The Ocean Champion Challenge is a celebration of those advocating and acting for the protection of our ocean!

This year, we received 50 unique nominations and entries from all over the country. Thank you to everyone who got involved!

Ocean Champions 2024

Riley and Steve Hathaway, an amazing father-daughter duo, started Young Ocean Explorers in 2013. They produced 4 series for TV, gave a copy of their book for free to every school in NZ and gave presentations to over 100,000 students. Their engaging online platform is now used in thousands of classrooms around Aotearoa and has had a huge impact, connecting countless young people to the marine environment.

Young Ocean Explorers empowers students to see that their small actions combined can make a big difference - and the impact is profound! To support the work of Ocean Champions, our overall prize sponsor, New Zealand Coastal Society, has awarded a $500 cash prize to one overall winner annually since 2015.

We want to capture children’s imaginations through great storytelling, bringing the beauty, awe and fascination of the ocean and its inhabitants alive. Our vision is to create generational change by connecting hearts and minds with the importance of enjoying and caring for our oceans and give them tools to make a better future. - Steve & Riley Hathaway

Outstanding Efforts Nationwide

We have a few honourable mentions below to showcase and celebrate some of the great work happening around the country. The Ocean Champion Challenge is supported by a range of sponsors, enabling us to present small prize packs for other great entries/nominations to celebrate and encourage these outstanding efforts.

Fantastic nominations came through and depicted so many ways people are taking action, like these individuals and groups:

• Glenys Carr; looking after the coastal environment, documenting her clean-ups on her Facebook page Coromandel Turn the Tide on Plastic Pollution
• Anthea Ibell; founder of Remix Plastics is on a mission to help people make small steps toward a more sustainable system - 'a circular system with less waste and more wildlife'
• Sian Crowley; as an educator, science communicator, podcast host and volunteer she focuses on inspiring connections to nature and actions to protect it
• Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna; delivers education about the ocean, mātauranga Māori, and support tamariki in participating in research and regeneration of rimurimu alongside Mountains to Sea's freediving programme
• Five summer school students at the Cawthron Institute; contributing to seagrass restoration research through field surveys, collection of seagrass flowers, organising events, and refining related research techniques
• and so many more!

Junior Ocean Champions 

This year's categories encouraged entries which protect and celebrate the ocean in different ways, reflected in the many creative entries we received. Congratulations to this year’s junior Ocean Champions which we've contacted directly!

Featured below is a selection of ocean-inspired artworks from this year's entries: