Terms of Service

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

Welcome to the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute. These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you and the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute ("Institute," "we," "us," or "our") governing your access to and use of our website located at lagunaseadwellers.com (the "Website"), including all associated content, features, functionality, and services provided therein.

We invite you to carefully review these Terms of Service in their entirety before engaging with our Website. Your continued access to and use of our digital platform signifies your unconditional acceptance of these terms and your commitment to abide by them in full measure.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing, browsing, or utilizing any portion of the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service, as well as our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. These terms apply to all visitors, users, researchers, educators, and any other individuals who access or interact with our Website, regardless of the nature or duration of such interaction.

Should you find yourself in disagreement with any provision contained within these Terms of Service, we respectfully request that you refrain from accessing or using our Website. The Institute reserves the exclusive right to modify, amend, or update these terms at any time without prior notice. Any such modifications shall become effective immediately upon posting to the Website. Your continued use of the Website following the publication of revised terms constitutes your acceptance of such changes. We encourage you to review these Terms of Service periodically to remain informed of any updates.

Certain areas of our Website may be subject to additional terms and conditions, which will be presented to you at the time of access. Such supplementary terms shall be deemed incorporated into these Terms of Service and shall govern your use of those specific sections or services.

2. Description of Services

The Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of marine life and oceanic ecosystems through rigorous research, education, and conservation initiatives. Our Website serves as a comprehensive digital platform designed to disseminate knowledge, facilitate scholarly collaboration, and promote awareness of marine biodiversity and environmental stewardship.

Through our Website, we provide access to a diverse array of resources, including but not limited to:

Peer-reviewed research publications and scientific articles pertaining to marine biology and oceanography
Educational materials, multimedia content, and interactive learning modules designed for students, educators, and marine enthusiasts
Information regarding our ongoing research projects, expeditions, and conservation programs
Photographic galleries and video documentation of marine species and underwater environments
News updates, event announcements, and opportunities for community engagement
Resources for researchers, including data repositories, methodological guidelines, and collaborative tools
Membership and donation portals for individuals wishing to support our mission

While we endeavor to maintain the highest standards of accuracy, completeness, and timeliness in all information presented on our Website, the Institute makes no warranties or representations regarding the absolute precision of content. The services and information provided are subject to change, modification, or discontinuation at our sole discretion without prior notice or liability.

3. User Obligations and Conduct

As a valued member of our digital community, you agree to utilize the Website in a manner that is respectful, lawful, and consistent with the educational and scientific mission of the Institute. Your engagement with our platform is subject to the following obligations:

3.1 Lawful Use

You shall access and use the Website solely for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms of Service. You agree not to use the Website in any manner that violates applicable local, national, or international laws or regulations, or that infringes upon the rights of others.

3.2 Prohibited Activities

In utilizing our Website, you expressly agree to refrain from the following activities:

Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Website, other user accounts, computer systems, or networks connected to the Website through hacking, password mining, or any other illicit means
Introducing viruses, malware, trojans, worms, or other malicious code that may damage, interfere with, or compromise the functionality of the Website or connected systems
Engaging in any form of data mining, scraping, crawling, or automated extraction of content without express written permission from the Institute
Transmitting unsolicited advertising, promotional materials, spam, or any other form of commercial solicitation
Impersonating any person or entity, or falsely representing your affiliation with any individual or organization
Harassing, threatening, defaming, or otherwise causing distress to other users or Institute personnel
Reproducing, distributing, modifying, or creating derivative works from Website content without proper authorization
Interfering with or disrupting the integrity, performance, or functionality of the Website or servers

3.3 Account Responsibilities

Should you create an account or register for services through our Website, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach. The Institute shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to safeguard your account information.

4. Intellectual Property Rights

The Website and all of its original content, features, functionality, design elements, text, graphics, photographs, videos, audio recordings, software code, trademarks, service marks, and logos (collectively, the "Content") are owned exclusively by the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute or our licensors and are protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all Content is provided for personal, non-commercial, educational use only. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Website and its Content strictly in accordance with these Terms of Service. This license does not include any right to:

Reproduce, duplicate, copy, or republish Content for commercial purposes
Sell, rent, lease, sublicense, or otherwise transfer rights to the Content
Modify, adapt, translate, or create derivative works based upon the Content
Remove, obscure, or alter any copyright notices, watermarks, or proprietary designations

Any use of the Content not expressly permitted by these Terms of Service constitutes a material breach and may result in the termination of your access privileges. Unauthorized use may also subject you to civil and criminal penalties under applicable intellectual property laws.

Should you wish to use any Content for purposes beyond personal educational use, including academic publication, commercial application, or public presentation, you must obtain prior written consent from the Institute by contacting us at [email protected].

5. User-Generated Content

Certain features of our Website may allow you to submit, post, or transmit content, including comments, observations, photographs, research contributions, or other materials ("User Content"). By submitting User Content to the Website, you grant the Institute a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute, and display such content in any media format for purposes consistent with our educational and research mission.

You represent and warrant that you possess all necessary rights to the User Content you submit and that such content does not violate any third-party rights or applicable laws. You further agree that your User Content shall not contain material that is defamatory, obscene, offensive, fraudulent, or otherwise objectionable. The Institute reserves the right to review, edit, or remove any User Content at our sole discretion without notice or liability.

6. Third-Party Links and Resources

Our Website may contain hyperlinks to third-party websites, services, or resources that are not owned, controlled, or operated by the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute. These links are provided solely for your convenience and informational purposes. The Institute does not endorse, warrant, or assume responsibility for the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or policies of any third-party sites or services.

Your interactions with third-party websites are governed solely by the terms and policies of those respective sites. We strongly encourage you to review the terms of service and privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit. The Institute shall not be liable for any harm, loss, or damage arising from your use of third-party resources.

7. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

7.1 Disclaimer of Warranties

The Website and all Content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute disclaims all warranties, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and accuracy.

The Institute does not warrant that the Website will operate without interruption or error, that defects will be corrected, or that the Website or its servers are free from viruses or other harmful components. We make no representations regarding the reliability, timeliness, or completeness of any Content or the results that may be obtained from using the Website.

7.2 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute, its directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents, and licensors shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from:

Your access to or use of, or inability to access or use, the Website
Any conduct or content of third parties on the Website
Unauthorized access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content
Any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in Content
Personal injury or property damage resulting from your use of the Website

In no event shall the Institute's total aggregate liability exceed the amount of one hundred dollars ($100 USD) or the amount you paid to access the Website, whichever is greater.

7.3 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute and its officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, and partners from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the Website, your violation of these Terms of Service, or your infringement of any intellectual property or other rights of any third party.

8. Termination

The Institute reserves the right to terminate or suspend your access to the Website, in whole or in part, immediately and without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including but not limited to your breach of these Terms of Service. Upon termination, your right to use the Website shall cease immediately, and you must discontinue all use of the Website and destroy any downloaded or printed Content.

All provisions of these Terms of Service which by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including but not limited to ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnification obligations, and limitations of liability.

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms of Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute is principally located, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms of Service or your use of the Website shall be instituted exclusively in the courts of competent jurisdiction in that location, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

In the event of any dispute arising from these Terms of Service, the parties agree to first attempt to resolve the matter through good-faith negotiation. Should negotiation prove unsuccessful, the parties may pursue mediation before resorting to litigation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Institute retains the right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property rights or prevent irreparable harm.

10. Miscellaneous Provisions

10.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy and any additional terms applicable to specific services, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute regarding your use of the Website and supersede all prior or contemporaneous understandings and agreements, whether written or oral.

10.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms of Service is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or if such modification is not possible, severed from these Terms of Service. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

10.3 Waiver

The failure of the Institute to enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. No waiver shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the Institute.

10.4 Assignment

You may not assign, transfer, or delegate your rights or obligations under these Terms of Service without the prior written consent of the Institute. The Institute may freely assign these Terms of Service without restriction. Any attempted assignment in violation of this provision shall be null and void.

11. Contact Information

We welcome your questions, comments, and concerns regarding these Terms of Service or any aspect of our Website. Should you require clarification, wish to report a violation, or seek permission for specific uses of our Content, we encourage you to reach out to us.

Please direct all inquiries to:

Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute
Email: [email protected]

We endeavor to respond to all communications in a timely and professional manner and appreciate your interest in our work to advance marine science and ocean conservation.

Thank you for visiting the Laguna Sea Dwellers Research Institute and for your commitment to respecting these Terms of Service. Together, we can foster a community dedicated to understanding and protecting the magnificent diversity of life beneath the waves.