Reimagining Discovery
Reimagining Discovery
The Ocean Census is reimagining the discovery of ocean life from declining, slow, siloed and under-resourced to fast, open, collaborative and planetary at scale.
of Ocean
Species Remain Undiscovered
The Ocean Census is reimagining discovery from declining, slow, siloed and under-resourced to fast, open, collaborative and planetary at scale.
The 10-year programme is endorsed as a
major Programme of
the United Nations
Ocean Decade
Why
it
matters
Earth is the only known place in the Universe where there is complex biology. Ocean life has evolved over four billion years and is our planet’s superpower making all life on Earth possible – giving us our atmosphere, regulating our climate, feeding us and providing cures for our diseases.
Currently, over 90% of ocean species remain undiscovered, far less is protected and much is under threat.
Accelerating the discovery of ocean life advances fundamental ocean science, empowers marine conservation and fuels innovation.
To understand life, sustain and protect it, we must first discover it.
#everydiscoverycounts
Join the census
The Ocean Census is undertaken by the Ocean Census Alliance, uniting national and philanthropic marine institutes, museums, universities and scientists, and backed by governments, philanthropy, business and civil society partners.
Join science network
Participate in expeditions, attend discovery workshops, and apply for funding through our awards.
Join the Alliance
Help scale species discovery through participating in the Census or providing funding, resources or in-kind support.
Register your species
Contribute to the global record by registering newly discovered marine species through the Ocean Census.
THE CENSUS IN ACTION
Expeditions
Our expeditions explore some of the ocean’s most under-surveyed, biodiverse and ecological regions. They focus on collecting specimens for scientific analysis and contribute vital data to the global marine species record. Click a location to learn more about each mission.
Species Discovery Workshops
These workshops unite taxonomists around the world to identify and catalogue marine species, using specimens collected from expeditions and museum collections. Select a workshop location to explore its outcomes.
Spotlight Discovery:
Isopod
Found
Discovered during the South Sandwich Islands expedition (2025)
Interesting fact
New isopod found by the ROV SuBastian at 3533 metres at the Ridge North dive site.
Spotlight Discovery:
Sea Pen
Found
Discovered during the South Sandwich Islands expedition (2025)
Interesting fact
New Sea pen found by the ROV SuBastian at 805 metres at the Mystery Ridge dive site.
Spotlight Discovery:
SCALE WORM
Found
Discovered during the South Sandwich Islands expedition (2025)
Interesting fact
New Scale Worm found by the ROV SuBastian at 726 metres in the Southern Ocean.
Expedition
Spotlight
Coral Sea, Australia
10 OCT – 14th NOV 2025
The Ocean Census joined forces with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) for a 35-day expedition, on CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator, to investigate benthic marine life in the southern and eastern Coral Sea Marine Park.
News
Join the census
The Ocean Census Alliance unites national and philanthropic marine institutes, museums, and universities, backed by governments, philanthropy, business and civil society partners.
