SAAMBR Celebrates 75 Years of Marine Conservation

Photo Credit: Supplied by Anna Kunz from SAAMBR

The SAAMBR, led by marine experts who put the precious gems of the ocean first, is celebrating a legacy that began with curiosity 75 years ago and changed ocean conservation in South Africa.

Durban, South Africa (03 February 2026) – Seventy-five years ago, a small group of marine scientists had a bold idea: What if science could sit at the heart of conservation, education, and responsible ocean use and be funded by the public who loved the sea just as much as they did?

On 30 January 1951, that idea was formally registered as the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), and it has been making waves ever since!

At a time when shark bites along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline were a growing concern, SAAMBR’s founders set out to better understand sharks, the ocean systems they depend on, and how people could safely and sustainably share the coast.

Recreational fishing management, applied marine research, and public education were central to the vision from the very beginning.

A Marine Conservation Dream Brought to Life

To fund this work, the team proposed something quite revolutionary for the time: a public aquarium, where entry fees could support both animal care and scientific research.

In 1959, the aquarium opened its doors, and its very first resident swam straight into SAAMBR history. Myrtle, a rescued sea turtle, became the inaugural inhabitant of the first aquarium tank. Fittingly, sea turtle conservation and rehabilitation remain a cornerstone of SAAMBR’s work to this day.

As the organisation grew, so did its scientific impact. The establishment of the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI) under the SAAMBR umbrella formalised a research legacy that now spans thousands of peer-reviewed publications, shaping marine and coastal management and conservation, and fisheries management across the Western Indian Ocean.

By the 1970s, ocean fascination had taken a surprising turn. A travelling dolphin show, dolphins in a trailer touring South Africa, was drawing huge crowds. Concerned that public interest (and essential research funding) might drift away from the aquarium, SAAMBR made another pivotal decision: to establish a dolphinarium.

When it opened in 1976, the public response was overwhelming. Dolphins like Gambit became unforgettable ocean ambassadors, inspiring generations of visitors to care about marine life. The marine mammal landscape globally has changed, and SAAMBR remains fully committed to offering the 7 dolphins currently under their care the best possible lives, from the youngest, Ingelosi, who is already 21 years old, to the oldest, Frodo, who has been under human care since 1979.

Education Has Always Been Part of the Story

School visits were happening from the earliest days, but in 1975, volunteer guides were formally introduced, a programme that has now supported education delivery for 50 years. In 1983, SAAMBR appointed its first dedicated Education Officer, marking the start of a rapidly expanding education impact.

By 1993, the Education Outreach Programme took learning beyond aquarium walls, reaching under-resourced and rural communities with a clear philosophy: leave no one behind.

A major milestone followed in 2004, when SAAMBR moved to its current home at uShaka Marine World. With expanded research facilities, purpose-built education spaces, and the largest aquarium in Africa, the organisation entered a new era of scale and reach.

Since then, more than 2 million learners have engaged with SAAMBR’s education programmes. Today, over 100,000 learners visit annually, while research continues to inform conservation management, policy decisions, and public understanding of the ocean.

75 Years on, SAAMBR Remains True to the Founding Vision:

Research informs conservation, education inspires care, and science serves both people and the ocean.

From Myrtle the turtle to modern marine policy, from shark research to schoolchildren’s first glimpse of the sea, SAAMBR’s story is one of curiosity, courage, and a deep belief that understanding the ocean is the first step to protecting it.