Our Mission Blue Hope Spot

We are so proud that our area is recognised as a Mission Blue Hope Spot. The expansive coast along Mozambique’s Jangamo Bay offers a warm welcome to its visitors with serene blue waters, rolling sand dunes and idyllic palm trees. In Jangamo Bay, tourists can witness migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and connect with manta rays (Mobula alfredi and Mobula birostris) beneath the surface.

Mission Blue has declared Jangamo Bay a Hope Spot in recognition of Love The Oceans’ work to protect the area’s magnificent populations of cetaceans and elasmobranchs, and our efforts to create an MPA in partnership with the community and mitigate unsustainable fishing practices. Our founder Francesca is the Hope Spot Champion and says “Becoming a Mission Blue Hope Spot is a big step toward establishing a marine protected area in the Bay, and for gaining recognition for the area as a valuable eco-tourism asset.”

“I applaud the Love the Oceans’ team and the entire community for doing what they can to push for a Marine Protected Area in the Jangamo Bay. With knowing comes caring, and the education they’re bringing to Jangamo Bay can empower young students to become ocean stewards and protect their blue backyard for generations to come.”

SO WHAT AREA DOES THE HOPE SPOT COVER?

The Hope Spot covers an area in the Jangamo District, Inhambane Province, referred to locally as Jangamo Bay. Jangamo Bay covers approximately 15km of coastline, from an area called Island Rock to Coconut Bay.

This Hope Spot has been limited to 3 nautical miles to sea as this is a locally managed Hope Spot with active conservation projects. We only want our Hope Spot to cover the area our active conservation work is happening in so it can be monitored and protected. The Hope Spot was launched by Love The Oceans and the Community Elders’ in Jangamo Bay.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Whilst the Mission Blue Hope Spot doesn’t hold any legal standing, it’s a huge step in LTO’s mission of getting this area established as a nationally recognised Special Reserve – a type of Marine Protected Area in Mozambique.

Establishing a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Jangamo Bay would greatly increase connectivity between existing MPAs in southern Mozambique by extending the protected corridor from Bazaruto Archipelago National Park and Pomene National Reserve, north of the Hope Spot, southwards to the MPA on the border to South Africa, Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve (Reserva Marinha Parcial) and Maputo Special Reserve. Jangamo is located in a migratory corridor for humpback whales and the Mozambique Channel serves as breeding and nursing ground for the Southwestern Indian Ocean breeding stock (breeding stock C) of humpback whales according to the IUCN. Substock C1 in Mozambique accounts for nearly 6,000 individuals, almost 10% of the world’s humpback whale population, making it one of the most significant breeding grounds in the world.

Through this Hope Spot establishment Mission Blue has partnered with Love The Oceans to provide media support and amplification of our messaging in order for us to reach our ultimate mission of establishing a Marine Protected Area in Jangamo Bay.