Ocean Literacy

The Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts 

of Ocean Sciences for Learners of All Ages

VERSION 3.1 : MAY 2021
Ocean literacy is an understanding of the ocean’s 

influence on you—and your influence on the ocean.

AN OCEAN-LITERATE PERSON: 

understands the Essential Principles and 

Fundamental Concepts about the ocean;

can communicate about the ocean in a 

meaningful way; and

is able to make informed and responsible 

decisions regarding the ocean and its resources.

This definition, the Essential Principles, and supporting 

Fundamental Concepts were developed through a community-wide consensus-building process that established agreement 

among hundreds of scientists, educators, and policy makers 

about what every person should understand about the ocean 

by the time they graduate high school in order to develop 

an ocean-literate society. The original purpose of the Ocean 

Literacy Campaign was to address the lack of ocean-related 

content in state and national science education standards, 

instructional materials, and assessments. This work had a significant impact, ensuring that ocean concepts are well-represented in A Framework for K–12 Science Education (National 

Research Council [NRC], 2012) and the Next Generation 

Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013).

The Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts 

described in Version 3 of this guide (inside) represent content 

that does not fall neatly within traditional science disciplines, 

but rather supports a focus on integrated science. Many 

Fundamental Concepts illustrate more than one Essential 

Principle. For example, Principle 4 lists only three Fundamental 

Concepts, however, several others from other Essential 

Principles could be listed, as well. This demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of ocean sciences. Educators can use the 

Ocean Literacy Framework to fulfill and go beyond the Next 

Generation Science Standards. It provides a vision for a coherent progression of learning about the ocean from the earliest 

grades up through integrated science courses at middle and 

high school, and even into college. 

What is 

Ocean 

Literacy?

JOIN US! The Ocean Literacy Campaign is an ongoing 

process. To find additional ocean literacy resources and 

participate in fostering ocean literacy in your community 

visit www.oceanliteracyNMEA.org and join the National 

Marine Educators Association (www.marine-ed.org). 

DUMBO OCTOPUS. Photo: NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research

EXAMINING ALGAE at the beach, Channel Islands 

National Park & National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Claire Fackler, 

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Ocean 

Literacy:

An understanding of 

the ocean’s influence 

on you—and your 

influence on the ocean
The Ocean is the 

defining feature 

of our blue planet. 

Five great, interconnected ocean basins, the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern, 

make up the only ocean in our solar system, and 

contain 97 percent of Earth’s water. The vapor 

released into the atmosphere returns as rain, sleet, 

and snow, ever replenishing the planet with freshwater. All life, including our own, exists because of 

the ocean. Our lives depend, now and forever, on 

the health of the ocean. Understanding the ocean 

is essential to comprehending and protecting this 

planet on which we live. 

This guide presents a vision of an ocean-literate 

society. Along with the Ocean Literacy Scope 

and Sequence for Grades K–12, the Alignment of 

Ocean Literacy to the Next Generation Science 

Standards, and the International Ocean Literacy 

Survey, it outlines a framework for achieving 

Ocean Literacy. These documents are practical, 

research-based resources to influence learning 

and teaching about the ocean throughout our 

schools, museums, aquariums, science centers, 

parks, and other informal learning spaces. Several 

hundred scientists and educators contributed to 

the development of these consensus documents. 

They were used to ensure that ocean concepts 

are represented in A Framework for K–12 Science 

Education (NRC, 2012) and the Next Generation 

Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013).

Understanding 

the Ocean 

is essential to 

comprehending 

and protecting 

this planet on 

which we live.

STUDENTS OBSERVE the 

animals caught aboard the 

E/V Discovery in the ACE Basin 

National Estuarine Research 

Reserve. Photo: Erin Weeks, 

South Carolina Department 

LIGHT TRAP. Photo: NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research of Natural Resources
Teaching About the Ocean

The ocean covers most of our planet, regulates our weather and climate, absorbs vast amounts of carbon 

dioxide, provides most of our oxygen, and feeds much of the 

human population. For decades, the ocean has absorbed the 

impacts of our pollution, marine debris, habitat degradation, 

and overfishing. Now, climate change, ocean acidification, and 

microplastics threaten the health of the ocean in unprecedented ways.

Improving public understanding of the importance of 

the ocean is key to resolving these complex issues that are 

disproportionately devastating in communities of color and 

other marginalized populations. The more people know, the 

more they are willing to support policies to keep the ocean 

healthy (Steel et al., 2005). Understanding complex systems 

like the ocean is enhanced when learners use models and 

simulations and engage in first-hand experiences (Tran, 

2009). Participating in real and virtual experiences with 

ocean and coastal environments helps learners build personal 

connections that motivate them to become ocean literate 

and act on behalf of the ocean and freshwater systems. 

Curriculum content, instruction, and assessments all 

derive from accepted standards. By ensuring that ocean sciences concepts are prominent in science standards, we can 

ensure their incorporation throughout the K–12 education 

system. Informal science educators and community-based 

organizations concerned about the health of our ocean 

planet and about promoting science, environmental, and 

ocean literacy can help school systems implement the Next 

Generation Science Standards or other high quality science 

learning goals to help their students and other stakeholders 

become more ocean literate.

Ocean Literacy Framework

The Ocean Literacy Framework comprises this guide, the more detailed Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K–12, 

the Alignment of Ocean Literacy to the Next Generation Science 

Standards, and the International Ocean Literacy Survey. This guide 

describes the 7 most important ideas, or Essential Principles, 

about the ocean that everyone should know. The 45 Fundamental 

Concepts support and add detail to the Essential Principles. 

The Scope and Sequence then provides educators with 

guidance as to what students need to comprehend in Grades 

K–2, Grades 3–5, Grades 6–8, and Grades 9–12 in order to achieve 

full understanding of the Essential Principles. These progressions, 

represented as 28 conceptual flow diagrams that include 

cross-references, show how students’ thinking about the ocean 

may develop in ever more complex ways across many years 

of thoughtful, coherent science instruction. The Scope and 

Sequence was developed through an extensive, iterative process 

from 2006-2010. Over 150 individuals contributed to the effort. 

The Scope and Sequence was published in NMEA Special Report 

#3 on the Ocean Literacy Campaign (NMEA, 2010). This report 

also covered the history of the campaign to date, a summary of 

relevant educational research, and discussion of how to address 

ocean literacy topics in and out of the classroom.

Alignment of Ocean Literacy to the Next Generation Science 

Standards (2015) shows the explicit, and sometimes nuanced 

relationship between the Ocean Literacy Framework and the 

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Because of the Ocean 

Literacy Campaign, many ideas about the ocean are included directly 

in NGSS. In many other cases, the ocean ideas are not explicit, but 

are essential for learners to achieve full understanding of NGSS 

Disciplinary Core Ideas and Performance Expectations. This document is of critical importance to state science supervisors, district 

science coordinators, and adoption committees seeking to overcome the “terrestrial bias” in science instructional materials.

The International Ocean Literacy Survey (IOLS) (2019) is a 

community-based measurement instrument that allows the comparison of levels of ocean knowledge among 15 to 17 year olds 

across time and location. The IOLS includes multiple choice 

questions addressing the ideas about the ocean described by 

the Ocean Literacy Framework. It is a research-based measurement instrument thoroughly tested for statistical reliability and 

content validity in multiple languages and countries. To learn 

more, please visit https://mare.lawrencehallofscience.org/

ocean/international-ocean-literacy-survey.

Development of the Ocean Literacy Framework was informed 

by current research on learning and teaching science, including

Learning Science in Informal Environments (NRC, 2009), Taking 

Science to School (NRC, 2007), and How People Learn (2000, 2018). 

The Ocean Literacy Framework has been used to guide the work 

of standards committees, curriculum designers, teachers, informal 

science educators, assessment developers, professional developers, 

communications professionals, and scientists engaged in education 

and outreach. See the Honor Roll at https://www.marine-ed.org/

ocean-literacy/honor-roll for the names of those who contributed 

to all aspects of the Ocean Literacy Framework. Access the Ocean 

Literacy Framework at www.oceanliteracyNMEA.org.

DEEP-SEA OCTOCORALS. Photo: NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research
About The Ocean Literacy Campaign

The Ocean Literacy Campaign is a wide-ranging, collaborative, and decentralized effort by hundreds of scientists 

and educators to create a more ocean-literate society. The 

Campaign largely focuses on influencing the education of our 

K–12 students through implementation of the Ocean Literacy 

Framework. These consensus documents provide formal and 

informal educators and curriculum and program developers 

with a “roadmap” that helps them build coherent and conceptually sound learning experiences for learners of all ages. We 

continue to seek input from colleagues to expand the consensus on what is essential for learners to understand about our 

ocean planet, and about what tools educators need to continually improve the efficacy of our work. 

Impacts of the Campaign to Date

Since its first publication in 2005, this guide has directly 

influenced the content of A Framework for K–12 Science 

Education (NRC, 2012) and the Next Generation Science 

Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013), and brought about 

changes in funding guidelines in several federal agencies. 

It has provided a framework for designing exhibits and programs in many informal science institutions, and served as the 

basis of college courses and K–12 science instructional materials. Notably, it has inspired and served as a model for other 

science literacy guides (e.g., Climate, Energy, Great Lakes, Bay 

of Bengal, Mediterranean Sea) and been translated into multiple 

languages. Most importantly, the Ocean Literacy Campaign has 

brought about a change in the way we think. Understanding the 

importance of the ocean, climate, and Earth systems is no longer 

on the margins of science education. It is essential. There is now 

broad agreement that you cannot be science literate if you are 

not ocean literate!

International Developments

While the Ocean Literacy Framework was developed for use 

in the United States, it has inspired several other significant 

efforts around the world to achieve Ocean Literacy. Ocean 

Literacy conferences and meetings have been convened 

in Portugal, Japan, Belgium, Chile, Australia, Fiji, and Italy. 

The International Pacific Marine Educators Network (2007), 

the European Marine Science Educators Association (2012), 

the Canadian Network for Ocean Education (2013), the Korea 

Marine Educators Association, and the Asia Marine Educators 

Association (2016) have all formed expressly to promote 

Ocean Literacy. The European Commission has funded two 

large initiatives to spread Ocean Literacy across Europe 

(Sea Change and ResponSEAble). Canada, the United States, 

and Western Europe have joined together in a Transatlantic 

Ocean Literacy initiative. UNESCO launched an Ocean Literacy 

For All — A Toolkit in 2018. Ocean Literacy is also a focus of 

the Galway and Belem agreements on scientific cooperation 

among countries that border the Atlantic, as well as the UN 

Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

The Essential Principles 

of Ocean Sciences

Earth has one big ocean 

with many features.

The ocean and life in the ocean 

shape the features of Earth.

The ocean is a major influence 

on weather and climate.

The ocean is largely 

unexplored.

The ocean and humans are 

inextricably interconnected.

The ocean makes 

Earth habitable.

The ocean supports a great 

diversity of life and ecosystems.

JUVENILE WALRUS. Photo: NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research
Essential Principles 

and Fundamental Concepts

OCEAN LITERACY

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please visit www.oceanliteracyNMEA.org 

to find an online version of this document 

as well as obtain updates, correlations 

to education standards, and links to related 

educational resources.

Literature Cited

National Research Council. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school.

Washington, DC: The National Academies Press https://doi.org/10.17226/9853. • National 

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). How people learn II: Learners, 

contexts, and cultures. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.

org/10.17226/24783. • National Marine Educators Association. (2010). NMEA Special Report 

#3: The Ocean Literacy Campaign. Retrieved from: https://www.marine-ed.org/ocean-literacy/

special-report. • National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K–12 science education: 

Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies 

Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165. • National Research Council. (2009). Learning science 

in informal environments: People, places, and pursuits. Washington, DC: The National 

Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12190. • National Research Council. (2007). 

Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K-8. Washington, DC: The 

National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11625. • NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next 

Generation Science Standards: For states, by states. Washington, DC: National Academy 

Press. Retrieved from: https://www.nextgenscience.org/. • Steel, B. S., Lovrich, N., Lach, D., 

& Fomenko, V. (2005). Correlates and consequences of public knowledge concerning ocean 

fisheries management. Coastal Management, 33, 37–51. • Tran, L. (2009). Children and adults’ 

understanding of ocean and climate sciences. Paper prepared for the committee for the 

Review of the NOAA Education Program. Retrieved from https://mare.lawrencehallofscience.

org/sites/mare.lawrencehallofscience.org/files/images/Lynn%20Tran%20NRC%20paper.pdf. 
Earth has one big ocean with many features.

A The ocean is the defining physical feature on our planet 

Earth—covering approximately 70% of the planet’s 

surface. There is one ocean with many ocean basins, 

such as the North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, 

South Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic.

B Ocean basins are composed of the seafloor and all 

of its geological features (such as islands, trenches, 

mid-ocean ridges, and rift valleys) and vary in size, 

shape and features due to the movement of Earth’s 

crust (lithosphere). Earth’s highest peaks, deepest 

valleys and flattest plains are all in the ocean.

1

THE OCEAN FROM SPACE. This infrared image from the GOES-11 

satellite shows the Pacific Ocean. Photo: NASA

C Throughout the ocean there is one interconnected 

circulation system powered by wind, tides, the force 

of Earth’s rotation (Coriolis effect), the Sun and water 

density differences. The shape of ocean basins and 

adjacent land masses influence the path of circulation. 

This “global ocean conveyor belt” moves water 

throughout all of the ocean basins, transporting energy 

(heat), matter, and organisms around the ocean. 

Changes in ocean circulation have a large impact on 

the climate and cause changes in ecosystems. 

D Sea level is the average height of the ocean relative to 

the land, taking into account the differences caused 

by tides. Sea level changes as plate tectonics cause the 

volume of ocean basins and the height of the land to 

change. It changes as ice caps on land melt or grow. 

It also changes as sea water expands and contracts 

when ocean water warms and cools.

E Most of Earth’s water (97%) is in the ocean. Seawater 

has unique properties. It is salty, its freezing point is 

slightly lower than fresh water, its density is slightly 

higher, its electrical conductivity is much higher, and it 

is slightly basic. Balance of pH is vital for the health of 

marine ecosystems, and important in controlling the 

rate at which the ocean will absorb and buffer changes 

in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

F The ocean is an integral part of the water cycle and 

is connected to all of Earth’s water reservoirs via 

evaporation and precipitation processes. 

G The ocean is connected to major lakes, watersheds, and 

waterways because all major watersheds on Earth drain 

to the ocean. Rivers and streams transport nutrients, 

salts, sediments, and pollutants from watersheds to 

coastal estuaries and to the ocean.

H Although the ocean is large, it is finite, and resources 

are limited.
A Many earth materials and biogeochemical cycles 

originate in the ocean. Many of the sedimentary 

rocks now exposed on land were formed in the 

ocean. Ocean life laid down the vast volume of 

siliceous and carbonate rocks.

B Sea level changes over time have expanded and 

contracted continental shelves, created and 

destroyed inland seas, and shaped the surface 

of land.

C Erosion—the wearing away of rock, soil and other 

biotic and abiotic earth materials—occurs in coastal 

areas as wind, waves, and currents in rivers and 

the ocean, and the processes associated with plate 

The ocean and life in the ocean 2 shape the features of Earth.

WAVES CRASHING on the shore of Big Sur. Photo: Steve Lonhart/NOAA Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

tectonics move sediments. Most beach sand (tiny 

bits of animals, plants, rocks, and minerals) is 

eroded from land sources and carried to the coast 

by rivers; sand is also eroded from coastal sources 

by surf. Sand is redistributed seasonally by waves 

and coastal currents.

D The ocean is the largest reservoir of rapidly cycling 

carbon on Earth. Many organisms use carbon 

dissolved in the ocean to form shells, other skeletal 

parts, and coral reefs. 

E Tectonic activity, sea level changes, and the force 

of waves influence the physical structure and 

landforms of the coast.
A The interaction of oceanic and atmospheric processes 

controls weather and climate by dominating Earth’s 

energy, water, and carbon systems.

B The ocean moderates global weather and climate 

by absorbing most of the solar radiation reaching Earth. 

Heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere 

drives the water cycle and oceanic and atmospheric 

circulation.

C Heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere 

can result in dramatic global and regional weather 

phenomena, impacting patterns of rain and drought. 

Significant examples include the El Niño Southern 

Oscillation and La Niña, which cause important changes 

in global weather patterns because they alter the sea 

surface temperature patterns in the Pacific.

D Condensation of water that evaporated from warm 

seas provides the energy for hurricanes and cyclones. 

Most rain that falls on land originally evaporated from 

the tropical ocean.

E The ocean dominates Earth’s carbon cycle. Half of the 

primary productivity on Earth takes place in the sunlit 

layers of the ocean. The ocean absorbs roughly half 

of all carbon dioxide and methane that are added to 

the atmosphere.

F The ocean has had, and will continue to have, a 

significant influence on climate change by absorbing, 

storing, and moving heat, carbon, and water. Changes 

in the ocean’s circulation have produced large, abrupt 

changes in climate during the last 50,000 years.

G Changes in the ocean-atmosphere system can 

result in changes to the climate that in turn, cause 

further changes to the ocean and atmosphere. 

These interactions have dramatic physical, chemical, 

biological, economic, and social consequences. 

The ocean is a major influence 3 on weather and climate.

HURRICANE HARVEY from GOES-16 satellite. Image: NOAA 

Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere

A Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere originally came from 

the activities of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean. This 

accumulation of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere was necessary 

for life to develop and be sustained on land.

B The ocean is the cradle of life; the earliest evidence of life is 

found in the ocean. The millions of different species of organisms 

on Earth today are related by descent from common ancestors 

that evolved in the ocean and continue to evolve today.

C The ocean provided and continues to provide water, oxygen, and 

nutrients, and moderates the climate needed for life to exist on 

Earth (Essential Principles 1, 3, and 5).

KAINALIU TIDEPOOL. Photo: Claire Fackler/NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

The ocean makes 4 Earth habitable.
The ocean supports 

a great diversity of 

life and ecosystems. 

A Ocean life ranges in size from the smallest living things, 

microbes, to the largest animal on Earth, blue whales.

B Most of the organisms and biomass in the ocean are 

microbes, which are the basis of all ocean food webs. 

Microbes are the most important primary producers in 

the ocean. They have extremely fast growth rates and 

life cycles, and produce a huge amount of the carbon 

and oxygen on Earth.

C Most of the major groups that exist on Earth are found 

exclusively in the ocean and the diversity of major 

groups of organisms is much greater in the ocean than 

on land.

D Ocean biology provides many unique examples of life 

cycles, adaptations, and important relationships among 

organisms (symbiosis, predator-prey dynamics, and 

energy transfer) that do not occur on land.

E The ocean provides a vast living space with diverse and 

unique ecosystems from the surface through the water 

column and down to, and below, the seafloor. Most of 

the living space on Earth is in the ocean.

F Ocean ecosystems are defined by environmental factors 

and the community of organisms living there. Ocean life 

is not evenly distributed through time or space due to 

differences in abiotic factors such as oxygen, salinity, 

temperature, pH, light, nutrients, pressure, substrate, 

and circulation. A few regions of the ocean support the 

most abundant life on Earth, while most of the ocean 

does not support much life.

G There are deep ocean ecosystems that are independent 

of energy from sunlight and photosynthetic organisms. 

Hydrothermal vents, submarine hot springs, and 

methane cold seeps, rely only on chemical energy and 

chemosynthetic organisms to support life.

H Tides, waves, predation, substrate, and/or other factors 

cause vertical zonation patterns along the coast; 

density, pressure, and light levels cause vertical zonation 

patterns in the open ocean. Zonation patterns influence 

organisms’ distribution and diversity.

I Estuaries provide important and productive nursery 

areas for many marine and aquatic species.

5

BRITTLESTAR. Photo: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
A The ocean affects every human life. It supplies freshwater 

(most rain comes from the ocean) and nearly all Earth’s 

oxygen. The ocean moderates the Earth’s climate, influences 

our weather, and affects human health.

B The ocean provides food, medicines, and mineral and energy 

resources. It supports jobs and national economies, serves 

as a highway for transportation of goods and people, and plays 

a role in national security. 

C The ocean is a source of inspiration, recreation, rejuvenation, 

and discovery. It is also an important element in the heritage 

of many cultures.

D Humans affect the ocean in a variety of ways. Laws, 

regulations, and resource management affect what is taken 

out and put into the ocean. Human development and activity 

leads to pollution (point source, nonpoint source, and noise 

pollution), changes to ocean chemistry (ocean acidification), 

and physical modifications (changes to beaches, shores, and 

rivers). In addition, humans have removed most of the large 

vertebrates from the ocean.

E Changes in ocean temperature and pH due to human 

activities can affect the survival of some organisms and 

impact biological diversity (coral bleaching due to increased 

temperature and inhibition of shell formation due to 

ocean acidification).

F Much of the world’s population lives in coastal areas. 

Coastal regions are susceptible to natural hazards (tsunamis, 

hurricanes, cyclones, sea level change, and storm surges). 

G Everyone is responsible for caring for the ocean. 

The ocean sustains life on Earth and humans must live in ways 

that sustain the ocean. Individual and collective actions are 

needed to effectively manage ocean resources for all.

AN OCEAN GUARDIAN. Photo: Claire Fackler/NOAA Office of National 

Marine Sanctuaries. 

The ocean and humans are 6 inextricably interconnected.
A The ocean is the largest unexplored place on Earth—less 

than 5% of it has been explored. The next generation of 

explorers and researchers will find great opportunities 

for discovery, innovation, and investigation.

B Understanding the ocean is more than a matter of 

curiosity. Exploration, experimentation, and discovery 

are required to better understand ocean systems and 

processes. Our very survival hinges upon it.

C Over the last 50 years, use of ocean resources has 

increased significantly; the future sustainability of ocean 

resources depends on our understanding of those 

resources and their potential.

7 The ocean is largely unexplored.

A DIVER DOCUMENTS a structure, discovered 

off Midway Atoll by magnetometer survey, for 

any alien invasive species. Photo: Brett Seymour/

NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research 

D New technologies, sensors, and tools are expanding 

our ability to explore the ocean. Scientists are relying 

more and more on satellites, drifters, buoys, subsea 

observatories, and unmanned submersibles.

E Use of mathematical models is an essential part 

of understanding the ocean system. Models help 

us understand the complexity of the ocean and its 

interactions with Earth’s interior, atmosphere, climate, 

and land masses.

F Ocean exploration is truly interdisciplinary. It requires 

close collaboration among biologists, chemists, 

climatologists, computer programmers, engineers, 

geologists, meteorologists, physicists, animators, and 

illustrators. And these interactions foster new ideas 

and new perspectives for inquiries.
Cover photo: composite photo features species from multiple ocean basins 

and Island of Ofu in American Samoa, photo: Kip Evans.

Third Version: February, 2020.  www.oceanliteracyNMEA.org © National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020.

Brochure design: Marty Ittner

Acknowledgments

The initial Ocean Literacy Guide, published in 2005, was 

the result of a grassroots effort by the ocean sciences 

and education communities.It started with a 2-week 

online workshop involving some 100 experts and thought 

leaders. The event was planned and coordinated by 

Francesca Cava, National Geographic Society (NGS); 

Sarah Schoedinger, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA); Craig Strang, Lawrence Hall of 

Science, and Peter Tuddenham, College of Exploration, 

with sponsorship from the NGS and NOAA. The workshop 

was hosted by the College of Exploration, endorsed by the 

Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and The Ocean 

Project, and promoted by the National Marine Educators 

Association (NMEA) and the Centers for Ocean Science 

Education Excellence (COSEE). In addition, many ocean 

scientists and educators made significant contributions to 

the development and review of the original guide. 

Since that time, numerous individuals, institutions, and 

organizations have made substantial contributions to 

the development, review, and promotion of additional 

components of the Ocean Literacy Framework including 

COSEE, NMEA, NOAA, the College of Exploration, the 

Lawrence Hall of Science, and Sea Grant. For a complete 

listing of all the individuals who have contributed to 

the development of the Ocean Literacy Framework, 

please visit our honor roll at:

https://www.marine-ed.org/ocean-literacy/honor-roll. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

(2020). Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles and 

Fundamental Concepts of Ocean Sciences for Learners of 

All Ages. Washington, DC.

©National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA), 2021