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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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UNESCO World Heritage Site Fernando de Noronha Archipelago Joins Mission Blue Hope Spot Network

[FERNANDO DE NORONHA, BRAZIL] – The Fernando de Noronha Archipelago rises from the Atlantic waters off the northeastern coast of Brazil as a chain of 21 volcanic islands. World-renowned for its crystal-clear waters, abundant marine life, and breathtaking landscapes, the inhabited main island of Fernando de Noronha has become one of Brazil’s most sought-after tourism destinations.
International marine conservation nonprofit Mission Blue is proud to announce the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago as our newest Hope Spot. Fabio Borges, President of Instituto Vida no Oceano and Projeto Tubarões e Raias de Noronha, and Rafaely Ventura, Project Coordinator at Projeto Tamar, are recognized as the Hope Spot Champions.

“Fernando de Noronha is one of the most extraordinary environments in that tropical Atlantic. Its translucent waters and abundant marine life make it a true sanctuary of biodiversity.…

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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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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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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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Chesapeake Bay Recognized as a Hope Spot for Nature, History, and Community

The Transquaking River feeds into Fishing Bay near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, MD. Photo courtesy of Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program (2018).
[CHESAPEAKE BAY, USA] – The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States and the third largest in the world, has been officially designated a Mission Blue Hope Spot. Hope Spots are areas recognized for their exceptional ecological, cultural, and historical value, and this new designation celebrates the Chesapeake Bay’s biodiversity, deep Indigenous heritage, and the broad coalition of community efforts driving its ongoing restoration.

Home to more than 3,000 species of plants and animals, the Chesapeake Bay is vital to life along the Atlantic Flyway. Its diverse habitats—from oyster reefs and tidal wetlands to underwater grass beds—shelter iconic species such as the endangered Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii, Caretta caretta), and provide vital spawning and nursery grounds for ecologically and economically important fish like striped bass (Morone saxatilis), river herring (Alosa spp), and menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus).…

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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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Tavarua Island Marine Reserve Endorsed to Safeguard Iconic Coral Reefs and Marine Life

Tavarua Island from the Reef’s Edge. Image: Chris Park
[TAVARUA, FIJI] The waters surrounding Tavarua Island are now officially protected, following the Fijian Government’s endorsement of the Tavarua Island Marine Reserve. The declaration is an inspiring step forward in the Pacific nation’s leadership in marine conservation.
The new protected area was officially designated under the Fijian Government’s Fisheries (Tavarua Island Marine Reserve) Regulations 2025, and extends 5.62 square kilometers. The reserve lies within the Vanua o Malolo customary fishing rights area (CFRA) in Nadroga/Navosa. 
At the launch of the reserve, Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Hon. Alitia Bainivalu MP said, “These regulations, enacted under the Fisheries Act 1941, establish clear protections for the marine reserve and buffer zone. They restrict harmful activities such as illegal fishing, harvesting of marine life, and unapproved coastal development.” …

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Kelp 101: What Are Kelp Forests, and Why Do They Matter?

Cover Image: Giant kelp forest in California © Taylor Griffith
Kelp forests, to those who know and love them, are some of the most majestic places on Earth. But for many others, these magnificent ecosystems remain unknown, out of sight and out of mind beneath the waves. 
Found along 30% of the world’s coastlines in temperate waters, these underwater forests provide critical habitat, biodiversity, and benefits to thousands of marine species, coastal communities and the planet as a whole. 
Despite their importance, kelp forests are often overlooked in high-level conservation by better-known systems like coral reefs or mangroves. But a growing global movement, energized by the global community of kelp lovers and organizations like the Kelp Forest Alliance (KFA) are working to change that, and to help the kelp.…

Posted in hope spots, Kelp Initiative, mission blue |

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