Sophie Thayne
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oceanthayne.bsky.social
Sophie Thayne
@oceanthayne.bsky.social
Grant Manager @BlueActionFund
Not every day one of our @blueactionfund.org projects features on the agenda of 🇩🇪🇳🇦 Government Negotiations!

Wishing the Namibia Nature Foundation team every success as they showcase the #NIMPA+ project - a great example of collaboration for people and ocean conservation 🌊🐧🛶

#OceanOptimism
November 11, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Happy Friday News 🥳

🇳🇦NAMCOB’s very 1st rehabilitation patient Apie has returned to the wild after 412 days.

African penguins are officially listed as Critically Endangered - making NAMCOB’s work even more important

➡️ namcob.org.na/news/namcobs...

Funded by @blueactionfund.org
#OceanOptimism
NAMCOB’s First Rehabilitation Patient Returns to the Wild | NAMCOB
namcob.org.na
November 7, 2025 at 1:47 PM
🌊Exciting update from the 🇳🇦NIMPA+ project, funded by @blueactionfund.org :

The NIMPA Data Mgt Portal is operational! @saerifi.bsky.social helped develop it bringing together all available info on MPA NIMPA. The portal will serve as decision-making tool. Trainings are underway. 👇 NIMPA.sari.org
NIMPA.sari.org
November 7, 2025 at 11:12 AM
How lasting is impact after a project ends?

@blueactionfund.org is among few donors conducting ex post surveys - revisiting completed projects to measure long-term outcomes for people and nature.

Learning of the past to strengthen future marine conservation - cherished. 💙

#OceanOptimism
2 years after end of grant, we ask partners to do 'Ex-post survey' re sustainability of interventions, impact on MPA, organisation, communities, availability of follow up funding... Today, we sent 📬 invite to @wildtrust.co.za re 'iSimangaliso I' ogy.de/062b @oceanthayne.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Sophie Thayne
Fisheries: Creating marine protected areas only displaces fisheries and does not benefit the ocean

Costello: No they don't and yes they do

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Fully protected Marine Protected Areas do not displace fisheries | PNAS
Fully protected Marine Protected Areas do not displace fisheries
www.pnas.org
October 22, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Meanwhile in Cabo Verde 🇨🇻…

Good to see project partner @projectovito.bsky.social taking one important step towards getting the wondrous waters around 🇨🇻 more protected @blueactionfund.org

#OceanOptimism #30x30
During the IV Ocean Decade Conference on Fogo Island, Projecto Vitó proposed creating a Marine Protected Area between Fogo and Brava.
If approved, it will boost Cabo Verde’s protected waters from 0.4% to 1.4%, strengthening the nation’s commitment to biodiversity and sustainability.
October 17, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Reposted by Sophie Thayne
Meanwhile in Namibia 🇳🇦 ... How Murals Are Bringing Ocean Conservation to Life in Lüderitz nnf.org.na/how-murals-a...
@oceanthayne.bsky.social @oceanweigand.bsky.social
October 15, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Fair enough-virtual workshops are never the same as being on the ground. But with the political situation preventing our @blueactionfund.org trip, teams @blueventures.bsky.social @akf-global.bsky.social & OSDRM in MD made the best of it and pushed through. Huge thanks @oceancecilia.bsky.social 🙏
October 10, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Reposted by Sophie Thayne
Celebrating grant portfolio of our sister fund @legacylandscapes.bsky.social with representatives of all supported protected sites. Amazing 🥳🎉. 👏🏼 @bmz.de for initiating this crucial #30by30 @unbiodiversity.bsky.social financing tool. @astridschomaker.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Sophie Thayne
Meanwhile in 🇳🇦 Namibia...
#NIMPAplus @oceanthayne.bsky.social @rukodzi.bsky.social
Ocean Literacy Toolkit ➡️ ogy.de/9y1w
October 6, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Great opportunity, great team 🌊✨
September 30, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Reposted by Sophie Thayne
7th annual Earth Partner Prize open for submissions...
🧑‍🎨 artists between 14 and 30 years?
🎞️🗽🎨 work that comments on ecological crisis?
💶 8 finalists receive prizes of $10K, $5K or $2K.
earthpartner.com/earth-partne...
Earth Partner Prize - Earth Partner
https://earthpartner.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EPP-Globe-1x1_final.mp4 APPLY HERE The 7th annual Earth Partner Prize (formerly #CreateCOP) is now open for submissions! We invite artists of all na...
earthpartner.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Seems like the right time to pay Madagascar a visit!

Looking forward to upcoming trip with dear @blueactionfund.org colleague @oceancecilia.bsky.social, team of @blueventures.bsky.social & @akf-global.bsky.social

➡️Fact sheet: www.blueactionfund.org/wp-content/u...

#BlueActionProjectVisit
September 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Meanwhile in Madagascar: 1,5m ha of new MPA now designated with additional 0.8m ha under progress. 🌊🐟🪸

Maybe with @blueventures.bsky.social support, funded by @blueactionfund.org, the unique Barren Isles are next?

#OceanOptimism

www.capmad.com/news/sustain...
Madagascar: a beacon for marine biodiversity 🌊🐠
Madagascar is stepping up efforts to preserve its unique marine biodiversity and protect its ecosystems from current threats.
madagasikara.fr
September 16, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Looking forward to today‘s ‚Donor Roundtable on Financing Madagascar Protected Area‘, cohosted by MD Protected Areas and Biodiverdity Fund and KfW.
Hoping for valuable insights and fruitful discussions.
Ready to ensure that the marine ecosystem is not forgotten 💙
@blueactionfund.org #OceanOptimism
September 16, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Waves of Changes, part II.
Wonderful story and pics from @gridarendal.bsky.social ‘s team transforming 🇳🇦Lüderitz through art and awareness for its marine life in cooperation with Namibia Nature Foundation.
NIMPA+ project funded by @blueactionfund.org

#OceanOptimism

news.grida.no/waves-of-cha...
Waves of Change, Phase II: Return to Lüderitz - GRID-Arendal News
After an eight-hour drive from Windhoek, Hasan and I arrived in Lüderitz and were greeted by the welcome sign we painted last year. The lines were still sharp, a traditional fisherman pulling a boat r...
news.grida.no
September 9, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Gender equality & equity are crucial @blueactionfund.org projects, esp those co-funded by @greenclimate.fund.

Check out insightful video from our @blueventures.bsky.social showing first hand testimony from local community members in 🇲🇬: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfz1... @oceancecilia.bsky.social
The power of gender equality
YouTube video by BV Mada Videos
www.youtube.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Project Website of @blueactionfund.org ‘s funded PaMAR project in Cabo Verde now online, implemented d by @faunaflora.bsky.social
Check it out and sign up to receive hopefully many updates full of #OceanOptimism : www.projeto-pamar.com/en
Home | Projeto Pamar
www.projeto-pamar.com
September 8, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Excited about this milestone 🥳🥳 Looking forward to see this project now coming to life in implementation 🌊
Exciting new Grant: Today, we 🖋️ €4.8 million project with Coral Triangle Center & Partners to promote #OceanOptimism in Banda Sea 🇮🇩. (1/3)
August 15, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Reposted by Sophie Thayne
Big 👞👞 to fill:
🦈 conservation fund is looking for executive director based in 🇺🇸 ➡️ bit.ly/45rPQz1
Exciting opportunity with great team & several co-investments with @blueactionfund.org in 🇿🇦, 🇳🇦, 🇬🇼, 🇨🇻...
August 6, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Reposted by Sophie Thayne
** Exciting postdoc opportunity in community-based fisheries co-management **

Come work with Patrick Smallhorn-West at JCU & me at WCS to understand patterns of co-management governance and link these to social and ecological outcomes.

Full job description here: careers.jcu.edu.au/jobs/postdoc...
July 30, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Maybe I should diversify bedtime stories? 😅 #preschooldrawings #OceanOptimism
July 29, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Follow @projectovito.bsky.social to
learn more about this NGOs important marine and coastal work done in Cabo Verde on Fogo and Brava Island
Proudly funded by @blueactionfund.org in the context of project PaMAR! #OceanOptimism
Working with Fogo’s fishing communities through #PaMAR to map fishing zones, species, and challenges. Local voices are key to ocean conservation and community resilience.
#ProjectoVitó
July 29, 2025 at 7:10 PM
🌊3 yrs @blueactionfund.org – never a dull moment!✨
- Managed 5 grants across 4 countries
- Project visits to MD, NAM & CV
- Collected & analysed site + MPAGuide data for 180+ sites
- Learned the ropes of mapping
- Worked with an amazing team💙
And above all: a ton of #OceanOptimism
Excited for more.
July 2, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Meanwhile in Madagascar…impactful @blueventures.bsky.social story on learning exchanges between fishing communities from 🇲🇬 and 🇰🇪, funded by @blueactionfund.org

#OceanOptimism

explore.blueventures.org/madagascar-t...
Madagascar to Kenya - Blue Ventures - Photo Stories
Tucked away from other beach management units in Kenya’s Kwale County lies Mwamdudu beach, a fishing village amid mangrove channels and estuaries, where local fishers cast their nets for prawns and ot...
explore.blueventures.org
June 23, 2025 at 12:31 PM