Marine conservation organization Mission Blue this week recognized the South San Jorge Gulf in southern Patagonia, Argentina as a new “Hope Spot.”
The recognition is “in support of Patagonia Red Global’s ongoing research, activism, outreach and efforts to establish formal protection in the South San Jorge Gulf. Such protection can create an integrated marine protected area that would secure a safe migratory corridor for species between existing marine protected areas (MPAs),” Mission Blue said in its announcement.
César Gribaudo, CEO of Patagonia Red Global, likes to call his home “Ciudad de las Ballenas” — “City of the Whales.” He began conducting research on the marine life in the area in 1986 and he and his partners’ work remains some of the very little scientific research done on the whales and other marine life in the Gulf.
Gribaudo and Angeles Rodriguez, international communication chief and laboratory and field director of Patagonia Red Global, are hoping to invigorate public support for expanding formal marine protection with ecotourism and scientific research hand-in-hand.
According to “Her Deepness” Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue:
“I want to really salute the Champions for this amazing region — Angeles Rodriguez and César Augusto Grubaldo, who are really working to do what is possible to shine a light on this amazing place. By declaring this region a Hope Spot, there’s a good possibility that more protection can be given to this remarkable kind of coastal system.”
Check out a video of the area below or learn more about Mission Blue’s latest Hope Spot here.
(Featured image credit: Sergio Cipolotti, Cesar Gribaudo and Enrico Marcovaldi)
