How to Build a Hope Spot - Mission Blue

How to Build a Hope Spot

Six steps to take you from ‘Wish’ to ‘Act’ to ‘Protect

 

1. Identifying the area – what do you want to protect?

What is it that you value in your ocean area, where is it, how important is it to do something to protect it, and what area of your local ocean is needed to achieve this?

2. Engaging people – who is it critical to speak to?

To protect what you care about, who do you need to involve, who do you need to rally to your cause, and who should you discuss this with to build the best, most solid case for action?

3. Making the case – what should the proposal contain?

What are the issues that need to be tackled, what is the gap between what is happening and what needs to happen, what are the priorities for action, what will this cost, what are the best solutions to achieve this and who should take the lead to turn such words into deed?

4. Engaging policy – how to get administrations on board?

Who are the authorities that need to support or hear your case, who are the people who have the influence in or on the authorities, who are the people to connect with them, what are the opportunities for them to hear and act on your needs for ocean protection?

5. Securing funding – how to achieve sustainable financing?

What are the options to get sustainable financial support, who needs to be involved in those discussions, how can money be effectively held and managed to deliver the conservation outcomes sought?

6. Implementing the management plan – taking sustained action?

Who will make sure management actions are undertaken, how will they be monitored, and what will be done to revise and improve the management plan in light of new developments in the hope spot or feedback from monitoring results?

How Champions are Using Hope Spots to Advance Conservation

 

1. Focusing attention on new inshore areas – using Hope Spots to celebrate key areas for marine biodiversity that have for political or other reasons been passed over by governments and agencies. Often the focus of action here is about building community engagement and knowledge sharing regarding the unique biodiversity that exists and why it is important to protect.

Examples:  Kahalu’u Bay, Sydney Coast

2. Improving the application and management of existing MPAs – using community spirit and endeavor to improve already designated MPAs that are lacking a management plan and inject new life into them to drive stronger protection, so they better meet their goals to protect ocean life. This often involves proposals for higher or full levels of protection, which also act as beacons of hope to inspire others in the region to act in similarly ambitious ways. 

Examples:  Coiba and Cordillera de Coiba, Cagarras Islands and Surrounding Waters

3. Expanding and connecting the boundaries of existing MPAs- Sometimes previous efforts have resulted in small isolated sites. Using Hope Spots to expand boundaries of existing small sites and where relevant glue those pieces together in a meaningful way is enabling properly scaled conservation efforts. This use of Hope Spots is allowing champions to include migratory corridors and other aspects of marine connectivity.

Examples:  Cocos-Galapagos Swimway, Inhambane Seascape

4. Supporting a protected area dialogue for the High Seas – the High seas is currently without a conservation framework so Hope Spots are being used to champion areas that are ecologically and biologically significant and that in any other geographical situation would be protected.

Examples:  Sargasso Sea, Ross Sea

5. Driving regional discussions on MPA priorities- Hope Spots are being used to identify broad regions of outstanding marine biodiversity importance that simply should be better protected.  Mission Blue is using the power of Hope Spots to focus people’s attention on key areas where several or many individual Hope Spots can be encouraged.

Examples:  Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape, Coral Triangle

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