The 2026 Blue Park Awards
Six marine protected areas earn Blue Park Awards for exemplary ocean conservation
[Mombasa, Kenya, 16 June 2026]— Marine Conservation Institute today announced six marine protected areas (MPAs) have earned Blue Park Awards for achieving a globally recognized science-based standard for effective ocean conservation at the 11th Our Ocean Conference, as global attention intensifies around the target to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 (30×30).
The 2026 Blue Park awardees are Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area (Canada), KAWAWANA Indigenous Community Heritage Area (Senegal), Nosy Hara National Park (Madagascar), Nosy Tanihely National Park (Madagascar), the Rapa Nui Marine Protected Area (Chile), and Sahamalaza-îles Radama National Park (Madagascar).
Winners were selected by an international council of marine conservation experts convened by the U.S.-based non-profit organization, Marine Conservation Institute. Awards are based on the Blue Park Standard, a rigorous, science-driven framework that evaluates MPAs across design, governance, protection, management, compliance, and capacity.
Together, the six new Blue Parks encompass approximately 732,000 km² of ocean, bringing the Blue Park Network's total to more than 4.2 million km² of effectively protected ocean across 30 countries and Indigenous territories. The awardees also reflect a range of governance approaches, including Indigenous and community-led conservation, co-management frameworks, and nationally managed marine protected areas.
With four years remaining until the global 30×30 deadline, meeting the target requires more than reaching 30% on paper — the protected areas that get us there must work. The 2026 Blue Parks demonstrate what that requires. Spanning five countries, three continents, and governance models ranging from an Indigenous community heritage area to binational federal-provincial co-management to Indigenous-state co-administration, they show that rigorous, effective protection is achievable across vastly different cultural, political, and ecological contexts.
"This cohort of Blue Parks is a powerful reminder of what the 30×30 goal actually requires," said Dr. Lance Morgan, President of Marine Conservation Institute. "It's not a numbers exercise — it's an ocean health exercise. These six MPAs, each protecting a different place in the ocean under a different governance model, show that effective marine protection is achievable across cultures, geographies, and political systems. We hope they inspire ocean champions everywhere to raise their ambitions for what protection can and should look like."
In KAWAWANA, traditional ecological knowledge and community governance are the foundation of marine protection.
"Successful conservation is one that is born of the will and commitment of communities," said Salatou Sambou, Founding President and Technical Advisor of KAWAWANA's managing body, the Mangagoulack Rural Community Fishermen's Association.
Canada's Banc-des-Américains MPA — the first joint project under the Canada-Québec agreement for a network of marine protected areas in Québec — was recognized for its model of dual federal-provincial protection, rigorous scientific foundation, and collaborative governance with coastal and Indigenous partners.
"I want to recognize the people behind this — the federal and provincial officials, coastal communities, and Indigenous partners who built the Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area together," said the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries. "This is what collaboration can achieve. Dual protection, rigorous science, and joint management give this work a solid foundation as we work toward protecting 30% of our marine and coastal areas by 2030."
The Rapa Nui Marine Protected Area — Te Moana Tapu a Hotu Matu'a — represents the first Chilean MPA with co-management formally recognizing the authority of the Rapa Nui people through their Ocean Council, the Koro Nui o Te Vaikava o Rapa Nui, now in its eighth year of operation.
"The Blue Park Award will send a message of hope to the Pacific and demonstrate that without losing our culture and traditional practices, we can still achieve respect and reciprocity in the protection of our ocean," said Ludovic Burns Tuki, Executive Coordinator of the Koro Nui o Te Vaikava.
Three of the 2026 Blue Parks are in Madagascar, reflecting a sustained national commitment to ocean protection in the Western Indian Ocean — and a fitting recognition given that this year's Our Ocean Conference is hosted in the region.
"It is a great honor to receive this Blue Park Award. This is the result of years of hard work dedicated to protecting this site," said Candicia Bikiny, Director of Nosy Hara National Park. "This recognition highlights our commitment to sustainable ecosystem services that are truly vital for the generations to come."
In addition to the six new awardees, two existing Blue Parks were recognized for having maintained the Blue Park Standard for more than five years: Aldabra Atoll Special Reserve (Seychelles), originally awarded in 2019, and Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park and Reserve (Kenya), originally awarded in 2021, completed Blue Parks' review process this year.
The 2026 Blue Parks join a global network of 40 MPAs that meet the Blue Park Standard. The Blue Parks initiative highlights that the quality of protection — not quantity alone — is essential for 30×30 to deliver meaningful conservation outcomes and restore ocean health.
