Ocean Conservation Trust Limited
Analysis
Ocean Conservation Trust Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Plymouth. It was registered in February 1994, 32 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training, animals and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under animals. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02674910). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides human resources.
In the financial year ending January 2026, Ocean Conservation Trust Limited reported income of £7.1m and spending of £7.9m, spending 112% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from January 2022 to January 2026, income grew from £5.2m to £7.1m (+36%), an average of +8.0% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to January 2023, when income rose by 23%. Over the whole period it spent 98% of the income it received.
Among 2,161 England and Wales charities whose main cause is animals and that reported income, Ocean Conservation Trust Limited sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Environmental Investigation Agency UK (£7.1m), The London Wildlife Trust (£7.3m) and Farplace Animal Rescue (£7.0m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 45%, charitable activities 30% and trading 21%. Charitable activities took 81% of spending and raising funds 17%. Reserves of £1.6m would cover about 2 months of spending at that rate. It employed 72 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 45%
- Charitable activities 30%
- Trading 21%
- Investments 0.3%
- Other 3.2%
In the charity's own words
Advance the education of the public in, and promote the conservation of, living marine and freshwater aquatic organisms by the provision of an aquarium and museum and other programmes of education and research and to disseminate the useful results of such research for the benefit of the public
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Investigation Agency UK | London | £7.1m |
| The London Wildlife Trust | London | £7.3m |
| Farplace Animal Rescue | Tyne And Wear | £7.0m |
| Cornwall Wildlife Trust | Truro | £7.6m |