The Marine Conservation Institute has announced five candidates for the 2025 Blue Park Awards. The Blue Park Awards recognize marine protected areas (MPAs) with outstanding conservation effectiveness. This year’s nominees include the Shark Fin Bay MPA Network in the Philippines, Colombia’s Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona, Costa Rica’s Parque Nacional Cahuita, the Kaho’olawe Island Reserve in the United States, and Brazil’s Estação Ecológica de Tamoios. These MPAs have demonstrated potential to meet the rigorous Blue Park Standard, a science-based benchmark for effective and lasting conservation. Over the coming weeks, the nominees will undergo a thorough evaluation process, including a detailed review by a Science Council of 30 international experts.
The public is invited to review detailed evaluation reports and provide comments on each nominee through the Marine Conservation Institute’s website. The final awards will be announced later this year.