What They’re Saying: 2026 National Azul Poll
Today, Azul, the leading non-profit working with Latinos to protect the ocean, announced findings from its latest nationwide poll on Latino viewpoints on ocean protection, environmental issues and public policy. The poll found broad and durable concern about environmental issues among Latino voters across the U.S., as well as strong support for candidates who support stronger policies to protect the coastline and ocean.
Hear What Advocates Are Saying
Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul’s Founder and Executive Director: “Across party lines, Latino voters agree they want leaders who will protect our ocean. Our poll makes that clear. Our communities are facing real threats from pollution and offshore drilling, and we can’t afford to wait. Latino voters are paying attention, and they want action. These results show the power of our communities to shape ocean policy and protect our coasts, our health, and our ocean for generations to come.”
Congressman Salud Carbajal: “The 2026 National Azul Poll findings reinforce what I’ve been hearing from my constituents for years: continued drilling of fossil fuels is harming both the people and wildlife who live near the extraction sites. On the Central Coast, the 2015 Refugio oil spill showed us the true cost of oil drilling – not just in dollars, but in our coastal ecology, our public health, and our economy. That price is simply too high, and this data shows the rest of the country agrees.”
Michael Sutton, Executive Director, Goldman Environmental Prize: “The Azul Poll has made clear that Latino voters not only lead efforts to protect our Blue Planet but also strongly believe governments must counter threats against environmental defenders and the press in Latin America.”
Ayana Melvan, Executive Vice President, Aquarium Conservation Partnership: “These incredible findings from Azul’s recent poll really hit home for ACP and our member aquariums. The message from ocean lovers is crystal clear: we want a healthy ocean economy that protects both marine wildlife and human rights. Eighty-one percent of people are calling for stricter enforcement against illegal fishing. Illegal fishing does way more than just harm marine wildlife and collapse fragile underwater ecosystems—it creates a lawless environment where human rights are ignored. Seventy nine percent of the public supports an international body to stop forced labor. Consumers are sending a massive message to the seafood industry: we don’t want human suffering on our dinner plates. True ocean conservation and human rights go hand-in-hand, just like a clownfish and its anemone. That is why the Aquarium Conservation Partnership stands proudly alongside Azul. Together, we are urging leaders to dive past voluntary corporate promises and lock down legally binding protections that keep our high seas safe for everyone!”
Kim McIntyre, Executive Director, Aquarium Conservation Partnership: “Azul’s findings make clear that Latino voters understand the urgency of the plastic pollution crisis. 88% see plastic products as a threat to environmental health, especially the ocean, and 86% want more done to prevent plastic pollution. Aquariums see the impacts of this crisis firsthand, which is why we are tackling it from multiple angles: reducing single-use plastic in our own operations, engaging our communities in preventing pollution before it reaches our waterways, and advancing solutions that address plastic pollution at its source. We cannot clean our way out of this problem. Protecting our ocean and communities requires reducing unnecessary plastic, holding producers accountable, and building systems that prevent pollution in the first place.”
Maite Arce, President & CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation: “Latino families have always known that the ocean and our public lands are more than beautiful places. They are where culture lives, where traditions are passed from one generation to the next, and where children learn what it means to care for what we inherit. This poll makes that responsibility unmistakable: 86 percent of Latino voters say government must conserve land and ocean for present and future generations, 76 percent say the ocean sustains family traditions, and 85 percent say beaches and parks must stay open to everyone. Access is where stewardship begins. When communities can reach the water and the land, they become the people who will protect them.”
Dr. Chad Nelsen, Surfrider Foundation: “Thanks to Azul for once again reminding us how committed Latino voters are to taking climate action and protecting our ocean and coasts. The results are definitive and provide a clear signal that if your organization is not working with Latinos, you are missing a very important community that is overwhelmingly committed to conservation.”
Sarah Guy, Ocean Defense Initiative: “Azul’s new poll should spur US decisionmakers to take note–and take action. The poll’s finding that US Latino voters overwhelmingly champion ocean protection and climate action demonstrates strong support for advancing a bold vision for thriving coastal communities and healthy ocean ecosystems.”
Max Bello, The Blue Marine Foundation: “El interés en proteger el medio ambiente no es un lujo; al contrario, es fundamental para la calidad de vida. Sin embargo, cada día crece la brecha entre este interés y la respuesta de los gobiernos.”
Carlos Zegarra, Sachamama: “Latino voters understand that healthy oceans are essential to building strong communities, and that we all have a stake in protecting the places that sustain us,” said Carlos Zegarra, Executive Director of Sachamama. “We are organizing, showing up, and demanding that these places remain protected and accessible now, and for generations to come.”
Dylan McDowell, National Caucus of Environmental Legislators: “State legislatures are increasingly focused on nature-based solutions, marine conservation, and renewable offshore energy development – priorities that Azul’s polling shows have strong support nationwide. As communities face ongoing threats like sea-level rise, severe storms, and climbing insurance rates, NCEL regularly hears from lawmakers crafting innovative solutions that center environmental justice and ocean conservation. NCEL is proud to work with Azul to equip policymakers with the tools needed for protecting ecosystems, economies, and communities.”
Susan Jordan, California Coastal Protection Network: “Azul resets the false narrative that has unfairly trailed Latino communities for far too long. Without equivocation, significant majorities of Latino voters across political persuasions – Republican and Democrat – are dedicated to protecting the coast and ocean environment and intend to make their voices heard at the polls. Azul’s data serves as a clarion call to elected decisionmakers to take urgent action to stop the current federal Administration’s war on the environment and our coast before it’s too late.”
Miriam Goldstein, National Ocean Protection Coalition: “This poll shows strong support from Latino voters to protect our coasts and ocean, with 85% calling on Congress to create new protected areas and 62% prioritizing public access over resource extraction. For the broader conservation movement, it’s a powerful call to protect nature so that everyone can enjoy the benefits it provides.”
Natalia Valencia Jiménez, Azul Rising Leader: “When I arrived in the United States as an immigrant, I learned that the American dream isn’t just about what this country can give you; it’s about what you give back to protect it. Seeing Latino families across the political spectrum choose ocean conservation over comfort proves that we are not just living in the USA; we are actively stewarding its living legacy.”
Mark Magaña, Founding President & CEO, GreenLatinos: “Protecting our oceans means protecting our families, livelihoods, and future. Nine years after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, we know how deeply ocean health and community safety are connected. We thank Azul for elevating Latino voices and urge policymakers to match our communities’ commitment with action, investment, and a meaningful role in shaping ocean policy.”
Anupa Asokan, Founder and Executive Director, FishOn: “Fishing communities understand that when you put the health of the ocean at risk, you put people’s livelihoods, food, traditions, and way of life at risk too. With 81 percent of Latino voters supporting science-based goals like conserving 30 percent of U.S. land and ocean waters by 2030, it’s clear that protecting our ocean isn’t a fringe idea—it’s a priority for the communities who depend on it.”