About the Ocean Conservation Trust
Who are the Ocean Conservation Trust?
The Ocean Conservation Trust (OCT) is a charity centred around people and positive action for our Ocean. It brings together communities to drive positive behaviour change and practical habitat restoration to protect and celebrate our shared blue spaces. Their work in Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and further afield shows why this remarkable seascape deserves to be enjoyed and cared for by everyone.
The OCT owns and operates the National Marine Aquarium, the UK’s conservation charitable aquarium, right on the edge of the UK’s first National Marine Park. Each year it connects millions of visitors with life beneath the waves and shines a light on the wonders of the Ocean and marine conservation.
OCT is a world leader in Ocean literacy, with their Think Ocean challenge being a UN endorsed Ocean Decade Action, which encourages everyone to get involved and think about the Ocean in their everyday decisions and behaviours.
Their award-winning Learning team also support Plymouth Sound National Marine Park through programmes like Sea in your School and Meet the Marine Park, bringing the Sound into classrooms, city spaces and communities across Plymouth.
Project highlight
Sea In Our School
Sea In Our School brings Plymouth Sound into the classroom, helping pupils explore the ocean on their doorstep. Through hands on sessions, local stories and outdoor experiences, children build confidence, curiosity and a stronger connection to the sea. The programme supports teachers with engaging resources linked to the curriculum, making learning relevant and inspiring. It is a simple way for schools to enrich lessons, spark interest in the natural world and help young people feel proud of where they live.
Meet the Marine Park
Meet the Marine Park brings Plymouth Sound to life through guided experiences, activities and events across the city. It is a chance to explore the National Marine Park, discover its wildlife and hear the stories that shape it. Open to all ages, the programme helps people feel welcome, try something new and see the sea in a different way. It is an easy way to get involved, learn more and build a lasting connection with Plymouth Sound.
Alongside inspiring people, the OCT restores important habitats such as the seagrass meadows across the UK and particularly on our coastline of Plymouth Sound. These vital ecosystems boost biodiversity, store carbon and support healthier seas for the benefit of everyone. Through the Horizons project, as an Anchor Point of the National Marine Park, the Ocean Conservation Trust blends education, science and hands-on exciting experiences to turn curiosity into care and care into Ocean action.