On Friday, 21 February, the Two Oceans Aquarium hosted Mission Blue and Champions from the seven South African Hope Spots. Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue and a legendary marine biologist, joined the Hope Spot Champions in celebrating the growing South African Hope Spot network. The celebration included a collaborative workshop followed by a community event in the False Bay Hope Spot on Saturday, 22 February.
“It was an honor to bring together passionate Champions from across the South African Hope Spots network to share knowledge and inspire action for the preservation of these vital marine ecosystems. Together, individuals and communities in these Hope Spots held the power to conserve and protect the ocean—our life support system,” said Shannon Rake, Hope Spots Programme Manager.
The workshop was the first time Champions from all seven South African Hope Spot Champions had officially come together. The organisations represented included Cape RADD, the Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Nature, Sharklady Adventures, the Knysna Estuary Research Foundation, Nature’s Valley Trust, ORCA Foundation, Wild Alliance Africa, Sustainable Seas Trust, and Thonga Trails. Each organisation shared the work it was doing in a particular Hope Spot and presented opportunities for collaboration. The Champions were able to create long-lasting connections with tangible paths forward for the near future.
“The first gathering of South Africa’s Hope Spot Champions along the coastline had practical impact, as we were able to exchange ideas and brainstorm solutions to challenges, as well as providing us with a deeply meaningful opportunity for collaboration and to be inspired and motivated” said Dr. Judy Mann-Lang, Executive – Strategic Projects, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation.
The spirit of community, connections and collaborations was amplified during the celebration of the community event titled “My False Bay, My Pride” on Saturday, 22 February. Under the guidance of Loyiso Dunga of Parley for the Ocean and the Seas of Good Hope project, the Hope Spot Champions joined in celebration with current and future generations of custodians of this beautiful False Bay. The celebration brought together both young and old, fisher-folks and marine biologists, and everyone in between. This was an opportunity for a group that seldom got to sit together to discuss ways to safeguard and co-manage their ocean heritage. The event’s MC, Mark Fitzgibbon of Cape RADD, ensured it was a day dedicated to raising the flag of hope high. The focus was on building bridges that bring communities together through stories of connections to the ocean, working together to dream and mend those dreams into a master piece of a community map, and having fun through activities such as rockpool exploring, a mini-beach clean-up, relational mapping and snorkelling facilitated by Cape RADD, the Two Oceans Aquarium, Argonaut Science, Ocean Pledge, The Beach Co-op, IOI-SA, Shark Spotters, Captain FanPlastic, Black Girls Rising, and Aonyx Marine Experiences.
‘It is great to be a part of the community of False Bay stakeholders coming together for an inspiring day of building a deeper respect, responsibility, and shared stewardship for the blue planet we all call home. Educating the next generation and showing our respects to the elders,’ reflected Mike Barron, co-founder of Cape RADD.
The highlight of the day was a moving address by Dr. Sylvia Earle, who graciously showed her support for the False Bay Hope spot and its custodians. Dr. Earle and the work she was doing with Mission Blue showed what was possible and encouraged a sense of hope for the future of the ocean.
“We are honoured that Dr. Sylvia Earle and Mission Blue recognized the importance of South Africa’s coastline in the global effort to ensure the health of the ocean. We are privileged to live and work in one of the most diverse regions in the world – not only in terms of biodiversity but also culturally. We took hope from having the opportunity to connect with the custodians of False Bay and to hear their ocean heritage stories,” said Helen Lockhart, Conservation and Sustainability Manager at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
South Africa’s Hope Spots
The South African coastline was home to seven Hope Spots. Six of these – False Bay, the 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.
Hope Spots, of which there were currently 165 around the world, were special places that had been scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean. Each Hope Spot was championed by local conservationists whom Mission Blue supported with community engagement, communications, expeditions, and scientific and policy advisory.
The celebration event made it clear that False Bay, a renowned tourist attraction due to its rich marine biodiversity, had meaning for so many, making it a significant Hope Spot site. It was home to over 3 500 endemic species, including critically endangered African penguins; various species of sharks, including bronze whalers, shysharks and catsharks; a variety of seabirds, such as African oystercatchers, kelp gulls, and cormorants; octopus; and many invertebrates, including anemones, nudibranchs, and sea urchins. It was frequented by white sharks, orcas, southern right whales, various dolphin species, and Cape fur seals. It was also home to the magnificent kelp forests of False Bay.
Most importantly, it was a place steeped in cultural heritage and history, which encompassed a range of uses, meanings, and livelihoods for those who called it home.
About Mission Blue
Mission Blue inspires action to explore and protect the ocean. Led by legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue is uniting a global coalition to inspire an upwelling of public awareness, access and support for a worldwide network of Hope Spots – special places that are important to the health of the ocean. Under Dr. Earle’s leadership, the Mission Blue team implements communications campaigns that elevate Hope Spots to the world stage through documentaries, social media, traditional media and innovative tools like Esri ArcGIS. Mission Blue also embarks on regular oceanic expeditions that shed light on these vital ecosystems and build support for their protection.
Currently, the Mission Blue alliance includes more than 200 respected ocean conservation groups and like-minded organizations, from large multinational companies to individual scientific teams doing important research. Additionally, Mission Blue supports the work of conservation NGOs that share the mission of building public support for ocean protection. With the concerted effort and passion of people and organizations around the world, Hope Spots can become a reality and support the formation of a global network of marine protected areas large enough to restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.
About The Two Oceans Aquarium
The Two Oceans Aquarium is a public aquarium located on the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and showcases the rich diversity of marine life found in the ocean off the southern African coast. It is a well-recognised and respected brand associated with awe-inspiring exhibits that aim to inspire action for the well-being of the ocean; excellent visitor service levels; caring, dedicated, and passionate staff; family fun; and interactive and adventurous experiences to create memories for a lifetime.
The Aquarium is deeply invested in environmental education, conservation, and research and 2018, it established the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, a registered public benefit organisation, operating on a non-profit basis, to promote and expand on its educational, conservation and research initiatives.