The Foundation is committed to protecting and enhancing the marine environment with impactful conservation, education and research
WA Reef Regen Program
With increasing occurrences of marine heatwaves due to climate change, WA’s coral reefs are experiencing high levels of bleaching and mortality. The WA Reef Regen program is a unique, multi-year program for coral and reef restoration along the WA coastline.
Houtman Abrolhos Coral Resilience
Led by Dr Kate Quigley, this project investigates how coral reef ecosystems are responding to rising ocean temperatures and increasing marine heatwaves; one of the greatest threats to coral reefs globally.
White Shark Conservation Genomics
In 2025, the Jock Clough Marine Foundation teamed up with Cesar Australia to advance the application of whole genome sequencing as a conservation tool for white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias).
Robson and Robertson Awards
We established the Robson and Robertson Awards to support the next generation of marine scientists in their academic pursuits and early research careers. These awards honour Professors Alan Robson and Alistar Robertson, who were instrumental in founding the UWA Oceans Institute.
Marine Sustainability Fund
The Marine Sustainability Fund, established by the Foundation for the WA Museum, provides sustained support for the Western Australian Museum’s marine research, field expeditions, and collections.
UNSEEN - Search for a Coelacanth
Led by Alexis Chappuis, UNSEEN – Search for a Coelacanth represents a remarkable example of modern-era ocean exploration, combining cutting-edge deep-diving capability with scientific discovery and conservation intent.
WA World Ocean Day
World Ocean Day on June 8 provides an annual moment to draw the Western Australian community’s attention to our extraordinarily diverse marine environment, and to motivate everyone – from school children to thought leaders – to take specific, meaningful action to keep our big blue backyard healthy, productive, and accessible to all.
White Rock - The Great Southern Reef Foundation
We are happy to support White Rock, an Australian documentary premiering at the UN General Assembly in New York. The film details the destruction caused by sea urchins devouring kelp forests and showcases collaborative efforts for ecosystem restoration.
Fremantle Underwater Film Festival
The Fremantle Underwater Film Festival is an independent, grassroots, not-for-profit social and environmental movement for better ocean health.
Our New Research Vessel ‘Marine 2’
Our newly refurbished 24-metre ‘Marine 2’ has embarked on its journey as a research vessel, marking the beginning of a landmark collaboration focused on research, training, and environmental restoration.
Plastics Tracker – Global
The Foundation has been pleased to be involved with the Plastic Tracker Project which aims to stem the flow of plastic products creating global health and environmental issues.
Shark Bay (Gathaagudu) Research – Western Australia
Shark Bay World Heritage Area faces significant challenges due to climate change. The devastating 2010/11 marine heatwave, for example, caused substantial losses in seagrass meadows.
Marine Heatwave Research
The Foundation instigated a research collaboration with Western Australian marine science-focused universities to enable scientific experts to work together on a major UN-endorsed research project to better forecast and respond to extreme marine heatwaves, as these devastating events are likely to become more frequent and severe in the future.
'Protect Ningaloo' Campaign in Exmouth Gulf
Exmouth Gulf boasts an exceptional diversity of marine life and likely serves as a recruitment area for many species found on the world-renowned Ningaloo Reef, another World Heritage Property site.
Great Southern Seascapes Program
To improve declining water quality for all stakeholders, The Nature Conservancy launched a $4-5 million initiative to introduce and nurture native oysters.
Coral Sea Foundation
The Coral Sea and Eastern Coral Triangle region harbours the last great ultra-diverse coral reef in the world.
FishBase
FishBase is the world's most comprehensive fish database and an important tool empowering marine biologists working in fisheries, aquaculture and conservation.
Great Hammerhead Shark Ecology
The Foundation has partnered with The University of the Sunshine Coast to assess the movements of great hammerhead sharks across various South East Queensland ecosystems, with a focus on Hervey Bay and Moreton Bay.
Whale Shark Research Programme
The Foundation supported Ecocean’s research on the endangered whale shark’s movement and migration patterns at the Shark Bay World Heritage Property.
WA Parks Foundation
Our Foundation support the WA Parks Foundation, which aims to connect people to nature through both terrestrial and marine parks and deliver collaborative projects that celebrate, protect, enrich and increase our understanding of nature.