fbpixel September 2025 - Mission Blue

Monthly Archives: September 2025
Hope Spot Champion Grantee Highlight: Kahaluʻu Bay

Header Image: Identifying Coral Species. Credit: The Kohala Center. 
Hānau ka ʻUkukoʻakoʻa, hānau kāna, he ʻĀkoʻakoʻa, puka 
Born was the coral polyp, born was the coral, came forth  
Article written by: Cindi Punihaole & Kathleen Clark – The Kohala Center.
The Kumulipo, a Hawaiian genesis chant, reveals to us that the coral polyp was the first  being born from the darkness. Koʻa (coral) is the ancestor from which all other life  followed. Koʻa spawning, an ancient process, connects us to the past. This year, as our  team diligently prepared for another opportunity to learn from this sacred process, we  opened ourselves to the limitless wisdom found in the winds, currents, tides, fish, coral,  and limu. Kahaluʻu holds all the answers we seek; it is our kuleana (responsibility) to  listen. …

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Mission Blue, together with our incredible Hope Spot Champions and partners, united to make this the most impactful Marine Protected Areas Day yet!

Header image – MPA Day participants in the False Bay Hope Spot. Credit: Two Oceans Aquarium

In just five years, South African-born Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day has grown into a global movement, raising awareness about the critical importance of MPAs – for both people and nature.
Since joining the campaign in 2024, Mission Blue, through its powerful network and passionate Hope Spot Champions, has played an integral role in creating the biggest wave of impact yet.
This year, the campaign more than doubled in size, thanks in part to Mission Blue’s global reach and unwavering commitment to ocean protection. Highlights from this year’s celebration include:

Dr. Judy Mann, Founder of MPA Day, Executive of Strategic Projects at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, and False Bay Co-Champion, shared:

“We knew that this year’s MPA Day would be big, but we never imagined it would be this big.…

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Exmouth Gulf Marine Park Declared, Protecting Hope Spot

Cover image: Courtesy of Oceanwise Australia
EXMOUTH GULF, AUSTRALIA – Exmouth Gulf and the Ningaloo Coast form one of Earth’s extraordinary marine ecosystems, home to whales, dugongs, dolphins, turtles, manta rays, sea snakes, and migratory shorebirds. The area is also home to significant Aboriginal cultural heritage, with evidence of continuous connection and stewardship stretching back more than 40,000 years. Its seagrass meadows, mangrove systems, and sheltered waters provide important nursery grounds for marine life and play a vital role in the broader Ningaloo ecosystem.
On September 4, 2025, the Cook Government announced the establishment of a whole-of-gulf marine park, marking a major milestone in conservation for the region. This outcome reflects decades of persistent research and advocacy, outlined in detail in the timeline below.…

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