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Mission Blue Dives into the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress

(ABU DHABI, UAE) – Last week, Mission Blue team members including Dr. Sylvia Earle and Chief Scientist Dr. Tessa Hempson attended the IUCN World Conservation Congress (IUCN WCC). The IUCN WCC occurs only every four years, and represents a significant opportunity for nature conservationists, decision-makers, and leaders to come together to develop and set benchmarks for global priorities in conservation.
Our goals at Mission Blue are to continue the work from the UN Ocean Conference in Nice. This includes affirming the One Ocean Partnership, supporting aligning motions through co-sponsorship and voting (see below), and continuing to build a network that is ready to turn high level ambition into impact for ocean protection. 
About the One Ocean Partnership, Dr. Tessa Hempson says, “The One Ocean Partnership isn’t about creating something new — it’s about bringing us together.…

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Abrolhos Hope Spot New Champion Designation Highlights Brazil’s Marine Biodiversity

[ABROLHOS, BRAZIL] – International marine conservation nonprofit Mission Blue is proud to announce new Champions for our Abrolhos Hope Spot. Danieli Marinho Nobre, Senior Conservation Analyst at WWF-Brazil, and Guilherme Fraga Dutra, Executive Secretary of Abrolhos Forever (Abrolhos para Sempre), have been at the forefront of safeguarding this globally significant marine area, working together to catalyze Abrolhos Forever, a conservation collective to protect the region.
“I’m delighted to share wonderful news about one of the most extraordinary places in the ocean, Abrolhos, a Hope Spot that truly lives up to its name,” said Dr. Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue. “That’s why the creation of the Abrolhos Forever Coalition makes such a vital step in terms of making a difference. The Hope Spot Champions, along with the coalition, are working to catalyze action to build partnerships and of course to ensure that the Abrolhos continues to thrive as a beacon of hope.”…

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5 Hope Spots You Might Not Know Have Kelp Forests

Cover image: Taylor Griffith
Kelp forests thrive in some surprising places around the world. From the icy waters of Iceland to the tropical seas of the Galápagos Islands, these underwater forests create vibrant habitats that support diverse marine life and sustain coastal communities. Across the globe, 32 Mission Blue Hope Spots are known for their vital kelp ecosystems, and here we take a closer look at five of these kelp Hope Spots and the unique stories they tell.
Northeast Iceland Hope Spot

At the edge of the Arctic Circle, the Northeast Iceland Hope Spot is a haven of geothermal vents, rocky coastlines, and cold, clear waters where underwater forests of tangle kelp (Laminaria hyperborea) thrive. These undersea habitats are part of an ecosystem that supports puffins, Arctic terns, and whales, and some of Europe’s most important bird colonies.…

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Inhambane Seascape Hope Spot Welcomes New Co-Champion

Cover image: Diving in the Bazaruto Seascape © Andrea Marshall
[Inhambane, Mozambique] –Mission Blue is pleased to welcome Rui Branco as the new Co-Champion of the Inhambane Seascape Hope Spot in southern Mozambique. Rui Branco, founding member and Director of Associação NATURA and co-founder of the Malamba Coastal Collaborative and a Mozambique native, brings over 20 years of experience in biodiversity protection, community rights advocacy, and sustainable development. Branco is dedicated to fostering collaboration with local communities, strengthening governance, and supporting sustainable natural resource use. 
The Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) will continue as co-Champion, with Chief Operating Officer Sarah Butchers stepping in to continue the fantastic work of MMF co-founder Andrea Marshall, who remains on medical leave. Sarah Butchers is based in Tofo, Mozambique, where she manages MMF’s main office, as well as overseeing the organization’s global finances and operations.…

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Polynesian Navigator Nainoa Thompson and Oceanographer Sylvia Earle Call for Urgent Ocean Action at Paris SOS Ocean Summit

Cover image: Courtesy of Presidence de la Republique France.
(PARIS, FRANCE) – Last week, renowned Oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle and Polynesian Voyaging Society CEO Nainoa Thompson joined global leaders in Paris for SOS Ocean, a high-level gathering held March 30-31 at the Musée National de la Marine. Under the leadership of French President Emmanuel Macron and in collaboration with the Oceano Azul Foundation, the event convened policymakers, scientists, and advocates to confront urgent ocean challenges as France and Costa Rica prepare to host the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) in Nice in two months (June 9-13, 2025).
The SOS Ocean convening aimed to shape the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a five-year agenda which will be negotiated during UNOC and is designed to prioritize ocean protection and restoration and support implementation of sustainable development goal SDG14: Life Below Water.…

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New Co-Champions Announced for Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot

Cover image: Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot Dedication
Overstrand, South Africa – The Cape Whale Coast on South Africa’s Western Cape stretches over 200 kilometers of coastline from Rooi Els to Quoin Point. A region of striking natural beauty, the Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot hosts a complex coastline of estuaries, beaches, and bays. Offshore, the convergence of the warm Agulhas Current and the cold Benguela Upwelling creates a nutrient-rich environment that sustains a wide diversity of marine life, including important breeding areas for the endangered African penguin (Spheniscus demersus). 
“South Africa is such an incredible part of the planet, where the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean converge,” says Dr. Sylvia Earle, Founder of Mission Blue. She continues, “To be able to stand at the Cape of Good Hope and actually have two oceans, blue and green, coming together, it’s just magical.…

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The Mission Blue South Africa Initiative – Catalyzing and Advancing the Hope Spot Network

Cover image: Aliwal Shoal Hope Spot. Credit: Allen Walker
The South African coastline is home to seven Hope Spots. Six of these – False Bay, Cape Whale Coast, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Algoa Bay, and Aliwal Shoal – were designated in 2014, while Maputaland, a transboundary Hope Spot spanning both South Africa and Mozambique, was designated in 2024.These areas host an important array of species and habitats, including the Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis), the only endemic seahorse species in South Africa; the largest gannetry in the world, with 250,000 breeding pairs; one of the most important nursery areas for the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis); as well as abundant kelp forests and colorful coral reefs.
In 2024, Mission Blue received generous funding to launch The South Africa Initiative, which aims to catalyze and strengthen the South African Hope Spot network.…

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Knysna Hope Spot Re-designated to Strengthen Conservation Efforts

Cover image: Blue stingray, Helen Walne. 
Knysna, South Africa – On South Africa’s Western Cape lies the Knysna Hope Spot, a unique region containing an important estuary, the marine coastline and offshore waters. Spanning the region from Buffel’s Bay to Sparrebosch and including the Goukamma Marine Protected Area (MPA), this biodiverse marine, coastal and estuarine system plays a pivotal role as an essential breeding ground for coastal fish species, along with the endangered Knysna seahorse (Hippocampus capensis), South Africa’s only endemic seahorse species.
International marine conservation organization Mission Blue originally designated Knysna a Hope Spot in 2014 as part of a suite of South African Hope Spots. Today, Mission Blue is re-launching the Knysna Hope Spot by recognizing a new pair of Hope Spot Champions, welcoming Jessica Seath, Estuarine Ecologist at the Knysna Estuary Research Foundation (KERF), and Alan Whitfield, retired Chief Scientist at the South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity as Champions. …

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Plett Hope Spot’s Re-designation Sets Stage for Stronger Conservation and Management

Cover image: Robberg Nature Reserve, Mission Blue.
Plettenberg, South Africa – Located along South Africa’s Southern Cape is the Plett Hope Spot, encompassing a sheltered ocean bay and linking Robberg Peninsula Marine Protected Area (MPA) to the edge of the oldest MPA in South Africa,  the Tsitsikamma. This spectacular stretch of coastline is home to a remarkable array of marine species, including the endangered humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) and colonies of iconic Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus). With its diverse ecosystems, including rocky reefs, sandy beaches, estuaries, and coastal forests, Plettenberg Bay is a vital hub for marine biodiversity.
On land, the Plett area spans from Kranshoek to Nature’s Valley in the east. The region’s importance is further underscored by its designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a Whale Heritage Area, and as one of South Africa’s Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSA).…

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Algoa Bay Hope Spot Re-Launches with New Champions for Conservation

Cover image © Sustainable Seas Trust
Algoa Bay, South Africa – Algoa Bay on South Africa’s Eastern Cape is one of the country’s largest bays, opening into the Indian Ocean. It is home to several of the world’s largest breeding colonies of critically endangered African penguins (Spheniscus demersus), the largest pods of bottlenose dolphins in the world and the famous sardine run, the largest migration of the planet. Bounded in the west by Cape Recife and in the east by Cape Padrone, Algoa Bay is a highly productive marine ecosystem due to the presence of the Benguela Upwelling system, which brings cold, nutrient-rich water into the area and supports a wealth of biodiversity. Rare species from both warm and cold currents co-exist in the bay.…

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