The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The Atlantic Ocean and Coast

Viewed from shore, the Atlantic Ocean might seem like an endless blue-grey expanse stretching into the horizon — one monolithic pool of salt water and sea foam.  It’s easy to look out on this massive body of water and think that all of it is the same. But beneath the murky surface lies underwater terrain as varied and complex as the land itself, with diversity that tests the bounds of imagination.

If you’ve ever explored the ocean by boat, you’ve probably observed these differences firsthand. Perhaps you noticed the color of the water change as you sailed further out to sea, or watched sea birds flock around a swirling patch of water, spearing the surface for fish.

These are all clues that no two places in the ocean are the same. Some habitats move, some don’t. Some areas are fragile, some are more durable.  There are submarine canyons used by dolphins, deepwater corals containing rare compounds that can help cure human diseases, productive scallop beds that have supported generations of shellfishermen and offshore banks where fish, birds and whales have congregated for ages.

A Full Picture Informs Better Decision-Making

Now, a comprehensive assessment of the Atlantic from Cape Hatteras to the Bay of Fundy is revealing a rich picture of these features, habitats, species and human uses. For the first time, data from academic researchers, government agencies and conservation organizations gathered over decades have been brought together in one place and made available for public use.

Every day, the Atlantic is getting more crowded.  Today, decisions are made without the full picture — and so without adequate regard for these precious natural resources. By making this wealth of information available to decision-makers and stakeholders, The Nature Conservancy hopes to encourage actions that reduce conflict, align society’s uses of the ocean with the places where those uses are most compatible, protect biodiversity and sustain the natural support services our ocean provides.