MPA DAY 2021
A vision takes shape
In March 2021, a simple email sparked a nationwide movement.
Dr Judy Mann-Lang, then Conservation Strategist at the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), reached out to fellow ocean lovers with an audacious proposal.
What started as an idea shared among passionate colleagues became reality just five months later.
On 1 August 2021, South Africa officially launched the first MPA Day — a landmark awareness campaign for ocean conservation.
Photo by Ann Kunz
The birth of MPA Day
To drive the vision of MPA Day forward, a group of like-minded individuals and organisations came together.
Backed by partners like SAAMBR, Two Oceans Aquarium, Flow Communications, Olivia Jones Communication and other NGOs and public figures, this grassroots initiative sought to:
- Launch the first ever MPA Day.
- Educate ordinary South Africans about the value of MPAs — the “game reserves of the sea”.
- Spark national pride in South Africa’s MPAs.
- Mobilise action for marine protection and sustainable ocean use.
- Leverage growing global conversations around climate change ahead of the COP26 Climate Conference in November 2021.
- Lay the foundations for an ongoing yearly celebration of MPAs.
And all of this was done 100% pro bono.
Photo by Two Oceans Aquarium
