The Ocean Agency

Lore & Background

In 2012, The Ocean Agency launched the XL Catlin Seaview Survey to create an underwater Google Street View using the Seaview SVI and Seaview SVII 360-degree underwater cameras. From 2013 to 2016, the agency visited more than 26 countries and surveyed over 1,000 km of reef area, taking over a million 360-degree images. In 2014, it started recording the 3rd Global Coral Bleaching Event, which became the subject of the Netflix Original Documentary Chasing Coral, which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was released on Netflix in July 2017. In 2016, The Ocean Agency ideated 50 Reefs—a global plan to save coral reefs—launched in early 2017 with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. The agency was appointed to coordinate International Year of the Reef 2018 by the International Coral Reef Initiative, working with the United Nations Environment Programme, and launched the Year of the Reef Image Bank to supply imagery to media outlets, organizations, and citizens.

Reader's Guide

The Ocean Agency's significance lies in its pioneering use of 360-degree underwater cameras to create a comprehensive visual record of coral reefs, enabling global public access through an underwater Google Street View. Its documentation of the 3rd Global Coral Bleaching Event from 2014 onward provided critical visual evidence that reached a wide audience via the Netflix documentary Chasing Coral, raising awareness of bleaching events. The 50 Reefs initiative, launched in early 2017 with backing from major foundations, represents a strategic conservation plan targeting reefs less vulnerable to climate change that could repopulate others. Additionally, its coordination of International Year of the Reef 2018 and creation of the Year of the Reef Image Bank supplied freely available imagery to support global conservation messaging. These efforts collectively advanced coral reef conservation by combining technology, media, and targeted action.

Did You Know?

• The Ocean Agency launched the XL Catlin Seaview Survey in 2012 to create an underwater Google Street View.
• From 2013 to 2016, it surveyed over 1,000 km of reef area and took over a million 360-degree images.
• It started recording the 3rd Global Coral Bleaching Event in 2014, which became the subject of the Netflix documentary Chasing Coral.