How To Get Into Marine Conservation

Volunteering can be a great way to get hands-on experience in marine conservation. Through my experience a lot of these programmes do require you to pay a fee that can get quite expensive, but these prices vary a lot. Furthermore, it should always be a consideration if the volunteer work is actually benefitting the things you want to. Sometimes volunteers can be seen as a commodity instead of a valued asset to a team. Additionally, there are a lot of potential ethical concerns with certain types of volunteering, so be wary of that. If you want to know more about my process of navigating the world of volunteering and my tips and tricks, let me know and I’ll write a dedicated post on it!

For me, getting certified has made me even more excited about the underwater world. Instead of being just a spectator, diving makes you a part of that world for the time being. Just like with volunteering, diving can get expensive. On social media we often see the picture-perfect reefs and colourful fish, but don't let not living in a tropical country discourage you! Fresh water diving and coldwater diving in general can be just as great! Furthermore, diving in your local area can help you find a community within the marine enthousiast spheres.

Probably one of the more obvious routes to get into marine conservation, but for a reason. If you want to build a career in this field, studying something related is probably you're best option. Now, this doesn't mean you need to study marine biology. Environmental science, physics, chemistry, environmental engineering, can all be acceptable bachelor's degrees to get into a marine science master's, this varies a lot per university though, so it may require some searching.

Adding to that, you can also opt for a degree through an open university, do a pre-master or go to an applied university. Again, just like with most things: studying can be super expensive. For me personally, I'm currently studying at an open university so that I can work and it's not as much of a financial impact.

Though your job doesn't always need to be your passion and it's perfectly fine if you get your soul-filling through hobbies or what not instead of your job. That being said, I know that there are more people like me who would love to work in marine conservation. An important part of finding a job in conservation is knowing your worth. Can you dive? Are you familiar with fieldwork? Do you know how the frequently used software (like GIS or R, for example)? Even if you don't possess any of these skills, maybe you're great with administrative tasks or other office work. There are many companies and organisations that need project assistants, administrative workers, receptionists, etc. This can give you some insight in the industry, build connections, and maybe eventually you can 'move up in the ranks.' A little reminder: you're never too old to change careers!

Of course, you can also try and see if you can connect some of your hobbies with your interest in marine conservation. Making marine inspired art, going swimming in the sea, go for a walk on the beach, read books about the ocean (fiction or non-fiction), etc. This probably isn't getting you into the field of marine conservation, but it can be a way in which you can find your people to share your passion with! I personally always find it very fulfilling to find a way to combine passions. Even if it doesn't 'lead' to anything, I think it's very important to not forget the big role hobbies have in our lives. So don't think these don't count just because the other ones might not be realistic for you!

Nature conservation is currently a hot topic (and rightfully so!), so a lot more local projects are set up to help local flora and fauna. Though this ties into the volunteering, I wanted to note this seperately because it's often a lot more attainable. In a lot of countries there are local volunteer groups that organise, for example, beach clean-ups, planting native species, or even venture into (local) politics. You can check your local library, nature organisations, government websites, or even just social media to see if there are any local projects in your area that speak to you. Again, this is also a great way to get in touch with people with similar interests! Obviously, this is very depended on your location but definitely worth the try!