Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
— Margaret Mead

As the countdown to Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day MPA Day on the 1st of August continues I would like to pause and reflect. How it is possible that a campaign, that is run with absolutely no budget, is celebrating its fourth consecutive year, and is bigger than ever before with hundreds of participants, over 20 activities and taking place in 10 countries?
As I think back to the start of MPA Day, in the middle of lockdown in 2021, I can see that the seeds for the success of the day were sown at the start. The idea started with the realisation that, if we wanted more people to support these crucial ‘game reserves of the ocean’ we needed more people to know about them. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are critical for the conservation of valuable marine biodiversity, and they can play an equally important role in supporting people – both socially and economically. However, most people have never heard of MPAs and thus their value is not appreciated by decision makers or the public.


This guest post was written by Dr Judy Mann-Lang, Executive: Strategic Projects at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation in Cape Town, South Africa