New England Aquarium joins International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), expanding its influence on the global stage

BOSTON, MASS. (Oct. 6, 2025) – The New England Aquarium is now a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), making it one of the first aquariums in the world to join the prestigious organization.

Composed of 1,400 government and civil society organizations in more than 160 countries, IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. The Union turns to its diverse network of experts to solve environmental challenges, advance policy action, and implement conservation projects worldwide. The New England Aquarium was recognized as a member because of its commitment to conservation and the IUCN mission, demonstrated through its extensive animal care, innovative scientific research, and marine conservation and education work. The Aquarium will now be connected to other experts and resources that can help advance its own ocean conservation goals.

“Becoming an IUCN member will allow the New England Aquarium to expand its influence worldwide as a nonprofit research and conservation organization. We are honored to join trusted leaders from across the globe as we work to protect our blue planet for future generations,” said Dr. Letise LaFeir, Chief of Conservation and Stewardship at the New England Aquarium.

A delegation of experts and scientists from the Aquarium is attending the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi from Oct. 9-15. The gathering, which happens once every four years, is where the IUCN sets its conservation priorities for the future, with 10,000 government, environmental, Indigenous, and youth leaders expected. Dr. LaFeir will represent the Aquarium as Authorized Vote Holder at the conference, joining debate at the Members’ Assembly and voting on IUCN motions and leadership positions on behalf of the Aquarium.

“The goal is to be able to inform, influence, and implement collective conservation impact,” said Sarah Reiter, the Aquarium’s Associate Vice President of Conservation Practice, who is also part of the delegation at the Congress. “We’ve only just scratched the surface and are eager to collaborate with IUCN members on the most pressing conservation issues facing our ocean.”

IUCN members are brought into project work around the globe, from guiding science-based policy on marine and terrestrial protected areas to advising on over 150,000 different species through its Species Survival Commission (SSC). SSC groups work with the IUCN Red List team to perform detailed assessments and analyses of species’ extinction risk. Dr. Elizabeth Burgess, Senior Scientist in the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, is a member of the SSC Sirenia Specialist Group. Veterinarian and Senior Scientist Dr. Charles Innis participates in the SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group.

MEDIA CONTACT: Pam Bechtold Snyder—617-686-5068; psnyder@neaq.org