Ocean Stories

A new visual story highlights the people and partnerships driving restoration in the Shinnecock Bay Hope Spot® on Long Island, New York. Led by scientists from Stony Brook University in collaboration with the Shinnecock Nation, this effort combines cutting-edge research with generations of Indigenous stewardship to restore a vital coastal ecosystem.
At the heart of the work is an innovative, low-impact approach to studying marine life using environmental DNA, collected by a solar-powered uncrewed vessel. This technology is helping researchers better understand biodiversity while protecting sensitive habitats.
Designated a Mission Blue Hope Spot in 2022, Shinnecock Bay is showing tangible signs of recovery after decades of degradation. The project demonstrates how science, culture, and community can come together to rebuild ocean health—and offers a powerful model for coastal restoration efforts around the world. …

 
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA & MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE — Mission Blue recently concluded a series of workshops and partnership meetings in South Africa and Mozambique, bringing together Hope Spot Champions, conservation organisations, scientists, and government partners to strengthen collaboration and accelerate ocean protection across this globally significant region.
Stretching along the southwestern Indian Ocean, the marine ecosystems of South Africa and Mozambique support extraordinary biodiversity, vital migratory routes for marine species, and coastal communities whose livelihoods depend on a healthy ocean. These gatherings created space for leaders working on the frontlines of conservation to share lessons learned, align strategies, and build stronger partnerships for the protection of these critical marine areas.
Hope Spots: Critical Places for the Ocean
Mission Blue’s Hope Spots are special places around the world that have been scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean.…

 
LIMA, PERÚ – Mission Blue today announces Sustainable Ocean Alliance Perú (SOA Perú) as a new Hope Spot Champion, alongside long-time co-Champion Follow E.G.S., recognising their leadership in advancing youth-driven ocean protection in the Tropical Pacific Sea of Perú—the country’s first Mission Blue Hope Spot and one of its most biologically important marine regions.
Located in Northern Perú, where the Humboldt current meets the warm North Equatorial current, the Tropical Pacific Sea of Perú is a hub of diverse ocean life. Away from the hustle, bustle, and impact of big cities, it serves as a refuge for an abundance of wildlife such as groupers, sharks, manta rays, Humboldt penguins, sea turtles, and an array of bird and fish species. The mixing currents, coupled with one of the largest upwelling systems in the world, bring nutrient-rich deep water towards the surface, creating a high level of endemism and a unique ecosystem where tropical and cold water species thrive. …

The ocean remembers its guardians.
On December 26, 2025, the ocean lost one of its fiercest protectors. Kristina Maria Gjerde—often called the mother of the High Seas—passed from this world, leaving behind a legacy written not only in law and policy, but in the living fabric of the ocean itself. Kristina was a member of the Mission Blue family, serving on the Hope Spots Council since its inception. 
Kristina Gjerde and Dr. Sylvia Earle worked together over many years as complementary forces in global ocean conservation—one shaping the legal and policy architecture needed to protect the ocean, the other galvanizing public awareness, science, and moral urgency.
Their collaboration was rooted in a shared belief that the ocean is a living system deserving of protection beyond national boundaries. …

Featured image: ©Andrew Stevenson
 
NEW YORK, NY– On January 17, 2026, the High Seas Treaty—formally the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)—entered into force, marking a historic moment for the ocean and for global cooperation.

“Half of the world is beyond national jurisdiction – the blue half that has a disproportionately significant role in maintaining Earth as a planet hospitable for life as we know it. Today, with the entry into force of the High Seas Treaty, marks a significant step in the right direction. Now is the time to take this action and keep going. The ocean is large and resilient, but not too big to fail – and we have an opportunity now to drive impactful ocean protection.…

Featured image: Egyptian Red Sea, ©Renata Romeo/Ocean Image Bank
HURGHADA, EGYPT – In an important step for marine conservation in the Red Sea, Egypt’s Prime Minister has announced the formal move to protect the Great Fringing Reef, a globally significant coral reef system renowned for its climate resilience and unique biodiversity. 
In a significant meeting in October 2024, led by Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, and including key figures Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism, the General Authority for Tourism Development, and the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency and Prof. Mahmoud Hanafy, Hope Spot Champion for the Great Fringing Reef, discussion focused on the necessary steps for declaring the Great Fringing Reef a protected area.…

Featured Image: Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) identified on a research expedition. Credit: Edwar Herreno
COCOS ISLAND, COSTA RICA – 
Randall Arauz’s path to marine conservation began as a teenager on Junquillal Beach, Costa Rica, when he witnessed an olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) laying her eggs—only to see the nest raided by poachers moments later. That experience inspired a lifelong commitment to protecting sea turtles and the ocean ecosystems they depend on.
Arauz’s early work focused on protecting nesting beaches and exposing the deadly impact of industrial longline fishing on adult sea turtles. Through PRETOMA and later CREMA-Costa Rica, Arauz pioneered research the migratory routes of endangered species like leatherbacks and hammerhead sharks, helping to identify a critical corridor between Costa Rica’s Cocos Island and Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands.…

(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.…

[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.…

[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.”…