Known as the ‘lady of the sea’, Anita Conti was the first French oceanographer. A three-month trip to the Arctic made her aware of the terrible impact that humans have on the oceans. Since then, her activism has focused on alerting about the effects of industrial fishing on fishery resources and marine ecosystems until she became a pioneer in the conservation of ocean biodiversity. Known as the ‘lady of the sea’, Anita Conti was the first French oceanographer. A three-month trip to the Arctic made her aware of the terrible impact that humans have on the oceans. Since then, her activism has focused on alerting about the effects of industrial fishing on fishery resources and marine ecosystems until she became a pioneer in the conservation of ocean biodiversity.