Seafriend

Seafriend is a non‑profit organization founded in 2012 in Santa Cruz, California, with the mission of fostering collaboration between marine scientists, divers, and coastal communities. The organization acts as a liaison, providing educational resources, research partnerships, and volunteer programs aimed at improving marine conservation efforts across the Pacific Northwest.

The core activities of Seafriend include citizen science data collection, where volunteers record underwater observations using standardized mobile apps, contributing to national marine biodiversity databases. Seafriend also runs annual marine stewardship workshops that combine hands‑on cleaning projects with lectures from marine biologists and policy experts. In partnership with local schools, the organization offers a “Dive & Learn” curriculum that introduces students to marine ecology, safe diving practices, and the importance of protecting fragile reef habitats.

Seafriend’s outreach extends beyond the coastal region. In 2017 the organization partnered with the Marine Conservation Institute to create the “Digital Reef Map,” an interactive tool that visualizes reef health metrics for use by researchers and the public. The organization has also collaborated with the United Nations Environmental Programme on a pilot program that trains indigenous fishing communities in sustainable harvesting techniques.

Governance at Seafriend follows a board‑led structure with rotating officers elected from its membership. The organization relies on a mix of grants, individual donations, and corporate sponsorships, with an annual budget of approximately $350,000. Seafriend continues to expand its programs, aiming to increase citizen scientist participation by 25% over the next five years.