Bird has partnered with Love The Oceans in Mozambique to help support their team establish a Marine Protected Area in the Inhambane Province, using a bottom-up, community-led approach through research, education and diving.
Love the Oceans is a non-profit marine conservation organisation protecting and studying the diverse marine life found in Jangamo Bay.
The vision of Love The Oceans is to create a successful conservation strategy that can be replicated up and down the coastline of Mozambique and other developing nations to alleviate poverty and empower local communities to protect their oceans.
The team use research, education and diving to drive action towards a more sustainable future. Our ultimate goal is to establish a Marine Protected Area for the Inhambane Province in Mozambique, achieving higher biodiversity whilst protecting endangered species such as sharks, rays and the famous humpback whales.
Behind the Idea
Francesca Trotman studied Marine Biology at University of Southampton. In 2013, during her second year at university, Francesca took an internship in Mozambique and witnessed her first shark killing in Jangamo.
Francesca decided she wanted to investigate the sustainability of the shark finning industry in Mozambique. Francesca founded Love The Oceans whilst completing her Masters in order to publish statistically significant results and scientific papers so she could lobby for much needed legislation change.
Building Communities
Love The Oceans is passionate about including the community in their conservation strategy. They started working with Guinjata School in 2015, delivering the first season of Marine Resource Management lessons, and expanded to working with Paindane School in 2016.
As well as educational outreach, Love The Oceans has successfully raised funds to maintain and improve existing classrooms, and build one new classroom at each of the schools every year. In 2016, Sea Safety and free swimming lessons were added to the project: Guinjata Bay has a strong rip-current and has over the years experienced a high number of drownings. Love The Oceans hopes to prevent future drownings by improving in-water safety.
Swimming lessons are crucial, not just to improve water safety, but also to encourage the children to get in the water and hopefully spark their passion for the Ocean. Adding swimming to their skillset also creates a new range of future job opportunities in ecotourism.
Expeditions are an integral part of Love The Oceans’ work. Having started with 26 students in 2015, and now thanks to over 200 visitors and field assistants from countries around the world who've helped the community with research and outreach work, the project continues to grow and develop. 
Bird Eyewear is proud to be a partner of Love The Oceans, supporting the team with durable sustainable eyewear to help the team work better and safer in the sun and sea. Find out more about the work of Love The Oceans HERE
Love the Oceans' team choice frame is the Otus.
An undeniably classic sunglasses shape that's ready for action. The Otus features a solid acetate frame carefully finished with triple barrel sprung hinges to ensure flexibility and a comfortable fit all day long.
Mirrored polarised lenses come with an anti-seawater coating, and provide 100% UVA protection. Making them the perfect adventure companion. Made with Italian bio acetate; a naturally derived material providing a more planet friendly sunglasses alternative. 
