The Ocean

Pristine Seas Expeditions

  • Photo: A black reef grows around a shipwreck

    When the Ship Hits the Reef

    Enric Sala Reveals How Shipwrecks Create "Black Reefs"

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Pristine Seas is an exploration, research, and conservation project that aims to find, survey, and help protect the last healthy, undisturbed places in the ocean. By carefully studying how marine ecosystems work without human interference, we can learn how to help healthy reefs thrive, help unhealthy reefs recover, and better preserve the ocean, which covers more than two-thirds of our planet.

Expeditions

  • Photo: Moai statues

    Salas y Gómez Expedition

    National Geographic, Oceana, and the Chilean Navy, traveled to the remote Salas y Gómez Island, east of Easter Island, Chile, where they surveyed these largely unexplored waters.

  • Photo: Silver tip sharks swimming near Cocos Island

    Cocos Island

    In September 2009, Enric Sala, Sylvia Earle, and a team of scientists gathered in Costa Rica to document the pristine waters of Cocos Island and study the Gemelas Seamounts.

  • Photo: Red snapper

    Southern Line Islands

    This expedition was the first comprehensive study of its kind—to establish a baseline model for healthy coral reefs and devise a blueprint for the conservation of already degraded reefs.

  • Photo: Large coral colony at Kingman Reef

    Northern Line Islands

    Enric Sala and his team took a trip back in time to a pristine ecosystem at Kingman Reef during their expedition to the northern Line Islands.

Pristine Seas Videos

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Ocean Topics

World Oceans Summit


In association with National Geographic, The Economist is hosting the World Oceans Summit to examine the future of the seas and discuss sustainable use of the oceans. Speakers include National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Sylvia Earle and Enric Sala and World Bank President Robert Zoellick, among others. Valued members of the National Geographic Society community receive a 20 percent discount to attend the summit—reserve your place today (select ‘standard rate’ and enter discount code ‘NATGEO’).

Register Today »

Your Ocean

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    For Kids

    Learn about the ocean with activities, photos, and games.

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    Ocean Education

    Bring engaging and important ocean learning to your classroom.

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    Ocean Life

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    Ocean Special Issue

    Explore the world's oceans, from their prehistoric beginnings to modern-day efforts to preserve their natural wonder.

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    Citizens of the Sea

    Dive into astonishing diversity of ocean life from marine scientist Nancy Knowlton and the Census of Marine Life.