Mary O'Malley helps nations understand why we need to save sharks and manta rays. She has worked in Indonesia and with WildAid, Shark Savers and Manta Trust.

Rick MacPherson's tireless efforts to address global threats to coral reefs and empower traditional communities that are dependent on their coastal ecosystems to conserve their resources has earned him the honor of Sea Hero of the Year.

This scuba diver has dedicated her life to conservation work in the South Pacific and was instrumental in the development of the Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary.

Rick MacPherson, conservation programs director for the Coral Reef Alliance, has built a global team of local conservation leaders in everywhere CORAL works.

Troy Bodden is working to keep Utila a natural paradise by improving the lives of its residents.

St. Croix-native Kemit-Amon Lewis is working to conserve and grow coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Dive Tribe founder Gwyn Mills agging sharks, placing mooring balls and sinking artificial reefs in his beloved Thailand keeps our May 2013 Sea Hero busy.

Water-conservation advocate Jill Heinerth is Sea Hero of the Year 2012

Jill Heinerth is working to restore our connection to — and respect for — the liquid that makes our planet possible in her film _We Are Water_.