OHI Assessments
Here you will find a list of current and completed Ocean Health Index assessments. The OHI team provides technical guidance and support for OHI+ assessments, but OHI+ groups are fully responsible for all decisions made and the resulting scores. The map below illustrate ongoing and completed assessments. Shading indicates areas that have completed assessments (light teal) or are Conducting assessments (darker teal) and drop-pins indicate areas Preparing for their first assessment. Click on an assessment or scroll below the map for more information.
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Indicates an OHI+ assessment
Global
Global
Status: Active (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
Leading group: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara and Conservation International
Contact: Dr. Ben Halpern (halpern @ bren.ucsb.edu)
Description: Assessments at the global scale are repeated annually. Using the same goal models and reference points, scores are calculated for 220 coastal nations and territories.
publications github media technical website fellows program overview website
North America
Canada
Status: Active
Leading group: Canadian Healthy Oceans Network (CHONe)
Contact: Remi Daigle (daigleremi @ gmail.com)
Description: A pilot study to better represent Canada at the national level by incorporating public goals and goal weightings that are more relevant to Canadians.
Canada-Atlantic
Status: Active
Leading group: Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski, Université du Québec à Rimouski
Contact: Remi Daigle (daigleremi @ gmail.com)
Description: An OHI+ assessment for Atlantic Canada’s marine biogeographic regions with a focus on the Saint Lawrence gulf/estuary.
Canada-British Columbia
Status: Active
Leading group: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara
Contact: Dr. Ben Halpern (halpern @ bren.ucsb.edu)
Description: Working with local partners, this assessment will incorporate locally meaningful information, priorities, and perspectives to track change in the health of B.C.’s ocean during the past ten years and to describe how management may have contributed to these patterns.
Mexico
Status: Active
Leading group: Mexico’s Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT)
Contact: Salomon Diaz (salomon.diaz @ semarnat.gob.mx)
Description: National study to assess the health of Mexico’s four national marine areas (North Pacific, South Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Coast). Efforts seek to centralize ocean and coastal information, and standardize methods for assessing ocean health in the country.
US-Northeast
Status: Active
Leading group: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara
Contact: Dr. Ben Halpern (halpern @ nceas.ucsb.edu)
Description: The OHI is being used as a tool for monitoring and evaluation in the US Northeast Ocean Plan, finalized by the National Ocean Council on December 7, 2016. Working with local partners, we will adapt the Index to capture priorities for ocean health in the Northeast. Our approach will incorporate locally meaningful information and perspectives in order to track change in the health of the ocean. The OHI will also be applied over the past ten years to examine changes in regional ocean health to better understand how management may have contributed to these patterns.
US-West-Coast
Status: Completed (2014)
Leading group: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara and Conservation International
Contact: Dr. Julia Stewart Lowndes (lowndes @ nceas.ucsb.edu)
Description: Test of the OHI framework for five coastal sub-regions, using ~80% local data and modified goal models.
South America
Brazil
Status: Completed (2014)
Leading group: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara and Conservation International
Contact: Erich J Pacheco (epacheco @ conservation.org)
Description: Test of the OHI framework for Brazil’s 17 coastal states, using ~50% local data and modified models for five goals.
Chile
Status: Active
Leading group: University of California, Santa Barbara
Contact: Patricia Cecilia Faundez Baez (patriciafaundezbaez @ gmail.com)
Description: Academic assessment conducted as part of a PhD dissertation.
Colombia
Status: Active
Leading group: Colombian Commission for the Oceans
Contact: Ivan Murillo (datos @ cco.gov.co)
Description: National assessment of Colombia’s Pacific, Atlantic, and Caribbean Islands regions developed with 113 national indicators and through a multi-agency working group.
Ecuador-Gulf-of-Guayaquil
Status: Completed (2015)
Leading group: Ecuador’s Technical Sea Secretariat (SETEMAR)
Contact: Santiago Torres Báez (storres @ secretariamar.gob.ec)
Description: Completed assessment of the Gulf of Guayaquil (Provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Santa Elena) using 96 local indicators, 4 context specific models, and 5 locally relevant reference points.
Peru
Status: Active
Leading group: Peru’s Ministry of Environment
Contact: Nina Prado
Description: Pilot study in Ica province.
Europe
Baltic Sea
Status: Active
Leading group: Stockholm Resilience Centre
Contact: Thorsten Bleckner (thorsten.blenckner @ su.se)
Description: Transboundary assessment of the Baltic Sea at jurisdiction and basin scales. Nine goals are being assessed.
Norway
Status: Active
Leading group: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Contact: Dr. Per Fauchald (Per.Fauchald @ nina.no)
Description: Study exploring human-ecological interactions in 81 municipalities in northern Norway.
Spain-Bay of Biscay
Status: Active
Leading group: Azti Tecnalia
Contact: Angel Borja (aborja @ azti.es)
Description: This group will compare OHI process and scores with findings of other existing methodologies for assessing ocean health.
Spain-Gulf of Cadiz
Status: Active
Leading group: Spanish Oceanography Institute
Contact: Marcos Llope (marcos.llope @ cd.ieo.es)
Description: This assessment will evaluate the Gulf of Cadiz and compare its health through time.
Spain-Ria de Vigo
Status: Active
Leading group: Campus do Mar
Contact: Sebastian Villasante (s.villasante.arg @ gmail.com)
Description: This assessment will evaluate the coast of Galicia and compare its health through time.
United-Kingdom Cornwall
Status: Active
Leading group: University of Exeter
Contact: Dr. Matt Witt (M.J.Witt @ exeter.ac.uk)
Description: In English waters Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is currently being implemented by the UK Marine Management Organisation (MMO) through a set of regional Marine Plans. The South West Marine Plan (SWMP) offers a regional approach for MSP in busy maritime areas such as the Western Approaches, English Channel and Celtic Sea.
Asia
China
Status: Active (2015)
Leading group: China State Oceanic Administration
Contact: Zhiguo Liu (liuzhiguo150 at 163.com), Wen Quan (qwen at nmemc.gov.cn)
Description: National assessment of China’s 11 coastal provinces using locally developed models, reference points, and data.
Indonesia-Bali
Status: Active
Leading group: Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Conservation International
Contact: Iwan Dewantama (idewantama @ conservation.org)
Description: Pilot assessment for the provincial island of Bali to fine tune the OHI framework to the Indonesian context and build local capacity.
Israel
Status: Completed (2015)
Leading group: Hamaraag — Israel’s National Nature Assessment Program
Contact: Yossi Mossel (yossimosse @ hamaarag.org.il)
Description: First indepently-led assessment, evaluated 6 regions of Israel’s Mediterranean coast.
South Korea
Status: Active (2015)
Leading group: Korean Maritime Institute (KMI)
Contact: Jungho Nam (jhnam007 @ gmail.com)
Description: Nationwide project to assess the health of oceans in South Korea. Efforts will focus on running management scenarios to test implications of proposed projects.
Africa
Kenya
Status: Active
Leading group: Conservation International, Africa Field Division
Contact: Dr. Peter Alele (palele@conservation.org)
Description: Indian Ocean Commission award “Assessing the multisectorial context for biodiversity conservation in and sharing lessons among Tanzania and Kenya using the Ocean Health Index organizing framework and decision-making tool”.
Tanzania
Status: Active
Leading group: Conservation International, Africa Field Division
Contact: Alice Ruhweza (aruhweza @ conservation.org)
Description: Indian Ocean Commission award “Assessing the multisectorial context for biodiversity conservation in and sharing lessons among Tanzania and Kenya using the Ocean Health Index organizing framework and decision-making tool”.
Arctic
Arctic
Status: Active
Leading group: Imperial College London
Contact: Michael Burgass (m.burgass14 @ imperial.ac.uk)
Description: Academic assessment conducted as part of a PhD dissertation.
Oceania
Fiji
Status: Completed (2015)
Leading group: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at UC Santa Barbara and Conservation International
Contact: Erich J Pacheco (epacheco @ conservation.org)
Description: Test of the OHI framework at the national scale, using available local data for five goals.
New Caledonia
Status: Active
Leading group: Conservation International, Department of Marine Affairs
Contact: Mael Imirizaldu (mimirizaldu @ conservation.org)
Description: Following the Proof of Concept assessment completed in 2016, the project focuses on establishing a baseline for the management of the Coral Sea Park to allow for ongoing monitoring, assessing, and adaptive management.
Palmyra
Status: Complete
Leading group: The Nature Conservancy’s Palmyra 4site team and NCEAS
Contact: Sara Orofino, Gage Clawson (clawson@nceas.ucsb.edu)
Description: To assess the performance of 7 goals on Palmyra, a mostly uninhabited island in the Line Islands Archipelago halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa that is a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 2000.
Samoa
Status: Active
Leading group: Conservation International, Division of Environmental Conservation
Description: National level assessment to measure progress towards ocean health and sustainable economic growth.
Tetiaroa
Status: Complete
Leading group: Tetiaroa Society’s Tetiaroa 4site team and NCEAS
Contact: Madeline Berger, Gage Clawson (clawson@nceas.ucsb.edu)
Description: To assess the performance of 5 goals on Tetiaroa, a mostly uninhabited collection of islets in the Windward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia where management, conservation, and protection of the entire island are carried out by the Tetiaroa Society, a US-based non-profit organization.
US-Hawaii
Status: Active
Leading group: Conservation International and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Contact: Dr. Eva Schemmel (eschemmel @ conservation.org)
Description: The Hawaii Ocean Health Index is integrating economic, social, and ecological information to track the sustainable use of our ocean resources. This assessment will increase awareness on the activities that are being done across the state that support the sustainable use of our ocean resources and identify remaining knowledge gaps and priorities. With this information we we will catalyze stakeholder involvement across sectors and facilitate collaborations to ensure the health of our ocean now and into the future.