Aquarium names four new ocean conservation leaders to Marine Conservation Action Fund Fellows Program

BOSTON, MASS. (Sept. 9, 2025) – Four marine conservation experts from the Philippines, Brazil, Honduras, and Belize have been named to the New England Aquarium’s Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF) Fellows Program, joining an international community of conservation leaders working to protect endangered species, from giant manta rays and sharks to sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and manatees.

Since its founding in 1999, MCAF has supported more than 280 projects in 60 countries on six continents. The fund offers small grants and fellowships to leaders who work with fishers, students, educators, local scientists, policymakers, and other community members to develop place-based practices that safeguard diverse wildlife and coastal livelihoods in their respective countries. Since 2015, 20 MCAF Fellows from 16 countries have been inducted into the program. Their projects either kickstart or build on initiatives to monitor endangered species, expand environmental education programs, assess the sustainability of fisheries, and more. Each Fellow receives $12,000 for their work and has opportunities for knowledge exchange with the Aquarium’s scientific experts and each other as well as stipends to address personal health and wellness. Many MCAF Fellows have gone on to influence major policy changes in their countries to protect endangered species. Some have won major conservation awards and honors for their work.

The four new MCAF Fellows bring a wealth of expertise to the program:

• Frances Camille Rivera, Co-Founder and Director of Oceanus Conservation in the Philippines. Her organization approaches conservation from many angles: protecting thousands of acres of mangrove forests through blue carbon conservation, promoting ocean literacy with programs that reach more than 7,000 schoolchildren, leading biodiversity research, protecting migrating bird habitats, and monitoring coral reef health, among other areas. Her organization has planted more than 60,000 mangrove saplings.
• Ingrid Hyrycena dos Santos, Founder and CEO of Projeto Tubarão in Brazil. She is a biologist with over eight years of experience working with sharks, rays, and chimaeras, with a focus on artisanal fisheries, marine conservation, and science communication. Her work integrates science, traditional ecological knowledge, and education to promote the conservation of endangered marine species with inclusive and sustainable practices.
• Gabriela Ochoa, Director and Founder of ilili in Honduras. She leads the nonprofit that has been working to project marine habitats for sharks and rays in Central America since 2020. Her work centers on researching key fisheries habitats in marine protected areas and partnering with local organizations on fisheries management.
• Jamal Galves, known worldwide as the manatee man, is Program Coordinator and Research Biologist for Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in Belize. Galves works to save the Greater Caribbean endangered manatees of Belize, which are increasingly threatened by boat strikes and habitat loss with rapid coastal development. He has been fascinated by manatees since he was 11.

MCAF Fellows become part of long-term, two-way mentoring and community-building relationships, sharing best practices to help sustain their organizations with the goal of nurturing strong and effective global conservation leaders worldwide.

“MCAF aims to bring together and support marine conservation experts who are working in their local communities to protect endangered species globally,” said Elizabeth Stephenson, MCAF’s Executive Director. “As a conservation organization, the New England Aquarium is honored to partner with local leaders on coastlines around the world who are best positioned to generate solutions in their communities. Through these enduring partnerships, the Fellows help shape the MCAF program, contributing their experiences to guide our approach to effective and equitable conservation. Learning from and supporting their work on a local level is essential to the Aquarium’s global vision of a vital and vibrant ocean for all.”

The Marine Conservation Action Fund is made possible through support from Alan and Lisa Dynner, the Binnacle Fund of the Tides Foundation, the Godley Family Foundation, and other generous individual donors. More information on the new group of MCAF Fellows can be found on neaq.org.

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