countless issues, such as overfishing, plastic pollution, and global warming. This means that the threat to already endangered marine life is always rising unless we do something.
Doing volunteer work in marine conservation helps remove plastic from our oceans, prevent poachers from harming endangered creatures, and monitor at-risk species. You could make a real difference by getting involved.
How are our marine conservation projects different?
At Projects Abroad, our first aim is to protect marine life and benefit the local communities through our Marine Conservation Projects. We make sure our projects are ethical and support growth in the local environment.
Here are some of the elements that set us apart from other volunteering programmes:
Be fully supported by staff
On these projects you’ll work alongside professionals, members of the local community, and Projects Abroad staff. You’ll team up with a wider network of volunteers, all working together for shark, coral reef, and sea turtle conservation.
Our staff will be there to support you throughout your project with us, no matter your needs.
Projects that have an impact
All our projects are well researched, targeted, and sustainable. We aim to make a significant difference to the communities and marine life we work with. Even if you only do marine conservation volunteering work for two weeks, you are contributing to the wider effort of every volunteer who has been before you.
Read our Impact Report for more information, broken down by year.
"My dive instructor was fantastic, as well as the entire Projects Abroad Thailand team. They always made me feel 100% comfortable at all times, in and out of the water. I do not have enough positive things to say about all of the staff – the boat staff, dive masters, project leaders and manager were all welcoming, happy to explain and answer all of my questions about the project and conservation, accommodate any requests or feedback from volunteers and ultimately help the whole team have an amazing time." — Mikayla M, Marine Conservation in Thailand
Our Animal Protection Policy
We take protecting the animals and wildlife we work with very seriously. That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive Animal Protection Policy which guides all our animal volunteer work abroad.
Next Steps
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Take a look at the following pages where you'll find collections of similar projects:
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