Blue Parks
Recognising and supporting effective marine protected areas worldwide to deliver lasting conservation, climate, and biodiversity benefits.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Blue Parks: Accelerating meaningful ocean protection
The Blue Parks initiative aims to accelerate effective marine protection by (1) setting a science-based global standard for marine protected areas, (2) incentivizing the Standard with prestigious international recognition, and (3) supporting efforts to achieve the Standard in new marine protected areas. Developed to close the critical gap between MPAs that exist on paper and those that revitalize marine ecosystems, delivering lasting conservation and climate benefits, Blue Parks contributes directly to advancing global biodiversity goals.
Blue Park Standard
The Blue Park Standard represents a synthesis of marine protected area science and collaboration with over 150 marine conservation scientists around the world. The result is a globally relevant benchmark for marine protection. This international standard makes science meaningful to MPA implementers, providing them with actionable, science-backed guidance to design and manage MPAs that will be successful in conserving biodiversity. Meeting the standard ensures that MPAs are designed and managed to produce the conservation outcomes for which they are intended.
Incentivizing effective MPAs
In addition to guiding effective MPA efforts, the Standard provides a framework for evaluating the quality of existing MPAs. The international Blue Park Awards strategically leverage the Standard to accelerate the implementation of effective MPAs. Marine Conservation Institute and the Blue Parks Science Council present Blue Park Awards annually at high-level meetings to recognize MPAs that meet the Standard and elevate diverse models of success that will inspire others.
The growing Blue Parks Network
As of 2026, 40 Blue Parks spanning 30 countries and Indigenous territories have received the Blue Park mark of excellence since the first awards were announced in 2017. The network now covers 4.2 million square kilometers of the global ocean. The annual awards motivate governments, communities, and managers to close the gap between paper parks and well implemented marine protected areas that contribute meaningfully to conserving biodiversity.
Blue Spark Collaborations
The Blue Park Standard and Awards are having an impact – governments, local community leaders, and managers are working towards achieving the Blue Park Standard. Blue Sparks are our collaborations with local leaders aiming to achieve the Blue Park Standard in their emerging marine protected areas. Through these collaborations, Marine Conservation Institute works to support local leaders, governments, and NGOs accelerate progress toward effective and lasting protection.
Marine Conservation Institute is dedicated to securing permanent, strong protection for the oceans’ most important places, for present and future generations. Our team employs science and collaboration to ensure that ocean protection efforts deliver effective, measurable outcomes for biodiversity while contributing meaningfully to the global 30×30 target of protecting at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. Working in partnership with governments, scientists, community leaders and organizations worldwide, we identify critical marine ecosystems, strengthen conservation policy, and support the effective management of marine protected areas to achieve lasting conservation impact. In addition to Blue Parks, our Marine Protection Atlas (MPAtlas.org) assesses and tracks global MPA coverage and quality, and we contribute to protections in the high seas through our leadership role in the High Seas Alliance.