MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas has been declared a “Hope Spot” by Mission Blue.
Mission Blue is a non-profit organization founded by oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle intended to promote the protection of marine ecosystems. Ocean Cay joins 154 Hope Spots that are currently recognized as “critical to ocean health.” The goal is to achieve the status of Marine Protected Areas.
Along with this designation, MSC Foundation Board Member and Chair of the Executive Committee, and Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, Pierfrancesco Vago was selected as the island’ “Hope Spot Champion.”
Vago said, “Being designated a Hope Spot is an important recognition for Ocean Cay Marine Reserve and helps focus attention on how we all have an important duty as caretakers of our Blue Planet. That responsibility is why the scientific research and restoration efforts of our Super Coral Programme aim not just to create resilient coral reefs around Ocean Cay and in the Bahamas, but to simultaneously contribute to conservation knowledge and initiatives worldwide. I thank Dr. Sylvia Earle and Mission Blue for their tireless efforts, which inspire us all to cherish and safeguard the rich biodiversity of our oceans.”
When MSC Cruises took ownership of Ocean Cay in 2015, the island was suffering from years of industrial use. The company began collaborating with the Bahamian government, leading university, marine scientists, and conservationists to restore the island’s ecosystems. Nearly 5,000 trees and 75,000 indigenous plants, flowers and shrubs have been planted to help revitalize the island’s terrestrial environment. In 2019, the MSC Foundation began restoring the island’s coral reefs through its Super Coral Programme that it started for that purpose.
Dr. Earle communicated her excitement of the island’s designation by stating, “This recognizes the comprehensive restoration efforts and commitment to protecting marine biodiversity. Led by Pierfrancesco Vago, the restoration of Ocean Cay has been a multidisciplinary effort to re-establish the ecological balance in this limestone island and its surrounding marine estate. Ocean Cay will inform thousands of people weekly about the crucial importance of growing and out-planting thermally tolerant corals for marine conservation, ocean health and human wellbeing.”
The recognition of a “Hope Spot” by Mission Blue further acknowledges the commitment that the MSC Foundation has made to ensuring the future for our oceans and our planet.