Clean Ocean Action

Founded in 1984, Clean Ocean Action (COA) is a broad-based coalition of over 115 active boating, business, community, conservation, diving, environmental, fishing, religious, service, student, surfing, and women's groups. COA works with these Ocean Wavemakers to clean up and protect the waters of the New York Bight from Montauk, NY, to Cape May, NJ. With continuous, relentless efforts COA uses research, education, and citizen action to empower people and convince our elected officials to protect our marine resources for today and for future generations.

Mission accomplished for Clean Ocean Action is a sustainable clean, healthy, vibrant ocean as a resu

Goal One: Enhance or create transformative research, education and advocacy programs to instill citizens with “the will and the way” to stop sources of pollution and harm to the ocean, and combat climate change

Goal Two: Engage groups, businesses and citizens to establish ocean protection/climate change issues as a public policy priority objective at the local, state, federal level, using tradition and digital forums.

Goal Three: Nurture and cultivate youth with STEAM, leadership, and civic empowerment tools to ensure a robust future generation of ocean defenders.

To enhance COA’s organizational capacity and employee self-improvement, staff are encouraged to participate in leadership opportunities. Professional development is included in Job Descriptions, regularly discussed at staff meetings, and shared often. Thus, staff have enhanced skills and knowledge which speak to “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Examples include Staff Scientist and Watershed Protection Coordinator trained with ARC/GIS to enhance research and outreach programs, Policy Attorney attended legal trainings, and management staff participates in HR trainings. COA is a member of the Center for Nonprofits which provides access to timely workshops to enhance internal operations. These are most helpful, particularly last year for COVID-related issues. Staff cultivate relationships within professional organizations, including environmental commissions, chambers of commerce or other networking opportunities to expand the horizons of employees and help with networking COA’s mission.

Adaptation model: boldly “go with the flow to make waves of change.” As news of the pandemic swept the world, COA’s mighty crew embraced our watery true-blue mantra, go with the flow. Like a river, if one path is blocked, another is found, the twists and turns creating new pathways for progress. As such, “go with the flow” became a lifeline and inspiration source to evolve and find a way forward despite challenges. Thus, many lessons were learned. As the pandemic raged, thousands of citizens sought the beauty and serenity of the ocean for solace and inspiration. Since social distancing requirements limited in-person activities, COA shifted to digital media and connected with surfers, fishermen, and photographers to share images that allowed COA’s website and social media platforms to be a gateway to the sea. Images of migrating whales, videos of ocean waves, and storytellers and artists sharing their passion for the sea provided a refreshing and welcome ocean connection. COA also learned important benefits and opportunities with online experiences. Chief among these is increased participation, thanks to the ease of participating from home or mobile devices, and unlimited online capacity in the Zoom Room. Importantly, it also helps eliminate social, economic, and pandemic-related barriers that often prevent in-person participation due to travel restrictions or transportation costs (i.e., buses). Environmentally, less travel to these meetings in cars and buses has reduced fossil fuel emissions. COA believes the virtual genie is out of the bottle, and with hope, enthusiasm, and anticipation is adopting the new inclusive, and innovative learning options, while also making the best of both worlds. Concurrently, COA is enhancing sustainable outdoor/real-world programing. Combining both real and virtual programing provides an extraordinary opportunity to expand access to COA’s research, education, and citizen action programing that is convenient to anyone at any time.