Posts by Sarah Hameed
Meet the 2022 Blue Park Award nominees, and help us evaluate them!
Blue Park Awards recognize outstanding marine protected areas (MPAs) that are safeguarding life in the sea. Nominees for the award go through a rigorous assessment using Blue Parks science-based criteria. They are the MPAs that are in the right places, with the right rules, and the right management to effectively protect marine wildlife. We are…
Read MoreNominate an MPA for a 2022 Blue Park Award!
Remote, coastal reefs rich with the colors of a myriad of endemic corals, lush mangrove forests that shelter both juvenile fish from predators and coastal communities from the impacts of climate change, and nutrient-rich subtidal rocky reefs where a diversity of life thrives – these are just a few examples of the awe-inspiring marine ecosystems…
Read MoreNew Blue Park & Blue Sparks Join the Growing Network of Highest Quality Marine Protected Areas
Featured Picture: 2020 Blue Park Award winner, Abrolhos Marine National Park in Brazil. Photo: Eco360 [Seattle, WA] Marine Conservation Institute and its international panel of marine science advisors today announced Abrolhos National Marine Park has been designated as the newest Blue Park for achieving the highest science-based standards for marine life protection and management. Abrolhos joins a growing network of 16 Blue Parks around the…
Read MoreWhat it Takes to Become a Global Ocean Refuge
The Global Ocean Refuge System (GLORES) is designed to incentivize strong protection of life in the sea by providing recognition to marine protected areas (MPAs) that are effectively safeguarding marine wildlife according to science-based standards. But how do we identify the good MPAs? A considerable body of scientific literature has focused on identifying protected area…
Read MoreConserving shark populations
Well-regulated and well-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) established in biologically significant places benefit marine wildlife [1]. One lingering question, however, has been about the value of MPAs for conserving highly-mobile species, like sharks, that move easily across their boundaries. Robust shark populations are necessary to keep marine ecosystems healthy, and many shark populations are threatened…
Read MoreEmploying science to safeguard marine life with GLORES
Scientists from academic institutions, NGOs, and government agencies huddled in twos and threes over papers, pens, and laptops. While we worked in a windowless room, our minds were in the salty sea. Two old friends studied the regulations and enforcement in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, feeding ground to a myriad of whales, seals, sharks…
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