Who We Are

The Blue Hope Alliance model was created as a cross sector alliance of stakeholders, community groups, individuals and divers interested in the recovery and restoration of the sea.

The alliance emerged organically out of the campaign to protect Wester Ross Marine Protected Area and began with surveys organised by the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation, SubSeaTV and Sea Change Wester Ross to gather evidence to protect the ecosystems recovery. We were joined shortly after by the fishery boards and Seasearch divers, marine scientists and others who have helped champion our 'network for nature’, as the Marine Biological Society have dubbed it.

Our aims are multi-fold. By building a cross-sector alliance, in a low population area such as the Northwest Highlands, we can more efficiently pool limited resources, time and energy – as well as share different perspectives and knowledge to provide a much more holistic, multi-perspectival understanding of the sea. Previously groups in the Northwest tended to work separately, but in recognition that everything is connected in the sea, it soon became clear that working more like an ecosystem ourselves benefited everyone – that is what the Blue Hope Alliance set out to do.

Fishermen, anglers, scientists, seafood suppliers, sailors, kayakers, divers, families, youngsters, swimmers, snorkellers, artists and storytellers have knowledge and complimentary talents to share. Some have boats, others can dive, others know of species locations, or have scientific knowledge and methods, whilst others have social media prowess or visual and storytelling capacity. Some can just provide great tea cakes. All are welcome to contribute in ways they can.

The scientific knowledge discovered on our surveys is vital. It can help provide evidence which might not otherwise be known, and flag up issues and put pressure on Government agencies and politicians to act. It can be used as evidence in court and can flag up where human impact is causing harm in order to stop it. Thus, allowing nature to heal itself. When Nature is left alone it heals fast.

Interconnectivity with marine scientists and universities can support more ambitious and rigorous surveying and help analyse and share our discoveries. These relationships can ensure our survey work is scientifically rigourous.

Our archive of survey footage can be used to produce films, vlogs, and photo stories. Our film nights can take the community on a virtual dive. Thus making visible the underwater world - and our ‘eyes underwater in the northwest’ encourages wider awareness and builds care for the sea. The surveys can bring to life the underwater world and its ‘characters’ and encourage more wonder and respect for Nature.

Interconnectivity between businesses, individuals, and groups, (which only a cross-sector /ecosystem focused alliance can achieve), can create the sense of a collective endeavour, in which groups of quite different remits around specific species or habitats, can join together with a shared sense of purpose.

The web of life is a network of relationships. Everything we do is a mirror to that, as all we achieve is by building a web of relationships across different sectors. Groups that might otherwise see each other as having very separate remits, or little in common can come together around a common aim, such as collecting knowledge of what is happening underwater.

Relationship building can take time, but an ecosystem approach, also means connecting as many groups as possible, with different perspectives, to invest in shared outcomes. This approach underpins the success of all restoration work.

Groups working together can help amplify community support for protection and restoration across a region. Plus share evidence that can help guide policy.

The Blue Hope Alliance does not replace groups - all of which have vitally important specific remits and much needed depth of expertise and experience. It simply joins groups and coordinates the linked efforts around collecting data, storing it in our archive and sharing it widely. We coordinate shared knowledge, resources and capacity where there is need. And ensure the discoveries are widely shared.

The task is huge, and the resources limited. The network helps build capacity and focus attention on shared objectives like the restoration of keystone species.

Our aim is to be self sustaining and sponsored by the community over the long term.

We have much work to do, to build a self-sustaining survey project that is secure well into the future.

We also have much work to do to transform our unique underwater archive, into a fully accessible and searchable legacy for generations ahead. Yet we have strong foundations.  

The idea of working in informal webs and networks for the common good is influenced by indigenous perspectives, that often came from observing Nature carefully.

Ancient people noted the intelligence within the Natural world and particularly the species that worked in cooperation - often selflessly for the greater good of the whole. For example insects that share a group or ‘field’ mind would often work in service of the whole interconnected web, as opposed to what served the individual. We can learn from this.

Poetic, it might be but it was the impulse behind one of the founding groups of the Alliance, Sea Change Wester Ross. A marine thinktank which set up to secure the return of the 3 mile limit and a ban on dredging in the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area.

Starlings flock in unison because of Peregrines…. fish create shoals to stay safe. By acting swiftly and positively to threats to the fisheries, and habitats - many groups organically came together to secure Wester Ross Marine Protected Area’s ecosyste protection. The Blue Hope Alliance evolved out of these challenges.

An example of how hope can emerge out of challenge. As is our relationship with Professor Jason Hall Spencer and Plymouth University which developed over a shared aim around building awareness and restoring a precious species called maerl. A keystone species of vital importance to Scotland, and the most ancient species in the UK. Yet it is little known to the public.

Our network of relationships includes other very committed marine scientists who have helped us survey for years, such as Dr Graham Saunders, Lewis Press, Owen Paisley, Frank Melvin, and Dr Rohan Holt. Together they have helped us create more robust survey protocols.  

Wester Ross is perhaps the most fragile of the MPAs – given it has the lion’s share of maerl in Europe. It is also the largest “maerl” MPA in the world. Yet there is masses of maerl outside of these protected areas as well as south and north of the MPA, all within our area of interest. Our members have produced surveys, articles, science reports and films.  

Our aim to build a self sustaining project means we rely upon encouraging local businesses, charities, marine groups and volunteers to support, or even sponsor our surveys and events. Please get in touch if you’d like to help us. We welcome everyone’s support however it is given.