We are one Blue Planet
Supporting our oceans through technology, travel and training.
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What we believe in

always looking towards the future.
World ecosystem illustration.

Oceans and coral reefs are the backbone of a multitude of ecosystems and for human livelihood. We have already lost or severely damaged more than 50% of coral reefs worldwide.

Through technology and tourism, Reef Support empowers more people to discover the world of coral reefs, and take action to protect them.

What we do at Reef Support

TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN CONSERVATIONSHIP

Beaches & Coastlines

Each year, billions of pounds of trash and other pollutants enter the ocean. Some of the debris ends up on our beaches, washed in with the waves and tides. Waste then sink, eaten by animals that mistake it for food or accumulate in ocean gyres. Despite the economic benefits of tourism, beach managers have grown increasingly resistant to continued resort development due to lack of clear predictive insights and planning strategies. We brings informative insights to better manage coastal and land-based pollution for healthier beaches and coastlines.

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OPEN CORAL AI

At Reef Support, we develop intuitive and user-friendly software to process underwater imagery data to assist global reef monitoring efforts. 91% of ocean species have yet to be classified. The beauty of our Open Coral AI is that with a little bit of guidance, anyone can take a picture, upload it and contribute to global reef monitoring database.

For individuals, travel to a reef conservation site and help us collect important coral reef data, or help us with data labelling from anywhere in the world and be rewarded! For organizations, our tool is open sourced to use.

TO OPEN CORAL AI

Our Global Network

Through our global network of coral reef, cetacean and shark conservation organizations, we offer marine conservation training for individuals and groups, from zero to advanced diving levels, at the most beautiful coastal destinations around the world. Whether you're interested in conservation, marine biology, or just want to give back to the ocean, there's a project waiting for you. Become a certified Reef Ranger and start to make your reef-impact today!

SEE ALL PROJECTS

PLASTIC TRACKER

Leveraging the power of satellite imagery, our cutting-edge technology trains models to detect plastic debris in both oceanic and river environments. Currently, we are conducting case studies in The Netherlands and Romania, refining our algorithms to accurately identify and track plastic waste. Do you clean up plastic waste or work in it's supply chain, join us today and contribute to a cleaner future by harnessing the potential of AI and ML in tackling plastic pollution.

TO PLASTIC TRACKER

OPEN OCEAN DATA

It is nearly impossible to protect oceans effectively without knowing exactly the changing conditions and threats they face. 80% of our ocean is unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored. The unprecedented detail of satellite data allows scientists, practitioners, diving centers, local governments and educators to access a growing database of mapped ocean data, from water quality to habitats (coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass) to algae and plastic pollution. Start mapping with us today.

TO OPEN OCEAN DATA

Coral Lab

Coral reefs are exceptionally valuable; they provide food, livelihoods and economic opportunity to more than half a billion people in over 100 countries; they are also teeming with life, hosting a quarter of all known marine species. Nearly 200 million people depend on coral reefs to protect them from storm surges and waves. Increased acidification, pollution, fishing and other forms of coastal activities all impact our fuure of our coral reefs.

SEE PAGE
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Open Ocean Data, an  award  winning innovation

Copernicus Prize The Netherlands 2020Copernicus Prize Overall Winner 2020CLP logofalling walls logo
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Partners and Sponsors

With a growing amount of attention given to the importance of saving Coral Reefs, WE BRING TOGETHER organizations that can make change at a large enough scale.
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SEE ALL REEF SUPPORTERS
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News

Would you like to know what we're CURRENTLY working on? Check out our STORIES below!

Our Latest Updates

Paper: Superpixels to the Rescue (Runhaar, 2022)

With the support of the University of Amsterdam, our CTO Yohan Runhaar carried out research to explore advanced methods for coral classification and segmentation, addressing limitations in current approaches. By leveraging computer vision techniques, the study offers a pathway to enhance efficiency and precision in assessing coral reef health using innovative AI techniques.

MSc Thesis: 3D Photogrammetry Analysis (Baauw, 2022)

Marc Baauw conducted this research as part of his MSc studies in GIMA, a program offered by TU Delft, Wageningen University, Utrecht University, and the University of Twente. His aim was to gain insights into the differences between two rugosity calculation approaches using SFM-based photogrammetry.

SOA Hackathon in Sausalito, CA 2022

During the AI for Coral Bleaching Hackathon organized by the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, the Reef Support team used the k-means segmentation technique to detect live coral cover and coral bleaching extent. This was a critical step in creating an accurate AI model to predict coral bleaching events and identify healthy and unhealthy coral reefs.

More information on Collecting and Labelling Data

In this blog, we'll explore how you can contribute to the conservation of coral reefs and help advance marine research through Open Coral AI. With just a few simple steps, you can take part in a global effort to monitor and protect coral reefs, even if you're not a marine scientist or conservationist.

The 1st Reef Ranger in Lombok: Amba Stapert

Meeting in the Netherlands and seeing her determination to take part as a volunteer, Reef Support and IBF decided that Amba would become the "first reef ranger", where she would travel to Lombok for 2 months to develop reef monitoring techniques and to set the groundwork for a continued reef ranger program into the future.

Coral Lab Developments: Part II

The 4 Reef Students are making great progress: signing their first contract, breaking first ground on the lab, gaining their Open Water PADI certificate, and having their first restoration dive! Click to read more on the story, where we thank the sponsors and tell you how to get more involved, by T-shirts, or by citizen science.

Kickstart of the Coral Lab: Part I

Motivated by a shared goal, 4 Reef Students of TU Delft are closely working together, in the context of their ongoing studies, with Reef Support and an inspiring non-governmental organisation, the Indonesia Biru Foundation (IBF) to kickstart the decade of ocean regeneration with a community-driven coral lab!

Reef Support goes to Cape Town at Ocean Hub Africa

Reef Support was invited to take place in the Ocean Innovation Africa event in Cape Town, as an exhibitor and challenge owner. Together with OceanHub Africa, the hosts of the event, we presented one of the challenges part of the Ocean Hackathon ®.

Reef Support x FruitPunch AI Hackathon

Reef Support has decided to collaborate with FruitPunch AI to set up a 2 month (Oct - Dec 2021) Hackathon, inviting data scientists to analyze underwater photographs to infer the health and growth of coral reefs.

Coming soon

A Reef Lecture to the French school of the Hague

On the 1st of June, Reef Support had the incredible opportunity to present the factors contributing to the demise of coral reefs around the world at Lycée Français Vincent Van Gogh. This also marks the start of Reef Students.

AI for Coral Reef Monitoring: Contribution to the UN Ocean Decade

In September 2021, Reef Support’s vision for strong international coordination and community building of an ocean prediction capacity for the future has led to a science programme submitted to the UN Decade of Ocean Science.

First Reef Hackathon with YES!Delft Students

On the 23rd of April, students of TU Delft were invited to participate in the 2021 Hackathon organised by YES!Delft Students and work on a case of Reef Support. Read more to find out about the winning teams and ideas!

Get updates from Reef Support

New destinations, platform launches, hackathons, free workshops and webinars.

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