Registered Canadian & U.K. charity & U.S. 501(c)(3).
Hope Spot Surveys are structured field deployments focused on documenting important marine environments through repeatable, non-extractive observation.
These surveys prioritise long-term comparability so that collected data remains useful across multiple expedition cycles.
Operating within Expedition Audacity’s broader research framework, Hope Spot Surveys complement vessel-based monitoring, subsea observation, and community-informed fieldwork. The programme concentrates effort in priority marine areas where sustained observation can support stewardship and informed management.
Hope Spots are marine areas recognised for their ecological, cultural, or ecosystem importance. They may include established protected areas that benefit from additional documentation, as well as locations identified for increased recognition and care.
Hope Spot Surveys focus on building reliable environmental baselines in regions where monitoring is limited or emerging.
Field teams use a combination of:
- biodiversity surveys and habitat documentation
- non-extractive tools including ROVs, eDNA, and visual observation
- collaboration with local researchers, guardians, and conservation partners
- structured evidence collection to support management decisions
Each survey contributes to an ongoing longitudinal record rather than a single-point snapshot.
eDNA & eRNA collection
Side-scan sonar and acoustic echosounders
Side-scan sonar and acoustic echosounders
Genetic traces that help reveal biodiversity not easily observed directly
Side-scan sonar and acoustic echosounders
Side-scan sonar and acoustic echosounders
Side-scan sonar and acoustic echosounders
Mapping of seabed structure and habitat features
Environmental profiling
Side-scan sonar and acoustic echosounders
Environmental profiling
Measurement of temperature, salinity, and chemical conditions
Community collaboration
Side-scan sonar and acoustic echosounders
Environmental profiling
Consent-based engagement and shared priority setting
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Many marine areas identified for protection still benefit from consistent, repeatable observation.
Hope Spot Surveys contribute to the evidence base that supports:
- identification of areas requiring attention
- informed management and planning
- recognition of Indigenous-led stewardship
- broader public understanding of ocean conditions
Hope Spot Surveys are conducted in partnership with Mission Blue, Dr. Sylvia Earle, local scientists, Indigenous knowledge holders, and community partners.
Where possible, research priorities, methods, and outputs are developed collaboratively with participating partners.
Hope Spot Surveys focus sustained attention on marine areas where continued observation can support long-term understanding.
Through coordinated science, documentation, and partnership, the programme contributes to informed ocean stewardship over time.