Brazil
As part of their ongoing ocean conservation work, the Verde Mar Project partnered with the Paisagem Carioca Municipal Natural Park during this year’s Winter Camp.
Over two days, they presented a special exhibition on the Paisagem Carioca Marine Sanctuary and the Cagarras Islands Hope Spot®, highlighting the area’s global ecological importance.
After the camp, the Verde Mar team led a Dive Against Debris cleanup dive at the sanctuary. The event combined public outreach with direct conservation action, aiming to raise awareness and reduce marine pollution.
The Marine Biology Center of the University of São Paulo represented Alcatrazes Hope Spot® and engaged on Instagram about the site and the importance of marine protected areas.
(Video by Verde Mar Project)
CANADA
As part of MPA Day 2025, Canada celebrated not only its growing network of federally designated MPAs but also the stories, technologies, and communities behind them.
To mark the day, the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition (COLC) and partners launched a dynamic suite of educational tools, digital experiences, and storytelling initiatives designed to connect people across the country with the purpose and power of MPAs.
(Video by COLC)
The Ocean Canada Map, created by COLC and Canadian Geographic, invites users to explore MPAs and marine conservation stories through an interactive lens, highlighting both data and community-driven action.
The Ocean Canada AR App (download on Android or IOS) brings ocean learning to life through 360° videos and augmented reality features, developed in collaboration with the National Film Board and Dalhousie University.
Other digital experiences include the National Dashboard by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, offering a real-time snapshot of Canada’s MPA progress, and an illustrated infographic by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans explaining how MPAs protect biodiversity and build ocean resilience.
A collection of short films added powerful voices to the day.
The Gully: Canada’s First MPA, showcasing the rich life in one of the country's oldest marine reserves.
(Video by Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
Talluruptiup Immanga (Lancaster Sound), a story of Inuit leadership in marine protection.
(Video by Ocean Week Canada)
A moving Indigenous Water Guardians series, honouring Indigenous Peoples’ stewardship of marine and freshwater ecosystems.
(Video by Ocean Week Canada)
Chile
In Chile, OCEANA highlighted how MPAs
safeguard ocean life, allowing species to recover, and make sustainable fishing possible.
With the creation of Chile's Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP), the designations for Marine Protected Areas have been reclassified: Marine Reserves are now National Reserves; Coastal Marine Protected Areas for Multiple Uses are now Multiple Use Conservation Areas; and Marine Parks are now National Parks.
(Photo by Eduardo Sorensen)
COLOMBIA
On the vibrant shores of Barú Island, Fundación Malpelo, in partnership with AVIATUR, brought together local residents for a hands-on mangrove restoration effort. This coastal action was more than just ecological—it was a celebration of the deep connection between people and marine ecosystems.
The event honored the essential role of communities in safeguarding marine environments. Their presence, knowledge, and commitment are the foundation of lasting conservation.
Costa Rica
Asociación Conservacionista Misión Tiburón led a dive with bull sharks at the Bat Islands on 25 July. The event took place within the Santa Rosa National Park Marine Protected Area, part of the Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG) in northwest Costa Rica.
This MPA, covering 43 000 protected hectares, is one of Costa Rica’s most established conservation zones.
Activities are limited to research and regulated tourism — making it one of the few places in the world where you can dive with bull sharks in their natural environment without bait.
The dive raised awareness about the importance of marine conservation in the ACG and the nearby Golfo Dulce Hope Spot®.
(Video footage by Asociación Conservacionista Misión Tiburón)
MEXICO
Cozumel is home to the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, a vibrant marine protected area that safeguards a large portion of the island’s coral reef system, which forms part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second longest barrier reef in the world.
PERU
For the first time, Peru joined the global celebration of Marine Protected Areas with an inspiring in-person event hosted by Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) Perú at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in Lima.
This milestone gathering brought young ocean advocates, students, and community members together to spotlight the importance of MPAs in protecting marine biodiversity, supporting sustainable fisheries, and building climate resilience.
At the heart of the event was a celebration of the Tropical Pacific Sea of Peru Hope Spot®, a globally recognized area of ecological significance.
uruguay
The OCC Organization for Cetaceans Conservation in Uruguay highlighted the powerful connection between MPAs and the natural rhythms they safeguard through its ongoing Olas de Cambio y Consciencia (Waves of Change and Awareness) campaign.
Launched in April, the campaign celebrates the beauty and balance of ocean life protected within MPAs.
This year’s focus centered on the seasonal return of sea lions to Isla de Lobos and the slow, ancient growth of deep-sea corals along the continental slope. These examples served as powerful reminders of the timeless processes unfolding beneath the waves — and the vital role MPAs play in preserving them.
UNITED STATES of america
Across the United States, individuals, students, and communities came together celebrate MPAs — and their critical role in safeguarding our oceans.
Over 150 seventh-grade science students at Picayune Junior High School in Mississippi explored the essential role MPAs play in preserving ocean health.
Led by their teacher Steve Holyer, the full-day programme connected students—just 25 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico—to the wider marine ecosystem.
Through a video presentation from Bruce Mann and Judy Mann-Lang, hands-on activities and science lessons, these young learners discovered how even inland communities are vital to protecting coastal biodiversity and economies.
Meanwhile, the California Institute of Environmental Design & Management (CIEDM) gathered community members for a cleanup to reduce stormwater pollution flowing toward the Pacific, helping protect marine ecosystems downstream.
(Video by Bruce Mann & Judy Mann-Lang)
The Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom CRUSTOMICS Lab at Florida International University ran a From Trash to Treasure challenge inviting beachgoers to turn cleanup into creativity.
Participants were invited to collect trash along Florida’s iconic shores, transform it into marine-themed art and snap and share a photo of it.
They also ran an online creature feature and spotlighted Hope Spot research during the MPA Day weekend.
(Photo by Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom CRUSTOMICS Lab)