Exploring Northeast Iceland's Marine Life
We are diving into World Ocean Week with a new Hope Spot - Northeast Iceland! Known for its stunning natural beauty and abundance of marine life, Northeast Iceland has deep water ecosystems, thriving kelp forests, geothermal vents, and upwelling currents that provide habitat for resident and migratory species.
Mission Blue
Mission Blue inspires action to explore and protect the ocean! @SylviaEarle #HopeSpots
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We are diving into World Ocean Week with a new Hope Spot - Northeast Iceland! 💙🌊🐳 #HopeSpots
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023
Splash into the Ocean Story: https://t.co/61ajS9xaQm pic.twitter.com/sFBMV0WooP -
🎥 S. Molloy, @CutCanvas, Ocean Missions, D Gonzalez, B García Ovide, A Clavería Guallar, N Bondarev/North Sailing, R Orri Gunnarsson, C Koppel, N Niman, S Bang, Á Steinars, A Mucha, C Basran, C Schmidt, E Cirino, F Stelman, F Meyst, H Hardarson, Húsavík Whale Museum
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023 -
Known for its stunning natural beauty and abundance of marine life, Northeast Iceland has deep water ecosystems, thriving kelp forests, geothermal vents, and upwelling currents that provide habitat for resident and migratory species.
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023
Photo by Ása Steinars pic.twitter.com/YZghfgwrqB -
Europe's largest Arctic tern breeding colony, Atlantic puffin colonies, and hundreds of dolphins, porpoises, and whales, including humpback, minke, and North Atlantic blue whales, rely on these nutrient-rich waters.
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023
Photo by Ása Steinars pic.twitter.com/fZLhPf62MO -
Iceland's breathtaking scenery and charismatic wildlife have been a strong tourism draw, with 1.7 million tourists, more than 4.5 times the resident population, visiting in 2022!
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023
Photo by Florian Stelman pic.twitter.com/qqZzS0PVAC -
Despite the benefits of tourism, the threat to the environment remains as tourist activities are largely unregulated. Additionally, while whale watching has grown in popularity, Iceland still intermittently hunts minke & fin whales for both local consumption & export.
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023
📸A. Mucha pic.twitter.com/rDeZu9nAN1 -
Champions Belén García Ovide, Dr. Charla Jean Basran, & Eva Björk Káradóttir are working to promote community-based marine planning, conservation, & tourism management to encourage the Icelandic gov't to begin the process of designating the region a marine protected area by 2024. pic.twitter.com/nqLqSKz0KS
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023 -
They believe that the Hope Spot designation will bring further opportunities for scientists to study local coastal ecosystems and ensure sustainable marine planning that will benefit the development of societies in harmony with nature.
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023
Photo by Belén García Ovide pic.twitter.com/HA0nkCcy4L -
Hope Spot Champions: Belén García Ovide, founder of Ocean Missions and Charla Jean Basran, PhD with Ocean Missions and Eva Björk Káradóttir, Director of the Húsavík Whale Museum
— Mission Blue (@MissionBlue) June 5, 2023
Hope Spot Partners: University of Iceland Húsavík Research Centre
Photo by Belén García Ovide pic.twitter.com/ZcqqdvecVy