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14

Life Below Water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Activities Sea Turtle Conservation Waste Reduction Animal Marine Life Hotspots Green Sea Turtle Americas Central America Plastic Reduction Leatherback Turtle Ocean Cleaning Vegan Costa Rica Diving Shark Conservation Coral Reef Diving certificate Asia Hawksbill Turtle Beach Cleaning Sloth Sanctuary Scouts Environment Marine Conservation Olive Ridley Turtle Ray Conservation South East Asia Wildlife Conservation Manuel Antonio PADI Divemaster Bird Conservation Indonesia Whale Shark Belize Three-toed Sloth Two-toed Sloth Whale Conservation Premium Africa Southern Asia Sri Lanka Bali Europe Yoga Loggerhead Turtle Southern Europe Eagle Ray Volleyball Monkey Conservation Greece Crocodile Reptile Conservation Macaque Eagle Cockatoo Kefalonia Manta Ray Eastern Africa Families with small kids Limon Madagascar Nosy Komba Snorkeling Dolphin Conservation Humpback Whale Oceania Australia and New Zealand Australia Cairns Great Barrier Reef Queensland Flatback Turtle Whitetip Reef Shark Grey Reef Shark Kemps Ridley Turtle Hammerhead Shark Bottlenose Dolphin Raja Ampat Surfing Dwarf Sperm Whale Plant Conservation Mangrove Ghana Western Africa Philippines South Africa Southern Africa Volunteer and Travel Voluntourism Great White Shark Mako Shark Spain South America Ecuador Animal Shelter Dog Blacktip Reef Shark Tenerife Common Dolphin National Park Blue Whale Turtle Conservation in Asia Ubud Humpback Dolphin Penguin Conservation African Penguin Conservation Work Galapagos Ragged Tooth Shark Southern Right Whale Brydes Whale Panama Shark Tagging Thresher Shark Sting Ray Gili Islands Manatee Conservation Manatee Reforestation Jaguar Conservation Pantanal Jaguar Capuchin Monkey Intern Abroad Planting Trees Reykjavik Photography Internship Northern Europe Iceland Portugal Fin Whale Seychelles Atlantic Spotted Dolphin Mexico Language Course Spanish Courses Tortoise Conservation Giant Tortoise Lisbon Western Asia Turkey Orca Lanzarote Italy Thailand Sperm Whale Fiji Melanesia Rissos Dolphin Mozambique Koh Tao Pilot Whales Striped Dolphin Amazon Rainforest Port Elizabeth Spinner Dolphin Brazil False Killer Whale Azores Sei Whale Oaxaca Leopard Shark Maldives Epaulette Shark Devil Ray Malaysia Montenegro Crete Tanzania Nicaragua Long-beaked Common Dolphin Insect Conservation San Jose Butterfly Conservation Caribbean Cuviers Beaked Whale Croatia Split Guatemala Short-beaked Common Dolphin Grenada Jamaica Cambodia Plettenberg Bay Antigua Dugong Cape Town Nosy Be Indigenous cultures Hiking Toucan Barcelona English Teaching India Community Energy and Water Healthcare Nutrition and Food Education Construction Safari Pelagic Shark Veterinary Training Cats French Polynesia Polynesia
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 Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Costa Rica Quepos, Costa Rica
Tortugas de Pacuare

Sea Turtle Conservation Ambassador

Great 4.5
(256)
⭐ Popular Video Flex Option
262 €  per week · 2  ‑  30  weeks · Age  17+ · Has Wifi

Volunteer and save turtles, make a difference and meet one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! Join us in Pacific Costa Rica! Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Sri Lanka Turtle Conservation Volunteers
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Sri Lanka Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka
Plan My Gap Year

Sri Lanka Turtle Conservation Volunteers

Excellent 4.9
(1322)
⭐ Popular Video Flex Option
367 €  per week · 1  ‑  12  weeks · Age  17+ · Has Wifi

Help protect and rehabilitate at-risk sea turtles whilst also taking part in community development projects. Experience a different side of Sri Lanka. Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Sloth Monitoring and Turtle Conservation
Life Below Water Life On Land
🔥 In High Demand
Costa Rica Quepos, Costa Rica
Tortugas de Pacuare

Sloth Monitoring and Turtle Conservation

Great 4.5
(256)
⭐ Popular Video Flex Option
270 €  per week · 2  ‑  28  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Join us in Quepos to actively conserve sloths and turtles, monitoring these beautiful creatures. Make a significant impact on wildlife and nature! Details >

Airport Taxi
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Food
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 Whale Shark Conservation & Diving
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Belize Placencia, Belize
ReefCI

Whale Shark Conservation & Diving

Excellent 4.9
(87)
Video Flex Option
853 €  per week · 1  ‑  8  weeks · Age  16+

Feel the thrill of swimming with a whale shark, the excitement of spearing the invasive lionfish, and the satisfaction in helping protect coral reefs. 🐋 Details >

Airport Taxi
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 Bali Wildlife Rescue & Environmental Volunteers
Life Below Water Life On Land
🔥 In High Demand
Indonesia Tabanan, Indonesia
Plan My Gap Year

Bali Wildlife Rescue & Environmental Volunteers

Excellent 4.9
(1322)
Video Flex Option
413 €  per week · 1  ‑  4  weeks · Age  17+ · Has Wifi

Help within a number of conservation and rehabilitation efforts whilst participating on the Bali wildlife program in traditional Tabanan. Details >

Airport Taxi
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Food
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 Leatherback Turtle Ambassador
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Costa Rica Limón, Costa Rica
Tortugas de Pacuare

Leatherback Turtle Ambassador

Great 4.5
(256)
Video Flex Option
247 €  per week · 1  ‑  35  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Get in direct contact with turtles and help us conserve the biggest turtle in the sea! Here you will have the chance to meet and work with awesome animals! Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
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 Invasive Species Management
Life Below Water
Belize Placencia, Belize
ReefCI

Invasive Species Management

Excellent 4.9
(87)
Video Flex Option
853 €  per week · 1  ‑  8  weeks · Age  16+

Make a difference by removing lionfish, an invasive species decimating reef ecosystems. Learn to dive while culling lionfish. Details >

Airport Taxi
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 Greece Turtle Conservation Volunteers
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Greece Kefalonia, Greece
Plan My Gap Year

Greece Turtle Conservation Volunteers

Excellent 4.9
(1322)
Video Flex Option
488 €  per week · 2  ‑  4  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Protect endangered sea turtles through hands-on fieldwork on the island of Kefalonia. Partake in the ultimate research and conservation project. Details >

Airport Taxi
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 Marine Conservation Research Assistant
Life Below Water
Madagascar Nosy Komba, Madagascar
MRCI - Madagascar Volunteer

Marine Conservation Research Assistant

Very Good 4.4
(30)
Video Flex Option
495 €  per week · 4  ‑  12  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Protect Madagascar's marine ecosystem with MRCI's Marine Conservation Research program. Dive into meaningful conservation work! 🤿 Details >

Airport Taxi
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Food
Details
 Be the reason a Baby Sea Turtle reaches the ocean
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Costa Rica Quepos, Costa Rica
Tortugas de Isla Damas

Be the reason a Baby Sea Turtle reaches the ocean

Brilliant 4.8
(31)
Video Flex Option
386 €  per week · 1  ‑  30  weeks · Age  17+ · Has Wifi

Join us near Manuel Antonio, protect endangered turtles, and watch many babies hatch. Make a real impact while enjoying a great volunteer beachfront experience! Details >

Airport Taxi
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Food
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 Marine Conservation - Research Assistant
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Indonesia Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Barefoot Conservation

Marine Conservation - Research Assistant

Great 4.5
(48)
Video Flex Option
620 €  per week · 2  ‑  24  weeks · Age  16+ · Has Wifi

Conduct Manta Ray research, Reef Check surveys, and assist with community projects as a Barefoot Conservation Research Assistant! Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Great Barrier Reef Marine Conservation
Life Below Water
Australia Queensland, Australia
Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers

Great Barrier Reef Marine Conservation

Excellent 4.8
(88)
Flex Option
1181 €  per week · 1  ‑  3  weeks · Age  17+ · Has Wifi

This unique placement opportunity is not offered anywhere else and gives volunteers to truly make a difference to marine conservation. 🐠 Details >

Airport Taxi
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 Greece Marine & Conservation Volunteers
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Greece Kefalonia, Greece
Plan My Gap Year

Greece Marine & Conservation Volunteers

Excellent 4.9
(1322)
Flex Option
488 €  per week · 2  ‑  4  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Protect large seagrass meadows and sand dune systems on a meaningful conservation and research experience in Kefalonia. Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Wildlife Conservation and Surfing
Life Below Water Life On Land
🔥 In High Demand
Costa Rica Parrita, Costa Rica
Tortugas de Pacuare

Wildlife Conservation and Surfing

Great 4.5
(256)
Flex Option
680 €  per week · 1  ‑  8  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Learn surfing and enjoy one of the best beaches with perfect waves while being part of the wildlife conservation programs in a paradisiacal place full of nature. Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Sea Turtle Conservation
Life Below Water
Available from Aug 2025
🔥 In High Demand
Ghana Cape Three Points, Ghana
Atlas Volunteers

Sea Turtle Conservation

Brilliant 4.8
(310)
Video Flex Option
137 €  per week · 1  ‑  30  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Protect endangered sea turtles along the Ghana coastline. Working on nesting sites and beach patrols whilst experiencing beautiful surroundings in your free time. Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Supporter for Marine Conservation
Climate Action Life Below Water
Philippines Zamboanguita, Philippines
Marine Conservation Philippine

Supporter for Marine Conservation

Outstanding 4.9
(32)
Video Flex Option
342 €  per week · 6  ‑  50  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Join us as a volunteer, learn scientific diving and study marine biology, help campaign and meet people from all over the world who may end up as your lifelong friends. Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Sea Turtle Conservation Monitor
Life Below Water Life On Land
Madagascar Nosy Komba, Madagascar
MRCI - Madagascar Volunteer

Sea Turtle Conservation Monitor

Very Good 4.4
(30)
Video Flex Option
485 €  per week · 1  ‑  12  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

MRCI’s Sea Turtle Monitoring Program has been established to identify and develop Safe Turtle Breeding Zones in North Western Madagascar Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Turtle Conservation Camp Supporter
Life Below Water
Costa Rica Limón, Costa Rica
Tortugas de Pacuare

Turtle Conservation Camp Supporter

Great 4.5
(256)
Video Flex Option
285 €  per week · 2  ‑  32  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Join Tortugas de Pacuare team and experience saving turtles and meeting people around the world and enjoying the most exuberant nature of the Caribbean coast Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Conservation of Whale and Dolphin Populations
Life Below Water
Spain Tenerife, Spain
GVI

Conservation of Whale and Dolphin Populations

Brilliant 4.7
(152)
Flex Option
1416 €  per week · 1  ‑  12  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Contribute to critical whale and dolphin conservation initiatives in the beautiful subtropical Canary Islands archipelago. Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
 Reef Conservation Supporter
Life Below Water
🔥 In High Demand
Indonesia Amlapura, Indonesia
North Bali Reef Conservation

Reef Conservation Supporter

Fantastic 4.5
(18)
Video Flex Option
312 €  per week · 1  ‑  8  weeks · Age  18+ · Has Wifi

Collaborate with us and local communities to restore and protect North Bali's coral reef ecosystems! 🪸 Details >

Airport Taxi
Housing
Food
Details
Show All 195 Programs
14

Life Below Water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Volunteer Abroad Life Below Water

Life Below Water

The world's oceans - their temperature, chemistry, currents and life - drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation. Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future.

What's the goal here?

To conserve and sustainably use the world's oceans, seas and marine resources.

Facts & figures

  • Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth's surface, contain 97 per cent of the Earth's water, and represent 99 per cent of the living space on the planet by volume
  • Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods
  • Globally, the market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at $3 trillion per year or about 5 per cent of global GDP
  • Oceans contain nearly 200,000 identified species, but actual numbers may lie in the millions
  • Oceans absorb about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming
  • Oceans serve as the world's largest source of protein, with more than 3 billion people depending on the oceans as their primary source of protein
  • Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million people
  • Subsidies for fishing are contributing to the rapid depletion of many fish species and are preventing efforts to save and restore global fisheries and related jobs, causing ocean fisheries to generate US$ 50 billion less per year than they could
  • As much as 40 per cent of the world oceans are heavily affected by human activities, including pollution, depleted fisheries, and loss of coastal habitats

Why?

Oceans provide key natural resources including food, medicines, biofuels and other products. They help with the breakdown and removal of waste and pollution, and their coastal ecosystems act as buffers to reduce damage from storms. Maintaining healthy oceans supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. And have you been to the seaside? It's also a great place for tourism and recreation. Even more, Marine Protected Areas contribute to poverty reduction by increasing fish catches and income, and improving health. They also help improve gender equality, as women do much of the work at small-scale fisheries. The marine environment is also home to a stunning variety of beautiful creatures, ranging from single-celled organisms to the biggest animal ever to have lived on the Earth-the blue whale. They are also home to coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet.

Sounds like a worthwhile thing to protect. So what's the problem?

Increasing levels of debris in the world's oceans are having a major environmental and economic impact. Marine debris impacts biodiversity through entanglement or ingestion of debris items by organisms, which can kill them or make it impossible for them to reproduce. As far as the world's coral reefs are concerned, about 20 per cent of them have been effectively destroyed and show no prospects for recovery. About 24 per cent of the remaining reefs are under imminent risk of collapse through human pressures, and a further 26 per cent are under a longer -term threat of collapse. Furthermore, improper marine management results in overfishing. The lost economic benefits from the fisheries sector are estimated to be around US$50 billion annually. The UN Environment Programme estimates the cumulative economic impact of poor ocean management practices is at least US$200 billion per year. In the absence of mitigation measures, climate change will increase the cost of damage to the ocean by an additional US$322 billion per year by 2050.

What would it cost to correct this?

The costs of taking action largely are offset by the long-term gains. In economic terms, the Convention on Biological Diversity suggests that scaled up actions to sustain the global ocean require a US$32 billion one-time public cost and US$21 billion dollars a year for recurring costs.

So what can we do?

For open ocean and deep sea areas, sustainability can be achieved only through increased international cooperation to protect vulnerable habitats. Establishing comprehensive, effective and equitably managed systems of government-protected areas should be pursued to conserve biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future for the fishing industry. On a local level, we should make ocean-friendly choices when buying products or eating food derived from oceans and consume only what we need. Selecting certified products is a good place to start. Making small changes in our daily lives, like taking public transport and unplugging electronics saves energy. These actions reduce our carbon footprint, a factor that contributes to rising sea levels. We should eliminate plastic usage as much as possible and organize beach clean-ups. Most importantly, we can spread the message about how important marine life is and why we need to protect it.

Where are volunteer projects that need my help?

Africa
  • Ghana
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  • Mozambique
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Seychelles
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
Americas
  • Belize
  • Brazil
  • Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Jamaica
  • Mexico
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • Peru
Asia
  • Cambodia
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Philippines
  • Sri Lanka
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
Europe
  • Croatia
  • Greece
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Montenegro
  • Portugal
  • Spain
Oceania
  • Australia
  • Fiji
  • French Polynesia

Discover related Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. As such, the 17 SDGs and its associated 169 targets do not stand alone, but are are interconnected. The key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another. If you are interested in supporting a cause addressing to the goal {sdg.name}, you might also be interested in the related goals No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Decent Work And Economic Growth and Life On Land.

Please visit the website of the United Nations to find out more about Goal 14 Life Below Water and other Sustainable Development Goals.

Source: United Nations

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