Mission Blue Hope Spot Champions Highlight Need for Cross-Border Shark Protection

New research co-authored by Mission Blue Hope Spot Champions reveals just how closely connected shark populations are across the waters of South Africa and Mozambique.

Published in Marine Ecology Progress Series, the study tracked 102 bull, blacktip, tiger, and grey reef sharks using acoustic transmitters and a network of 350 receivers. Researchers found that 69% of sharks detected during the four-year study crossed the international border between South Africa and Mozambique. Bull, blacktip, and tiger sharks travelled particularly impressive distances, with some transboundary migrations spanning between 980 and 2,256 kilometres.

The findings demonstrate that these threatened sharks depend on habitats across national boundaries, making coordinated conservation essential. The authors call for stronger cooperation between South Africa and Mozambique, including greater alignment of management strategies, species protection plans, and marine protected areas.

The research has a particularly strong connection to Mission Blue’s Hope Spot network. Marcos Pereira is a Champion of the Maputaland Hope Spot, which itself spans the South Africa–Mozambique border and was recognised in part for the ecological connectivity of this shared marine ecosystem. Together with Hempson and de Silva, his participation in the study reflects the important role local scientists and conservation leaders can play in translating research into collaborative, place-based ocean protection.

The message from the research is clear: sharks do not recognise political borders, and protecting them effectively requires conservation efforts that extend beyond them.

Read the full article online here.