As we move into a season of reflection and gratitude, it's the perfect time to acknowledge some of the unsung heroes beneath the surface. These marine species don’t just make the ocean beautiful; they play essential roles in keeping ecosystems healthy and balanced. From reef builders to carbon capturers, here are seven ocean dwellers we owe a heartfelt thank you to.
Whether you're a diver, angler, surfer, or just someone who finds peace near the sea, there's something powerful about knowing who keeps the blue world spinning.
1. Parrotfish
Why we’re grateful: Parrotfish are the beach builders of the reef. These brightly colored grazers nibble on algae that would otherwise smother coral reefs, helping keep reef ecosystems in balance and coral healthy. And here’s the wild part: when they munch on coral, they digest the nutritious bits and excrete the rest as sand… up to 800 pounds per fish per year! Their poop is literally making our paradise.
How to protect them: Choose sustainable seafood (many parrotfish species are overfished), avoid touching or chasing them while diving, and support reef-safe tourism.
2. Manatees & Dugongs
Why we’re grateful: These gentle giants, often called “sea cows”, are some of the ocean’s most peaceful gardeners. Both manatees and dugongs graze on seagrass beds, helping to keep these important ecosystems trimmed, healthy, and productive. This grazing promotes regrowth, supports biodiversity, and helps trap carbon, making these animals essential to coastal marine health.
What’s the difference? Dugongs live in the Indo-Pacific (think Australia, East Africa, and Southeast Asia), while manatees call the Atlantic and Caribbean their home, especially in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. Dugongs have a fluked, dolphin-like tail, while manatees have a wide, paddle-shaped tail. Both are vulnerable to boat strikes, pollution, and habitat loss.
Friendly reminder: Protecting manatees and dugongs means protecting seagrass meadows, which are threatened by coastal development, pollution, and boat traffic. Supporting marine protected areas or slowing down in manatee zones goes a long way.
3. Mangrove Trees
Why we’re grateful: While not a “species” in the animal sense, mangrove trees are absolutely vital to marine life. These tangle-rooted coastal trees act as living seawalls, preventing erosion and buffering coastlines against storm surges. Beneath the surface, their roots provide shelter for juvenile fish, crabs, and even sharks, making them some of the ocean’s most important nurseries.
How to help: Support mangrove restoration efforts and coastal protection policies. Many organizations now offer “adopt-a-mangrove” programs to help reverse deforestation in these critical zones.
4. Phytoplankton
Why we’re grateful: These microscopic marvels are the lungs of the ocean and the planet. Phytoplankton perform photosynthesis, producing over 50% of Earth’s oxygen, more than all the world’s forests combined. They're also the foundation of the marine food web, feeding everything from zooplankton to the largest whales on Earth.
Tip: Climate change and ocean acidification threaten phytoplankton populations. Supporting clean energy and sustainable practices protects these invisible giants.
5. Coral & Coral Reefs
Why we’re grateful: Corals may look like rocks or plants, but they’re actually tiny animals (called polyps) that form colonies and build massive structures over time. These living architects are the foundation of coral reefs, which are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. While coral polyps are small, together they create vibrant underwater cities that support 25% of all marine species, despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor.
Think of coral as the builders and coral reefs as the neighborhood. The coral animals extract calcium from seawater to form hard skeletons. These skeletons pile up over centuries to create the reefs. Coral reefs then become vital habitats, offering food, shelter, and breeding grounds for fish, crustaceans, sea turtles, and more. They also protect coastlines from storm surges and support livelihoods through tourism and fisheries.
Tip: Help coral and coral reefs by using reef-safe sunscreen, avoiding single-use plastics, and never touching the reef while diving or snorkeling. Supporting conservation efforts, like our partner Reef Relief, ensures these ecosystems can keep thriving for future generations. We even wrote a blog post about how to protect coral reefs!
6. Sharks
Why we’re grateful: As apex predators, sharks keep marine ecosystems balanced. By feeding on the sick and weak, they help maintain healthy fish populations and prevent any one species from overrunning the reef. This balance is essential for biodiversity and ocean resilience.
How to help: Support organizations working to protect oceans and marine life. Make ocean-friendly choices, like eating sustainable seafood. Choose dive shops and tour operators who care about conservation.
7. Krill
Why we’re grateful: Krill may be small, but they’re mighty. These shrimp-like crustaceans are a key food source for whales, penguins, seals, fish, and seabirds. They also play a major role in the carbon cycle by consuming phytoplankton and excreting carbon-rich waste that sinks to the ocean floor, a process that helps sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
Why it matters: Krill populations are vulnerable to warming waters and industrial fishing, especially in Antarctica. Their decline would ripple across entire ecosystems.
As we give thanks for the people and places we love, let’s not forget the quiet contributors under the waves. Each of these marine species plays a vital role in sustaining the ocean we love to dive, fish, and explore. The more we learn about these species, the more we realize how deeply interconnected they are with our own lives.
At Grateful Diver, we’re not just about gear, we’re about gratitude, community, and conservation. Every piece of gear from our collections is tied to a deeper mission: to protect what we love. A portion of every purchase supports Reef Relief, helping safeguard the coral reefs and marine life that make this planet thrive.