Who We Are

Marine conservation and climate action in partnership with Indigenous and coastal communities.

Unprecedented environmental changes are taking place in northern marine ecosystems, and the effects are being felt everywhere. Oceans North is a Canadian charity that supports marine conservation and climate action in the face of these changes, working across the Arctic, Atlantic Canada, Greenland and the high seas. We partner with Indigenous and coastal communities to create lasting benefits for people and the environment.

We work to actively address environmental changes, knowing the work goes beyond maps and plans: entire ecosystems and cultures depend on the health of oceans. To achieve meaningful, durable change, Indigenous peoples must be the leading stewards and caretakers of their waters and homelands.

Our organization believes in protecting nature for people, not from them. Much of our work takes place in Indigenous territories. We follow frameworks of Indigenous knowledge, rights and consultation. We work to empower treaties and strengthen Indigenous institutions and communities. Investing in people and science is the foundation of our approach: we connect partners, disciplines and perspectives from around the world and pursue knowledge-driven solutions to the most pressing conservation and ocean-climate challenges.

Our work takes us to the Arctic, the North Atlantic, and across international borders. Our goal is a healthy ocean that supports the well-being of people, communities, and the environment for generations to come.

Take a look at our Arctic Marine Atlas to go in-depth on the landscape of our northern work. Learn about the marine mammals, seabirds, fish and other wildlife that thrive in northern waters—and the importance of a healthy ecosystem for the people who live there.