In 2025, MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, gave $62 million to ocean conservation; how coastal communities could protect marine life

MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated $62 million to marine conservation organisation Blue Ventures in December 2025. The funding is intended to help coastal communities and small-scale fishers protect marine ecosystems while supporting the livelihoods of people who depend on the sea.

Blue Ventures announced the donation on December 10, 2025, saying the money would support its work with fishing communities across tropical regions. The organisation said the funding would help create local groups to respond to challenges including warming seas, declining fish catches and growing uncertainty over their incomes.

The donation will also support Blue Ventures' 2030 strategy, which focuses on community-led conservation. A significant part of the funding is expected to reach local partners through the Frontline Community Fund, giving communities more flexibility to decide how resources should be used.

All about MacKenzie Scott

Scott is an American philanthropist and author who was married to Jeff Bezos. After their divorce in 2019, she pledged to give away most of her wealth to charitable causes.

She has since become one of the world's largest individual donors, supporting organisations working in areas including education, and climate action.

In December 2025, Blue Ventures described the $62 million gift as a significant support for coastal communities facing environmental and economic pressures.

Blue Ventures is a marine conservation organisation. It works with small-scale fishing communities and local organisations across tropical regions. The organisation, for more than 20 years, has supported efforts to manage fisheries sustainably, restore marine ecosystems and strengthen local livelihoods.

It helps communities take part in decisions about how marine resources are managed.

The $62 million donation and its use

The funding will support Blue Ventures' 2030 strategy and provide resources to local organisations working with fishing communities. Through the Frontline Community Fund, partners are expected to receive flexible, long-term support to set priorities based on the needs of their communities.

Blue Ventures said it would work with local partners and Regional Advisory Councils to help determine funding priorities. The organisation has said transparency, accountability and community leadership will guide how the money is used.

It also believes local communities can play a central role in protecting marine life while maintaining their sources of income. Its approach involves working with fishers and local organisations to improve fisheries management and restore marine ecosystems.