Marine Conservation Institute

Marine Conservation Institute We use the latest science to identify important marine ecosystems around the world, and then advocate

What does enduring ocean protection look like? 🌊Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park has maintained its Platinum Blue Park statu...
06/04/2026

What does enduring ocean protection look like? 🌊

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park has maintained its Platinum Blue Park status following its five-year review - demonstrating that effective protection is not a one-time achievement, but an ongoing commitment.

Located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, this UNESCO World Heritage Site protects more than 360 coral species, over 600 species of fish, thriving reef shark populations, sea turtles, manta rays, and some of the healthiest reef communities in the Philippines.

And this renewal did not happen under easy conditions.

Despite funding pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic, strong enforcement, long-term scientific monitoring, and adaptive management helped keep biodiversity outcomes strong.

With an updated management plan guiding protection through 2031 and continued collaboration with surrounding communities, Tubbataha remains a global example of what long-term marine conservation can achieve.

Read the full five-year review at the link in our bio.

Happy Wildlife Wednesday from Refúgio de Vida Silvestre do Arquipélago de Alcatrazes, Brazil 🇧🇷Located off the coast of ...
06/03/2026

Happy Wildlife Wednesday from Refúgio de Vida Silvestre do Arquipélago de Alcatrazes, Brazil 🇧🇷

Located off the coast of São Paulo, Alcatrazes protects one of Brazil’s most biodiverse marine regions - where warm tropical waters meet colder nutrient-rich currents to create a remarkable mix of life.

Together with Tupinambás Ecological Station, this protected area supports around 1,300 marine and terrestrial species, including 93 species under some degree of threat. The archipelago is home to reef fish, dolphins, whales, seabirds, sea turtles, corals, and serves as an important nursery and breeding area for sharks, rays, and groupers 🌊

It’s also the largest breeding site for island birds in southeastern Brazil and a refuge for species found nowhere else.

Swipe for a glimpse into this incredible marine ecosystem 🐚

Photo courtesy of

Long-term ocean protection is powered by the people, science, and systems behind it 🌊At Misool Marine Reserve, support f...
06/02/2026

Long-term ocean protection is powered by the people, science, and systems behind it 🌊

At Misool Marine Reserve, support for the Blue Parks Conservation Fund has helped strengthen reef restoration, manta ray research, community-led protection, and long-term monitoring across one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth.

The impact so far:
🪸 1,820 corals transplanted
🌊 124 m² of reef restored
🐠 500+ species of reef-building coral protected
🪸 142 artificial reef structures deployed
🪶 511 manta rays documented over 11 years
📈 10.7% average increase in reef manta populations
🛡️ 1,214 km² effectively protected through community-led conservation

These outcomes are possible because long-term protection is backed by long-term investment, adaptive management, and local stewardship.
Support protection that’s already delivering measurable conservation outcomes.

🔗 mci.blue/fund

Happy 🪸From the vibrant corals of Tubbataha to the remote waters of Aldabra, these Blue Parks showcase what healthy, p...
06/01/2026

Happy 🪸

From the vibrant corals of Tubbataha to the remote waters of Aldabra, these Blue Parks showcase what healthy, protected reef ecosystems can look like. Reefs support an incredible diversity of marine life and provide benefits to millions of people around the world.

Today, we're celebrating the biodiversity and importance of reefs, and the people working every day to protect them. 🌊🐠

Which reef would you most like to visit? 👇

In 2013, Marine Conservation Institute launched what would become the Blue Parks Initiative - a science-based effort to ...
05/30/2026

In 2013, Marine Conservation Institute launched what would become the Blue Parks Initiative - a science-based effort to recognize and celebrate the world's most effectively protected marine protected areas.

At the time, there were thousands of MPAs around the world, but very few had been independently evaluated for their ability to deliver meaningful biodiversity protection. Blue Parks helped establish a higher benchmark.

In 2017, three extraordinary sites became the first Blue Park awardees:

🌊 .hawaii
🦈 Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos
🐢

Today, the Blue Park Network spans some of the most effectively protected marine areas on Earth, helping demonstrate what strong ocean protection looks like in practice.

This is Moment #4 in our 30 Moments series celebrating 30 years of Marine Conservation Institute.

Last chance to join us Behind the Blue Spark 🎬If you missed the previous screening, this is your final opportunity to jo...
05/29/2026

Last chance to join us Behind the Blue Spark 🎬

If you missed the previous screening, this is your final opportunity to join us for a special screening and webinar conversation exploring the stories, challenges, and people behind ocean conservation.

📅 June 9, 2026
🕒 9:30 am PT / 6:30 pm CEST

🔗 Register here: https://mci.blue/spark-webinar2

Wildlife Wednesday from Chumbe Island, Tanzania 🇹🇿 Chumbe Island Coral Park protects one of the most biodiverse coral re...
05/27/2026

Wildlife Wednesday from Chumbe Island, Tanzania 🇹🇿

Chumbe Island Coral Park protects one of the most biodiverse coral reefs in East Africa – home to vibrant corals, reef fish, turtles, dolphins, seagrass meadows, and even coconut crabs.

This fully protected no-take marine reserve has shown incredible resilience over the years, proving how effective conservation, community stewardship and ecotourism can help reefs thrive 🌊

Swipe for a glimpse into this underwater world 🐚

Parks

05/26/2026

Which seamounts on the high seas are vulnerable to fishing pressure? 🌊

The Central Louisville Seamount Chain in the South Pacific is an example of why this question matters. Seamounts like these are biodiversity hotspots, home to deep-sea octocorals and scleractinian corals—but they’re also prime targets for bottom fishing.

The High Seas Protection Portal brings together the layers needed to understand this tension 🗺️:

📍 Fishing effort (hours/year) from Global Fishing Watch — showing where and how intensively fishing is occurring across the high seas
⛰️ High seas seamount locations
🪸 Predicted coral habitat within RFMO fishable depths — a layer showing where octocorals and scleractinian corals are likely to occur within reach of fishing gear

Together, these layers tell an important story: we don’t always know whether fishing is currently impacting these vulnerable coral communities, but we do know they’re within reach of fishing gear. That uncertainty is exactly why strong proactive management measures matter, and why this information will be critical in shaping the first generation of MPAs under the BBNJ Agreement.

Explore it yourself 👇
https://marine-conservation.org/high-seas-protection-portal/

Made possible by

30x30

05/23/2026

Which seamounts on the high seas are vulnerable to fishing pressure? 🌊

The Central Louisville Seamount Chain in the South Pacific is an example of why this question matters. Seamounts like these are biodiversity hotspots, home to deep-sea octocorals and scleractinian corals—but they're also prime targets for bottom fishing.

The High Seas Protection Portal brings together the layers needed to understand this tension 🗺️:

📍 Fishing effort (hours/year) from Global Fishing Watch — showing where and how intensively fishing is occurring across the high seas
⛰️ High seas seamount locations
🪸 Predicted coral habitat within RFMO fishable depths — a layer showing where octocorals and scleractinian corals are likely to occur within reach of fishing gear

Together, these layers tell an important story: we don't always know whether fishing is currently impacting these vulnerable coral communities, but we do know they're within reach of fishing gear. That uncertainty is exactly why strong proactive management measures matter, and why this information will be critical in shaping the first generation of MPAs under the BBNJ Agreement.

Explore it yourself 👇
https://marine-conservation.org/high-seas-protection-portal/

The Blue Park Awards recognize outstanding marine protected areas that meet the highest global standards for effective o...
05/22/2026

The Blue Park Awards recognize outstanding marine protected areas that meet the highest global standards for effective ocean conservation and protection.

Stay tuned to find out who will join the global Blue Parks network in the coming weeks! 🌎🐋

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