The mission of the Oceans and Human Health Initiative is to improve understanding and management of the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes to enhance benefits to human health and reduce public health risks. The OHHI investigates relationships among environmental stressors, coastal condition, and human health to maximize health benefts from the ocean, improve the safety of seafood and drinking water derived from the Great Lakes, reduce beach closures, and provide early warning of emerging health threats.

Currently, the OHHI focuses on leading development in three overarching areas:

1. early warning systems to forecast threats and predict long-term risks to human health throughout U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters;
2. health benefts from the sea, including pharmaceuticals, natural products, and seafood; and
3. a robust oceans and human health science and management community working across disciplines and institutions to improve public health.