Saving the Oceans, One Dive at a Time.

Restoring marine ecosystems, one dive at a time, through action-driven partnerships and hands-on restoration efforts.

Our Mission: The Ocean Conservation Foundation (OCF) is a Florida Keys based 501(c)3) non-profit that is dedicated to the active restoration and protection of marine ecosystems through direct, hands-on initiatives.

Ocean Conservation Foundation aims to advance the restoration of reefs and oceans on which all life depends image

With a focus on tangible impact and efficacy, we deploy professional divers with a “fins in the water, boots on the ground” approach to achieve measurable coral reef rehabilitation. Through our partnership with Rainbow Reef Dive Center, we have access to over 80 dive professionals and a fleet of eight dive vessels that are used to accomplish restoration and debris removal to protect the Florida Keys Reef Tract, the third largest Barrier Reef in the world.

OCF facilitates strategic partnerships with other non-profits, NGOs, dive operators, and government agencies to optimize environmental diving as a tool for both exploration and restoration. OCF is committed to leading innovative efforts that bring together the professional and scientific diving community to safeguard marine life and promote a sustainable future.

Our commitment moves beyond advocacy and education, delivering real-world results in the restoration and protection of ocean environments.

OCF professional dive staff can accomplish exponentially more restoration work than volunteers in the same amount of time image

We hope that you will join us in this effort to restore our healthy oceans so they can be enjoyed by generations to come!

Ocean Conservation Foundation provides:

  • Coral restoration and bleaching seminars or classes on request.

  • Experts that are available for speaking engagements, educational outreach, interviews or general questions. Contact info@oceanconservationfoundation.org.

  • In partnership with Rainbow Reef, OCF Ambassadors engage with divers daily on current ecological issues and events such as coral health, coral restoration and marine debris.

  • For more in-depth information and education, OCF, through Rainbow Reef, provides PADI AWARE® specialty courses and certifications on coral reef awareness, ocean debris removal, and marine species specialty courses covering shark awareness, sea turtle awareness, as well as fish identification.

Join us to save the marine environment!

  • Join us to clean up the ocean with Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys.

  • Contribute to scientific research on fish populations:

    • Join us for a REEF® fish survey.
    • Utilize cameras and lasers to measure fish, in collaboration with REEF® (call for more information or to schedule)

  • Clean coral trees and learn to monitor critically endangered staghorn and elkhorn corals in Coral Restoration Foundation's Tavernier nursery.[ Click for our tour schedule ]

  • Learn about fragmenting corals and how land-based nurseries contribute to reef health with MOTE (group scheduling available with advanced notice).

  • Dive or snorkel into CRF’s Tavernier coral nursery with us on a passive nursery tour with one of our Mission: Iconic Reef Guardians

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