WASHINGTON — Oceana, the international organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans, has tapped Dustin Cranor to lead global marketing and communications as part of a larger restructuring of the function.

In the new VP role, Cranor oversees Oceana’s PR function, a new 20-person team created through the merger of the organization’s marketing and communications and US PR departments. Cranor previously led the latter as senior director of communications for North America.

Cranor is responsible for driving the public messaging around Oceana’s work and achievements around the world, while helping its ocean protection campaigns win support.

In announcing the appointment, Oceana said Cranor’s appointment, and the larger restructuring of its marketing and communications department, is part of a larger push to better tell the organization’s story while driving awareness of its efforts worldwide. Oceana, which operates in nine countries and the European Union, was created about 20 years ago by The Pew Charitable Trusts, Oak Foundation, Marisla Foundation (formerly Homeland Foundation), Sandler Foundation, and the Rockefeller Brothers.

Cranor joined Oceana in 2007 as a communications manager, as which he led communications for the group’s campaign to stop government subsidies that lead to overfishing. Since then, he has helped advance Oceana’s campaign goals by increasing visibility and public awareness of ocean issues around the globe. In 2016, Cranor spearheaded the public launch of Global Fishing Watch, the first free, global view of commercial fishing activity around the world.