Latest news: Tagged fish research shows how our MPAs are saving the species

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https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/videos/DjlAPNB

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DAY

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS DAYMARINE PROTECTED AREAS DAYMARINE PROTECTED AREAS DAY

Celebrating local actions for global impact

1 August

See Events
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2025 THEME: OCEAN PROTECTION NEEDS HUMAN CONNECTION

Ocean Pledge and I AM WATER Foundation - School presentations
Heideveld and Lotus River, Western Cape, South Africa
31 July 2025, 11:00 & 1 August 2025, 09:00 (GMT+2)

Kayak and cycle tour of Blekinge Archipelago
Tjurkö,
Blekinge, Sweden

31 July 2025, 10:30-12:30 & 13:30-15:30 (GMT+2)

Science Café - Detectives of Sand and Water
Visitors centre, Juodkrantė, Lithuania
31 July 2025

RUN4MPAs Strava Challenge
Global
1 August 2025, 00:00-23:59 (GMT+2)

Wild Alliance Africa beach walk, surfski paddle, research sample collection, clean-up & marine life observations
Aliwal Shoal, South Africa
1 August, 06:00-15:00 (GMT+2)

Hike and public beach clean up
Robberg Bay MPA, South Africa
1 August 2025, 08:00-11:00 (GMT+2)

HELCOM & PROTECT BALTIC webinar - Small but mighty: scalable marine protection
HELCOM Secretariat,
Helsinki, Finland (online)
1 August 2025, 10:00-11:30 (GMT+3)

HEPCA - Beach clean up in Egypt
Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt
1 August, 09:00-23:59 (GMT+2)

Guardians of the Deep & SANParks Honorary Rangers - Table Mountain National Park Marine Unit Open Day
Kommetjie, South Africa
1 August 2025, 09:00-12:00 (GMT+2)

WildTrust & Youth4MPAs - Oceans for All Alliance (OFAA) Ocean Connection workshop
Thompson's Beach, Ballito, South Africa
1 August 2025, 09:30-15:00 (GMT+2)

I love the Baltic Sea exhibition
Naturum, Ronneby Brunnspark, Blekinge, Sweden, 1 August 2025 - 10:00-18:00 (GMT+2) 

Boattrips around Walfisch
Kirchdorf to Island Poel, Germany
1 August 2025, 10:00-12:00 & 13:00-15:00 (GMT+2)

Cape Talk outside radio broadcast
Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town, South Africa
1 August 2025, 13:00-15:00 (GMT+2)

Think Global Act Local - MPAs on our doorstep
Lily Rose Restaurant, Kleinemonde, South Africa
1 August 2025, 15:00 (GMT+2)

Guided tour at Senoren (Brofästet)
Blekinge, Karlskrona, Sweden
1 August 2025, 16:00-17:30 (GMT+2)

Ocean Advocate - Writing workshop for ocean storytellers
Cape Town, South Africa (online)
1 August 2025, (time tbc)

Public clean up at Húsavík beach
Húsavík Beach, Iceland

1 August 2025, 15:30 (GMT)

Talk on community perceptions of Northeast Iceland Hope Spot
Húsavík Whale Museumm, Iceland

1 August 2025, 17:00 (GMT) 

Fun and educational Green School Day
Seaside Regional Park visitor centre, Karklė, Lithuania
1 August 2025

Knysna Estuary Research Foundation - CONNECTION competition winner
Knysna, South Africa

1 August 2025

Live broadcast from Imagining Godzilla catamaran
Paldiski, Estonia > Helsinki, Finland

1 August 2025

Thonga Trails sea school, beach clean up and walk

Sodwana Bay, South Africa
1 August 2025

Film Screening of Wild Coast Warriors & Q&A
Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town, South Africa

1 August 2025

MigraMar webinar
Bodega Bay, California, United States (online)

1 August 2025

One Ocean, Two Shores mural
Kurland Community Centre, Western Cape, South Africa
1 August 2025

One Ocean, Two Shores mural
Torre Guaceto MPA, Puglia, Italy
1 August 2025

Alcatrazes Hope Spot online campaign
Marine Biology Center, São Sebastião, Brazil

1 August 2025

Sneak a peak at the penguins
Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, The Crags, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
1-4 August 2025

Cape RADD - Guided snorkelling tour
Simon's Town, South Africa
2 August 2025, 09:00 (GMT+2)

Explore the Depths: A Global Showcase of Marine Remote Imagery
East London Museum, Eastern Cape, South Africa

2 August 2025, 09:30-12:00 (GMT+2)

Biodiversity and photography walk plus beach clean up
Helderberg MPA, Cape Town, South Africa
2 August 2025, 09:30-12:30 (GMT+2)

Justice 4 Jaws - engaging with students to educate on sharks and MPAs
Durban, South Africa

2 August 2025

Family friendly beach clean up
Matinlahdenranta & Iso Vasikkarsaari, Espoo, Finland
2 August 2025, 11:00-15:00 (GMT+3)

Rocky Shore Explore at Dalebrook Tidal Pool
Cape Town, South Africa

2 August 2025, 13:00-15:00 (GMT+2)

Explore the shore - at night!
Kleinemonde Beach, South Africa
2 August 2025, 18:00 (GMT+2)

Knysna Estuary Edges Walk
Knysna, South Africa

2-3 August 2025

Knysna Estuary Art Station & Connections Booth
Knysna, South Africa

2-3 August 2025

Knysna Estuary Snorkel & Splash
Knysna, South Africa

2-3 August 2025

Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative - Marine debris beach and dive clean-up
Panasesa Island, Papua New Guinea

2 August 2025

Beach walk at Kleinemonde Beach
Kleinemonde Beach, South Africa
3 August 2025, 09:00 (GMT+2)

Celebrating MPA Day at Museus Do Mar
Muesus do Mar, Maputo, Mozambique
4 August 2025

Official Launch: The Seaweed Association of South Africa
Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town, South Africa
5 August 2025, 18:30 (GMT+2)

Night-time Rocky Shore explore in Boknes
Boknes, Eastern Cape, South Africa
8 August 2025, 20:30 (GMT+2)

Daytime Rocky Shore explore in Boknes
Boknes, Eastern Cape, South Africa
9 August 2025, 09:00 (GMT+2)

MPAs - what are they and why should I care?
Settlers Park Retirement Village, Port Alfred, South Africa
14 August 2025, 09:00 (GMT+2)

Kariega Estuary Coastal Cleanup
Kariega Estuary, Kenton-on-Sea, Eastern Cape, South Africa
14 September 2025, 10:00-17:00 (GMT+2)

WHAT IS MPA DAY?

1 AUGUST

MPA Day, held every year on 1 August, is a global event dedicated to raising awareness about Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and their essential role in ocean conservation, sustainable development, and community well-being.


First launched in 2021 by South African organisations, MPA Day was created to spotlight a key gap in global environmental observances — none focused specifically on MPAs. The date marks the historic proclamation of 20 new or expanded MPAs in South Africa on 1 August 2019, a major milestone in marine protection.


Since then, MPA Day has become an international movement, endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade and embraced by people and organisations around the world. 

ABOUT MPA DAY

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The big day may have come and gone, but keep in touch as we’re always up to something new and exciting.

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MPA Day is endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development as a Decade Activity. Use of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development logo by a non-UN entity does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations of such entity, its products or services, or of its planned activities. For more information please access: https://forum.oceandecade.org/page/disclaimer 

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