Marine Explorers Society - 20000 Leagues

Marine Explorers Society - 20000 Leagues was founded in 2005 as an NGO with specific focus on scientific research and education in marine biology and ecology. For almost 20 years the organization has worked with marine biologists and environmental enthusiasts and divers. Currently, the Society consists of five employees and more than 15 active volunteering members as well as a few thousand supporters. During scientific projects, regular activities include fieldwork on-board a research vessel and sample analysis. Our research activities take place in the Adriatic Sea, with a lot of projects based in marine protected areas that we collaborate with and are in the process of establishing a co-managment of 2 MPAs. Educational activities and projects include educational programmes promoting ocean literacy through STEAM and vice versa through summer schools, presentations, lectures, one-day and multi-day workshops and beach and sea clean-ups with students from primary school, high school and university as well as the general public. 20000 Leagues has successfully completed over 50 different scientific projects involving marine habitat mapping, target species and habitat research and monitoring or the development of managment plans and monitoring plans as well as more than 500 educational workshops along the Adriatic. The Society is well-connected to other environmental NGOs in the region as well as the Academia, Public Institutions and the Governing bodies conducting different scale project from national funded European Social Fund project or FLAG Initiatives through cross-border Interreg Programme as well as HORIZON projects.