MMF’s Ocean Ambassador network grew to 90 local conservation leaders in 2025, working across seven communities on Mozambique’s Inhambane coast. Together they gave 140 community talks, reached 5,867 people, about 40% of them fishers, and collected more than 1,100 kilograms (2,400 pounds) of plastic from the beaches.
New Ocean Ambassadors in Závora trying MMF’s virtual reality headsets.
Local leaders, local languages
Ocean Ambassadors are community leaders trained by MMF to teach marine conservation in local languages, combining their communities’ cultural knowledge with science. By the end of 2025, the program covered seven communities in four coastal districts: Inhambane (Tofo, Barra, and Rocha), Massinga (Morrungulo), Inhassoro (Vuka and Fequete), and Inharrime (Závora Beach).
A new start in Závora
Twelve of the 90 ambassadors are new, recruited as the program expanded to Závora, where MMF already runs a research center. Most of them are fishers and members of the Závora Community Fisheries Council, which helps manage local fishing. That puts them in a strong position to encourage their peers to fish in ways that keep fish populations healthy. MMF also recruited a new field officer to coordinate the program there.
Talks, cleanups, and public events
The ambassadors gave 140 community presentations in 2025, 27% more than the 110 planned. They reached 5,867 people. About 40% were fishers, the audience the program most wants to reach.
Ocean Ambassadors at a beach cleanup.
They also ran monthly beach cleanups, collecting 1,114.7 kilograms (2,457.5 pounds) of plastic waste. The ambassadors marked World Oceans Day, World Fisheries Day, World Environment Day, and World Mangrove Ecosystem Conservation Day. On those days they gave talks in busy public places such as municipal markets about plastic waste and the harm it does to the ocean.
Communities and government around one table
The ambassadors’ annual advocacy meeting in Inhambane City brought together more than 100 people. They included all the Ocean Ambassadors, provincial government partners, other nongovernmental organizations, fishers, and community leaders, with senior officials from the districts of Inhambane, Inharrime, Massinga, and Inhassoro. The meeting focused on putting into practice the rules for fishing areas managed by local communities. It also looked at improving communication and sharing responsibility between communities and government.
The Ocean Ambassadors’ advocacy meeting in Inhambane City.
The Ocean Ambassadors are part of MMF’s Sustainable Seas program, which in 2025 also supported new livelihoods for fishing families and the accreditation of community fisheries inspectors.
Thank you to the Embassy of Ireland for supporting this work through the Sustainable Seas and Communities project.
To learn more, visit our Sustainable Seas page and our work in Mozambique, or make a donation to support community-led conservation in Mozambique.