Full steam ahead for the ocean tribute Award 2025

Marine conservation prize of boot Düsseldorf, Prince Albert II and the German Ocean Foundation endowed with € 20,000 © Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann

The ocean tribute Award 2025 is starting at full speed. The application tool for the € 20,000 marine conservation prize is online and initiatives and associations can now register for the award, which will be presented at boot Düsseldorf on 20 January 2025.

The closing date for entries on 31 August marks the beginning of the hot phase for the expert jury, as they have to review the applications and select five projects for the public vote. Important requirements include effectiveness in terms of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal '14', the highest possible level of participation by people in the project and the networking of the initiative, which should also encourage others to follow suit.

The five finalists from the jury assessment will be presented with their projects on the website https://www.boot.com/en/Program/Events/ocean_tribute_award/ocean_tribute_award. The interested public will also be able to cast their votes there in the 'public voting' starting in October.

In previous years - the prize has been awarded by boot Düsseldorf, the Prince Albert II Foundation and the German Ocean Foundation since 2018 - international projects from all over the world have been honored. In addition to prominent winners such as the exceptional German yachtsman Boris Herrmann, it was above all campaigns and initiatives that developed a wide range of individual ideas and solutions for regional marine conservation that impressed the public and the expert jury.

This year's award winner, the 'ECOP AFRICA' network - with its vision of nature-based carbon removal and sustainable aquaculture in Africa - is a particularly successful example of this. 'ECOP AFRICA' is committed to a healthy ocean, for example by repairing and rebuilding marine ecosystems. ECOP members from various African countries are developing strategies to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. To this end, they offer real-time monitoring and strategies for sustainable aquaculture. 'ECOP AFRICA' also utilizes indigenous knowledge about the oceans and applies it to climate protection measures. Last but not least, the members develop communication programs on the topic of the sea in order to combat poverty in the countries.

boot Düsseldorf accompanies the winners of the "ocean tribute" Award after the award ceremony at the trade fair and presents them both in its newsletters and on its social media platforms. For example, this year's winner and his projects were portrayed in the trade fair's May newsletter and in July there will be an interview with those responsible for 'ECOP AFRICA' on Linkedin.

Caroline Mühl () from the boot team will be happy to answer any questions and provide further information on the "ocean tribute" award.