By Marine Conservation Institute | November 26, 2025
Marine Conservation Institute announces the updated Blue Park Standard for Effective Ocean Conservation, a comprehensive, science-backed guide designed to help marine protected areas (MPAs) achieve real conservation success. The Blue Park Standard provides clear, actionable criteria for planning, implementing, and evaluating MPAs that effectively protect marine biodiversity. Building on years of research and practice, this updated version offers improved organization and clarity to make it even easier for practitioners, policymakers, and scientists to apply in the field.
Developed collaboratively with more than 150 marine conservation scientists from around the world and grounded in the latest research on MPA effectiveness, the Blue Park Standard provides clear expectations for biodiversity-focused protection, equitable governance, and high-quality management across diverse marine environments.
“Effective MPAs require more than a designation – they require community stewardship, strategic design with protective regulations, and capacity for management,” said Dr. Sarah Hameed, Director of the Blue Parks Program. “The Blue Park Standard reflects everything we know about what makes MPAs work to deliver measurable conservation outcomes.”
Ocean For Life
Marine Conservation Institute’s long-standing leadership in defining effective, science-driven marine protection is highlighted in Ocean for Life, a newly released publication by the Human Development Forum featuring perspectives from ocean scientists and conservation organizations. The book includes a discussion of the Blue Park Standard and recognizes its role in helping global audiences understand what constitutes strong and durable marine protection.
“We’re delighted to collaborate with Marine Conservation Institute in the publication of Ocean for Life. Together we are fighting to advance global cooperation to restore and protect the ocean. It’s a battle we have to win,” said Jon Ingleton, Executive Editor, Ocean for Life.
“We are honored to contribute to Ocean for Life, which amplifies the collective effort needed to safeguard the ocean,” said Lance Morgan, President of Marine Conservation Institute. “Strong, science-based standards like Blue Parks are essential to securing the future of marine biodiversity.”
The digital edition of Ocean for Life is publicly available, with printed copies scheduled for distribution in December 2025.
Why the Blue Park Standard Matters
The updated Blue Park Standard represents a shift from an eligibility framework to a guidance-oriented framework, designed to help new and existing MPAs strengthen biodiversity outcomes. The refinement organizes the synthesis of MPA science into an accessible structure for conservation professionals seeking to improve or design MPAs.
The refined Standard is organized around six key themes that reflect the attributes of effective MPAs:
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Location & Design for Biodiversity Conservation
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Equitable and Durable Governance
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Protection from Harmful Activities
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Evidence-based Management Planning
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Comprehensive Compliance Strategy
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Capacity to Implement Management and Compliance Plans
These themes offer a transparent, scientifically grounded foundation for evaluating Blue Park Award nominees and guiding MPA improvement efforts globally.
Looking Ahead
Marine Conservation Institute will continue applying the Blue Park Standard to identify, evaluate, and recognize MPAs that demonstrate excellence in conservation effectiveness with prestigious Blue Park Awards, announced annually. With this global MPA quality standard, ongoing rigorous assessment, and global collaboration, Marine Conservation Institute remains committed to advancing durable protection for the ocean’s most important places.