Let the action begin. More than 5,500 of you voted for your favorite Ocean Action Project, a new Project AWARE program to support grassroots conservation projects, and now five projects will receive funds to make their actions a reality.

The projects that received the most votes include shark and manta ray protection and marine debris projects to combat the onslaught of trash underwater.

The Ocean Action Projects are:

1. Semporna Shark Sanctuary, Malaysia: Scuba Junkies
2. Project Momentum: Working with local fishing communities to help protect Indonesian Manta Rays, Tigers and Bull Sharks, Indonesia: Gili Eco Trust and Aquatic Alliance
3. Koh Tao Debris Master Plan, Thailand: Save Koh Tao Group
4. Marine Debris Action Teams Create Plastic-Free Sea Turtle Habitat,Costa Rica: Dr. Chris Pincetich & PRETOMA
5. Community Based Shark Conservation Research To Guide Marine Protected Area Design, Galapagos Islands, Maximilian Hirschfeld

"Delivering support to AWARE conservation leaders and the community on the ground has never been so important," says Joanne Marston, Associate Director, Project AWARE Foundation.

"Every day they face new battles for ocean protection. Project AWARE wants to help their projects succeed, bringing us closer to our combined vision of a clean, healthy and abundant ocean planet," adds Marston.

All Ocean Action Projects will be required to keep a monthly log on their My Ocean profile page so you can keep up to date with the progress.

Thanks to everyone who applied. Look out for the next Ocean Action Project in 2013.