▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁The ▁Ocean ▁Project ▁has ▁grown ▁from ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁found ing ▁North ▁American ▁aqu ari ums ▁into ▁the ▁world ' s ▁most ▁extensive ▁network ▁for ▁adv ancing ▁ocean ▁education ▁and ▁action . ▁Its ▁growing ▁network ▁includes ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁partner ▁aqu ari ums , ▁zo os , ▁science , ▁technology , ▁and ▁natural ▁history ▁museum s ▁( Z A MS ), ▁youth ▁groups , ▁and ▁other ▁education ▁and ▁conservation ▁organizations , ▁in ▁ 1 4 0 ▁countries ▁that ▁together ▁serve ▁hundreds ▁of ▁millions ▁of ▁visitors ▁each ▁year . ▁The ▁Ocean ▁Project ▁does ▁not ▁market ▁itself , ▁instead ▁" support ing ▁and ▁highlight ing " ▁partners ▁by ▁broadcast ing ▁their ▁" inn ov ative ▁conservation - related ▁activities ." ▁ ▁To ▁help ▁its ▁network ▁of ▁partners ▁achieve ▁their ▁miss ions , ▁The ▁Ocean ▁Project ▁has ▁conducted ▁public ▁opinion ▁and ▁market ▁research ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁Ocean ▁Project ▁works ▁with ▁its ▁partners ▁to ▁apply ▁the ▁research , ▁provide ▁strateg ic ▁communic ations ▁ins ights , ▁and ▁implement ▁innov ative ▁public ▁eng agement ▁programs ▁and ▁campaign s ▁to ▁collabor atively ▁create ▁a ▁better ▁future . ▁ ▁Primary ▁Str ateg ies : ▁ 1 ) ▁En h ance ▁capacity ▁at ▁partner ▁institutions ▁- ▁Support ▁and ▁emp ower ▁the ▁communic ations , ▁education , ▁out re ach ▁and ▁activation ▁capac ities ▁of ▁Z AM s ▁and ▁other ▁partners ▁to ▁effectively ▁eng age ▁their ▁members ▁and ▁visitors , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁leaders ▁in