Nathan J. Robinson

The health of our oceans is undergoing a precipitous decline, necessitating planetary-scale solutions. In 2007, when I commenced my career in ocean conservation, I dedicated myself to the front-line fight for endangered sea turtles. I traveled to Costa Rica, Greece, South Africa, The Bahamas, and the USA to protect nesting turtles from threats such as poachers, predatory species, beach development, and more. Over time, I realized that the most significant threats faced by these species—climate change, fisheries bycatch, and marine pollution—required efforts extending far beyond a turtle’s nesting beach.

In 2015, my life changed overnight when a video of me removing a straw from a sea turtle’s nose went viral online. This video kickstarted the international movement against plastic straws and is regularly cited as a key moment in building public support for anti-single-use plastic campaigns worldwide.

Inspired by the impact of the straw video, I began searching for new ways to film marine wildlife that would reveal important scientific insights while generating footage to engage global audiences in the fight for ocean health. I’ve since unveiled the secret social lives of sea turtles using shell-mounted cameras, started deciphering the language of deep-sea bioluminescence, and recorded the first footage of a live giant squid in US waters. My next goal, which has already taken me to the frozen waters of Antarctica, is to film the world’s largest invertebrate—the colossal squid. By sharing these stories, I aim to connect people with a sense of responsibility for ocean health, regardless of where they live. I genuinely believe that by engaging and empowering global audiences, we can halt the biodiversity crisis and build a brighter future for our ocean planet.