Communities worldwide will benefit from a £14 million funding boost from the UK to protect oceans and reduce poverty, as announced by Nature Minister Mary Creagh on 26 January 2026. This funding, part of the second round of the Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Grants Programme, will support at least eight community-led projects in developing countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. The programme emphasizes assistance for women, girls, and marginalized communities, while also protecting vital marine habitats.
One notable project in Ecuador, led by the Mare Nostrum Foundation in partnership with University College London, involves installing green LED lighting in fishing nets that is visible to turtles, sharks, rays, and whales but largely invisible to fish, reducing accidental capture by up to 73%. The second round of funding builds on the first, which successfully protected and restored over 93,000 hectares of key ecosystems, an area roughly equivalent to 130,000 football pitches.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh highlighted the importance of putting local communities at the center of ocean conservation solutions, ensuring that families affected by climate change receive lasting support while safeguarding global marine resources for future generations. Jérémy Huet, conservation programme manager at the Zoological Society of London, emphasized that healthy oceans are essential for human wellbeing and that the programme’s expansion to communities in Mozambique demonstrates the growing investment in both marine conservation and the people protecting it.
Other funded initiatives include Eco Kolek in the Philippines, which will expand an inclusive waste recovery system to reach 12,000 households and small businesses, diverting an estimated 1,100 tonnes of plastic from landfills and the marine environment. Resiklo Machine Shop, also in the Philippines, will implement solar-powered recycling hubs to convert marine and household plastic into durable products, reducing pollution while creating resilient local livelihoods. In Bangladesh, Badabon Sangho will support women-led fishing groups to restore habitats, promote sustainable fishing practices, and strengthen marine protection through community engagement and advocacy.
These OCEAN Grants illustrate the UK’s commitment to combining climate action, poverty reduction, and community empowerment, demonstrating that local-led solutions can simultaneously protect ecosystems and improve livelihoods.
