The Ocean Census Year 3 Impact Report

“This year, the Ocean Census has shown what is possible when ambition, partnership and science come together...More than a thousand new marine species discovered in a single year is not just a scientific achievement – it is a reminder of how much there still is to know, and why discovery matters now.”
– Mitsuyuku Unno, Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation

The Ocean Census, founded by The Nippon Foundation and Nekton in 2023, is the world’s largest program of ocean species discovery. Following the foundational milestones of our first two years, the Ocean Census Year 3 Impact Report details the programme’s progress from April 2025 to March 2026 – a year defined by unprecedented acceleration and scale.

Highlights from our third year include:

• Discovery at Speed: Scientists from the global Science Network documented 1,121 previously unknown species—increasing annual marine identification rates by 54%.
• Global Collaboration: An expanded network of 1,433 scientists from 660 institutions across 85 countries 
• Decentralised Discovery: Mobilised to complete 13 flagship, partner, participant, and awardee expeditions alongside 9 specialised Species Discovery Workshops held worldwide.
• Knowledge for Action: Year 3 marked the official deployment of Ocean Census NOVA, our newly transformed open access data platform.
• Investments in Taxonomy: We fast-tracked species descriptions by awarding 25 Species Discovery Awards to outstanding taxonomists, helping bring 728 newly discovered species to light from recent expeditions and legacy backlogs.

Having robustly proven that our science-driven exploration model works at speed and scale, the Ocean Census is focused on applying this method at a planetary level to safeguard marine life before it is lost. Our forward-looking priorities focus on:

• Scaling Up Global Discovery: Actively seeking $100M in catalytic capital via co-founder Nekton to unlock more than $75M+ already pledged by global partners, driving resources directly toward our ultimate ambition of discovering 100,000 new marine species.
• Acceleration: Harnessing deep-sea sampling technologies through world-class vessels, such as partnerships with organisation such as Earth Sciences New Zealand and Schmidt Ocean Institute.
• Global Impact: Supporting the translation of high-quality scientific data directly into international policy, providing the vital foundational science required to back major frameworks like the High Seas ‘BBNJ’ Treaty and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

With special thanks to the Ocean Census Alliance partners and participating marine scientists from the Science Network, and founding partners The Nippon Foundation and Nekton.