Our Mission
Our Mission is ocean conservation through research and education.
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Conservation
We strive to conserve endangered species by working with local partners to achieve conservation goals and engaging the public in the process.
Research
Our research projects focus on fundamental questions about the natural world and the intricacies of how species interact with their environment.
Education
Our core mission is to impart knowledge and provide experiences for youth to engage in meaningful marine science both in the classroom and in the field.
10,000 STRONG 💜🦈
Ocean First Institute has reached 10,000 followers, and we couldn’t have gotten here without YOU. Every follow, like, share, comment, and conversation helps take our mission further. Your support helps us share the science, celebrate the incredible work happening in Shark and ocean conservation, and inspire more people to care about protecting our blue planet. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. 💙
Two of our graduate students at University of Colorado Boulder just presented their research as part of the Masters of the Environment program! Please join us in celebrating and congratulating Augustus Hoff and Sydney Eckert on this huge achievement. Their research looks at USA policy overlap with CITES Appendix I shark and ray species. During the 20th Conferences of the Parties (CoP20) in Uzbekistan Manta Rays, Devil Rays, Whale Sharks, and Oceanic Whitetip Sharks were voted onto CITES Appendix I which is the highest level of international protection under CITES. Our students wanted to see what USA based policies currently have to say regarding protections of these species. We can’t wait to share the results with you soon!
Please join us in congratulating Sydney and Augustus! 🎉🎉🎉
#CUBoulderMENV #CoP20 #CITES #sharkandrayscience #elasmobranchii
Wow! How do we find the words to describe the immense gratitude our team has for Loggerhead Marinelife Center?! We are honored and we are humbled that our CEO and Chief Scientist Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza was awarded the 2026 Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dr. Mikki has worked tirelessly in the marine science field and those early days rescuing sea turtles are a huge part of her story as a leader and scientist. To bestow this award based on the founder of Loggerhead Marinelife Center is something we know is dearly special. Please join us in congratulating our fearless and fabulous leader, Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza. 👏You truly show us all what it means to follow your heart, never give up on your dreams, and save the world for the future of sea turtles and of course, sharks. We love you! 🏆🐢
#goblueawards #2026EleanorFletcherLifetimeAchievement #SharkScience #MarineScientist #OceanFirstInstitute
The Go Blue Sponsor Reception last night was beyond incredible! Dr. Mikki had a chat about her history with the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and current shark research with an incredible audience in Florida!
Tonight, Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza will accept the 2026 Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award at the Go Blue Award Ceremony. Last night was a great way to kick off the celebration with friends both new and old. Thank you to the incredible supporters and sponsors of such a fantastic event!
#goblueawards #sponsorreception #loggerheadmarinelifecenter #oceanconservation
Want to know how I got these scars? 🤡
Yes... We actually do! Body markings have been studied on many marine species- mostly marine mammals (looking at you bottlenose dolphins!). Yet, no global catalogue exists for sharks! Scientists Joseph Fotso, D.J. Madigan, our very own Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza, A.L Newton, R.E. Hueter, B.R. Franks, Brett McBride, G.C. Fisher and N.E Hussey decided to change that by conducting a case study using one epic shark- the white shark! 🦈
Some interesting findings have emerged as a result of building this framework, notably that old and new scars can be identified using a combination of BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) technology and above-water assessments during routine tagging practices.
What makes this research exciting is that body markings can help scientists identify individual sharks, it can help compare scarring patterns globally, and it can give a deeper understanding of what role predator-prey interactions have when it comes to wounds, scarring and healing. There is so much still to learn! Research made possible by OCEARCH and NSERC Discovery.
Read the Scientific Paper:
Fotso J, Madigan D.J, McComb-Kobza, DM, et al. (2026) Prey-inflicted interactions in aquatic ecosystems: a framework to quantify body marking patterns on marine fauna with a case study on the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in Atlantic Canada. Wildlife Research. 53. WR25038. doi:10.1071/WR25038
#sharkscience #oceanresearch #sharkresearchers #whitesharks #oceanfirstinstitute
Rays and their close relatives, sharks, have roamed our planet for hundreds of millions of years, yet there’s still so much to discover! From how long they live and when they reach maturity to the incredible distances they travel, these remarkable animals hold many scientific mysteries.
Did you know that our Ray Ecology course explores the biology, history, and ecological importance of rays while challenging common misconceptions about these often misunderstood animals? Discover what makes rays unique, where they live, how they interact with humans, and why they play such an important role in aquatic ecosystems thanks to our amazing support from SSI.
#RayEcology #SharkAndRayConservation #MarineScience #OceanConservation #SSI
Support ocean conservation through research and education.
You are critical and essential in fulfilling our mission. Your donation assures Ocean First Institute can continue to engage in ground breaking research and educate the next generation of ocean ambassadors about the importance of our greatest natural resource and its interconnectedness to all life on the planet.
10,000 STRONG 💜🦈
Ocean First Institute has reached 10,000 followers, and we couldn’t have gotten here without YOU. Every follow, like, share, comment, and conversation helps take our mission further. Your support helps us share the science, celebrate the incredible work happening in Shark and ocean conservation, and inspire more people to care about protecting our blue planet. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. 💙 ...
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Please join us for an extraordinary evening in support of our friends Fins Attached Marine Research And Conservation ...
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Twelve years ago, Ocean First Institute began with a simple idea: that research, conservation, education and community engagement could help create a healthier ocean. Today, that idea has grown into 12 years of research, fieldwork, education, partnerships, and countless moments that have reminded us why this work matters.
From studying sharks in the Florida Keys and collecting water samples across the Front Range, to putting students in the field, and sharing the stories of the ocean with communities around the world- every project has been another piece of the journey. This reinforces our commitment to ocean conservation through research and education.
#12years #oceanfirstinstitute #oceanconservation #sharkconservation ...
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