The World Of The Sea

What The World Of The Sea does

Mundus maris asbl, doing business as "The World Of The Sea" and "Mundus Maris," is an international non-profit association (asbl) registered in Brussels, Belgium in 2010 that protects the ocean and engages with coastal communities through the combined use of sciences, education, and the arts. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including the annual World Ocean Day celebrated across three continents (Africa, Europe, South America), the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy supporting implementation of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries, the "Between Tradition and Modernity" research initiative, advocacy campaigns on Stop Overfishing, Healthy Ocean vs Pollution, Ocean and Climate Security, and the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries, plus educational resources (EAF teaching kits, Four Blue Notebooks, FishBase Guide mobile app) and reviews of exhibitions, books, and films.

The underlying technology is a content- and community-based platform rather than a software product: a multilingual website in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish; downloadable teaching kits; an informational mobile application for fish species identification; and volunteer-coordinated social media and newsletter distribution. Distribution operates through a global volunteer network, event-based physical engagement at conferences and community workshops, and self-serve downloads via the website.

The business model is donation-only: the association states it depends entirely on monetary contributions (recurring monthly transfers and one-off donations) and on volunteer labor, with no products or services sold for revenue. Beneficiaries are distributed across four persona segments — artisanal fishing communities (notably in Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria), youth and students up to 24 years of age from at least nine countries, the arts and cultural sector, and scientists and educators — with no paying customer base. Governance is provided by an elected international board led by President Dr. Cornelia E. Nauen, Vice-President and Executive Secretary Prof. Stella Williams (Nigeria), and Vice-Presidents Dr. Aliou Sall (Senegal), Dr. Maria del Carmen Patricia Morales (Argentina), and Dr. Marcelo Lino Morales Yokobori (Argentina).

Name

The World Of The Sea

Legal name

Mundus maris asbl

Website

https://mundusmaris.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mundus maris asbl is a Brussels-registered international non-profit (founded 2010) that combines sciences, education, and the arts to promote ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, and ocean literacy for fishing communities, youth, educators, and the cultural sector across Africa, Europe, and South America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAE

Marine & Freshwater Conservation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYEDAOAOAK

Aquaculture & Fisheries Operations

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

Keywords

• Ocean conservation programs
• Marine education resources
• Sustainable fisheries support
• Ocean literacy outreach
• Nonprofit marine advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Berchem

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered non-profit charity (asbl) in Brussels, Belgium, Mundus maris operates entirely on donated funds. The organization accepts both regular monthly transfers to secure operational stability and one-off financial contributions from supporters.
2. Volunteer Contributions: The association and its work are powered entirely by volunteers who contribute time across translation, editorial, web development, social media, and video production roles.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mundus Maris is a non-profit association that provides educational programs, advocacy campaigns, and community engagement platforms focused on ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, and marine ecosystem protection. Its core offerings include the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy, the annual World Ocean Day celebration across multiple continents, the "The Seafood We Eat" initiative, and educational resources built around the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) framework, supplemented by mobile app-based fish identification tools. All activities are delivered free of charge through a volunteer-driven, donation-funded model.

Product overview

Mundus Maris is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of programs and resources focused on ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries. The core offerings include the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy (an educational platform for implementing sustainable fisheries guidelines), World Ocean Day celebrations (an annual awareness initiative across three continents), and The Seafood We Eat (exploring food security and sustainability). These are supported by educational resources including teaching kits, the FishBase Guide app, and curriculum materials. The organization also produces publications through its Books and Films review programs, hosts Exhibitions combining science and art, and conducts Events. Advocacy programs address Ocean and Climate Security, Healthy Ocean vs Pollution, Stop Overfishing, and the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries. All activities are designed to make scientific knowledge accessible to non-specialists and promote transitions towards sustainability values and practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Small-Scale Fisheries Academy A multi-actor platform providing operational support for implementing the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries, focused on dialogue, joint learning, and co-creation of knowledge for marine and coastal resource recovery. It targets artisanal fishing communities, scientists, and policy stakeholders.
• World Ocean Day celebration An annual international awareness initiative celebrated on June 8th under a UN-announced motto, with activities organized across Africa, Europe, and South America to raise awareness about ocean conservation and sustainable use.
• The Seafood We Eat An initiative exploring different aspects of seafood, food security, health and sustainability issues, examining how culinary traditions and culture influence seafood consumption patterns.
• Between Tradition and Modernity A series of articles, studies and projects exploring tensions communities experience when local traditions clash with the demands of an increasingly globalised world, particularly in fisheries and coastal zones.
• Educational Resources (EAF Teaching Kit and FishBase Guide App) Teaching kits including the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) materials, teacher handbooks, pupil workbooks, fish rulers, monitoring sheets, and the FishBase Guide mobile app for sustainable seafood education. Designed for teachers, pupils, and learners.
• Ocean Literacy and Outreach Educational outreach activities including role-playing games, webinars, workshops, and volunteering action days to promote ocean awareness and conservation.
• UN Ocean Conference participation Activities related to UN Ocean Conferences held since 2017 to place the ocean more firmly at the center of the political agenda, supporting SDG14 implementation.
• Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries program Framework recognized as key to healthy and productive fisheries with five components: maintaining ecosystem integrity, precautionary approach, stakeholder participation, sectoral integration, and research investment.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations (SDG Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMundus maris is registered as a UN SDG Partnership working to raise awareness about the ocean and take action in support of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). More than 100 groups and individuals from 9 countries participated in their youth awards contest aligned with SDG objectives.
• FishBase and SeaLifeBasecoreTechnology or IntegrationMundus maris promotes and distributes FishBase and SeaLifeBase resources - global encyclopedias on fishes and non-fish marine organisms. The organization also developed the FishBase Guide mobile application for sustainable seafood consumption.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMundus maris supports implementation of FAO's Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the context of food security and poverty eradication. The Small-Scale Fisheries Academy serves as operational support for these guidelines.
• Belgian Ocean Decade CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMundus maris participates in the Belgian National Ocean Decade Committee activities, contributing to ocean literacy and outreach initiatives in Belgium.
• World Ocean Day NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive contributor to World Ocean Day celebrations since 2014, coordinating activities across multiple continents in alignment with annual UN themes.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Marine Foundation: European-focused ocean conservation NGO working on marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, and policy advocacy; comparable to Mundus maris on European ocean policy engagement (EU Ocean Act), small-scale fisheries, and UN Ocean Conference advocacy.
• Sea Shepherd Global: International marine conservation organization combining direct-action campaigns with educational outreach; comparable to Mundus maris on volunteer-powered operations and ocean advocacy, though much larger and more confrontational in approach.
• Oceana: Largest international ocean conservation advocacy NGO; directly comparable to Mundus maris on sustainable fisheries advocacy, marine policy campaigns (e.g., fisheries subsidies, plastic pollution), and UN Ocean Conference participation.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): Sets the global standard for sustainable seafood and operates the world's most recognized fisheries certification; directly comparable to Mundus maris on sustainable-seafood consumer education (overlaps with FishBase Guide app) and small-scale fisheries engagement.
• Fauna & Flora International (FFI): International marine conservation NGO with strong small-scale fisheries and developing-country program portfolios; comparable to Mundus maris on combining scientific rigor, local-community partnerships in Africa and Latin America, and a non-profit membership/volunteer model.
• Mission Blue (Sylvia Earle Alliance): Marine conservation NGO focused on ocean protection through Hope Spots and global advocacy networks; comparable to Mundus maris on UN Ocean Conference engagement, ocean-literacy outreach, and community-led conservation.

Broad incumbents

• WWF Oceans Practice: Global conservation NGO with one of the largest oceans portfolios; comparable to Mundus maris on sustainable fisheries, ocean literacy, and UN/FAO engagement, though operating at vastly greater scale.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) — Oceans: Major US-based environmental NGO with a substantial oceans program covering fisheries management and climate–ocean linkages; broadly comparable to Mundus maris on sustainable-fisheries advocacy and scientific-policy bridging.
• The Nature Conservancy — Marine Program: One of the world's largest environmental NGOs with a global marine program covering fisheries, MPAs, and ocean-climate work; comparable to Mundus maris on sustainable fisheries and ocean literacy, though operating at multibillion-dollar scale.

Emerging players

• Sea Around Us: University of British Columbia–affiliated research initiative providing global fisheries data and reform analysis; comparable to Mundus maris on the intersection of fisheries science, policy advocacy, and educational resources for sustainable seafood.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/mundusmaris
• Xx.com/Mundusmaris
• Facebookfacebook.com/MundusMaris
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mundus-maris

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The World Of The Sea